Hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provides your clients with a communication method they can count on. In an era of remote work, internet-based hosted VoIP allows employees to communicate from home or any other location with an internet connection –and keep the same phone number. Hosted VoIP is also less expensive than traditional PBX systems, both when it comes to monthly charges and by decreasing on-premises infrastructure. Hosted VoIP systems also scale more easily than legacy systems, giving businesses the flexibility they need in the work-anywhere era.
Managed services providers (MSPs) and value-added resellers (VARs) can find that hosted VoIP solutions offer benefits to a wide range of businesses in a variety of industries. However, first, you need to answer the question “what is hosted VoIP” and understand that different features will appeal to different companies.
Beneficial Features for Your Enterprise Clients
Hosted VoIP is a popular choice for the largest companies that require features such as:
- Conference calls: One of the first things people think of when they hear hosted VoIP is its ability to support conference calls. However, depending on your client, the VoIP solution you are considering may not meet your clients’ needs. Look for a solution that supports the number of participants, time limits, caller ID/participant verification, call recording and options for video calls that their business needs.
- Auto attendant: Hosted VoIP solutions designed for enterprises allow the company to configure an automated greeting and technology that routes calls to the right person or department. Callers don’t spend excessive time waiting for someone to pick up the phone, improving their experiences. Additionally, it’s not necessary to devote labor to answering calls. Your clients can reallocate a receptionist or other employees on the switchboard to higher-value activities.
- Toll-free numbers: Toll-free numbers still save costs for some business clients who use legacy phone services outside their region, but enterprises can also benefit from “vanity numbers” that spell the company’s name or a phrase that a prospect can remember easily.
- CRM integration: Hosted VoIP integrated with a customer relationship management (CRM) solution saves the time it takes to enter information about calls manually and helps managers ensure their teams are following up with leads.
- Call routing and management: Businesses save time and streamline processes by immediately sending calls to the right department. A hosted VoIP solution can also give businesses the ability to hold or block numbers.
- Online faxing: Enterprises that need to send or receive faxes will benefit from a hosted VoIP solution that supports this functionality via email or a traditional fax machine.
- Unified Communication (UC) support: Enterprises that require real-time communication and collaboration via voice, messaging, app, video, and more rest on a hosted VoIP platform.
Hosted VoIP Features that Appeal to SMBs
Several hosted VoIP features also appeal to small and medium-sized businesses, including:
- Find me/follow me: This feature enables users to accept calls at different locations on different phones. If a user doesn’t answer a call at the primary number, the hosted VoIP system automatically tries numbers that the user defines. If the user doesn’t answer any number, the system will send the call to voice mail.
- Mobile app: SMB owners are always on the go but rarely off the clock. A mobile app allows them to stay in close contact with their employees and customers anytime.
- Call screening: An intelligent hosted VoIP solution can help you decide whether an incoming call is worth your time, for example, stopping any calls from “anonymous” from getting through.
- VoIP desk phones: Some hosted VoIP providers offer telephones that businesses can use with their systems to enhance call quality.
- Scalability: Your small business clients on a growth trajectory will want to know if the system they deploy can scale with their organization. Hosted VoIP may be the highly scalable solution they need.
How to Meet the Demand for Hosted VoIP
Although connecting your clients with a hosted VoIP solution is relatively easy, especially when you work with vendors that facilitate the process, finding the right solution for your clients takes time and effort. Instead of forming one or two partnerships, it’s more beneficial to understand all hosted VoIP solutions available to your market and match the best to your clients’ businesses.
Learn the hosted VoIP landscape, listen to your clients and provide solutions that deliver the greatest value. 
