How To Get The Best Business Phone Plans In 2019
Choosing the best business phone service can be difficult when the information you need to make a good decision is scattered all over the internet.
Sure… you could visit every business phone vendor website and try to learn about each product, but I’ll save you the time and consolidate it all in this article for you to digest.
If your business pays $56.05 or more per line each month, there is definitely room to save as you could easily be paying less than $40 by negotiating a new contract.
But first… If you’re looking for information on Business Cell Phone Plans I’ll refer you to this awesome article on how to get the best business cell phone plans with any major carrier. In this post however, I will be focusing on business phone plans and systems for the office.
Knowing Your Options For Business Phone Service
If you don’t already have a business phone service, or are looking at moving into a new building, everything will depend on what’s available at your address.
The reason for this is some of your options will be limited by the internet connection you have.
You can get access to the latest Business Phone Plan Rates Here.
For the DIY crowd I’ll show you step by step how to get yourself a better plan.
How To Negotiate The Best Business Phone Plan
Whether you’re happy with your current provider and just want to get a competitive rate for your business, or you aren’t happy and are open to making a switch. I’m going to show you how to go about negotiating a better deal for your business phone service today.
- Know what kind of a contract you are in with the current provider. Business Phone Plan contracts can be anywhere from 3–5 years and the penalty for breaking it is stiff. Typically 50% or more of the monthly fee for the remainder of the contract term, ouch!
- Have your current provider send you a detailed usage report. You need to know what kind of services you are using and how much it is costing you. Long Distance usage and rates, Toll Free number usage and how many lines are going unused should all be in the report.
- Now that you know your contract is up, and what your business usage looks like it’s time to start reaching out to the competition. You should be contacting at least 2 other providers and requesting a competitive proposal, and at the same time let your current provider know you are shopping around and aren’t afraid to switch.
- This negotiating process should net your business a 10% expense reduction over your current spend and you likely won’t have to change your provider if you don’t want to. This process will be time consuming as you will want to find the right contacts at each vendor who will work hard to earn your business and give you the best rates.
- We have been able to consistently achieve 20% and up to 67% expense reduction in some cases for our clients at McLean Maxwell. Knowing the right contacts, and industry experience goes a long way to getting the best overall solution at the lowest price.
Bonus Tips:
- Consider using a broker as they have access to multiple vendors pricing and can get you more aggressive rates on business phone plans.
- Check with a colleague at a larger company and ask about what they are using and how much they pay. If you don’t know anyone just search LinkedIn for a fellow Business Owner, IT, or Finance manager and send them a message or email asking for advice.
- Whenever possible avoid 3-5 year contracts, a lot is going to change with pricing and services in the next 3-5 years and you don’t want to get stuck paying a premium.
Recap — The Best Business Phone Plans In 2019
VOIP Phone Service — For Small to Medium Business with consistent internet 10 Mbps and faster. Price $9-$40/Month per extension. All inclusive features, pricing is flexible.
Traditional Analog Service — For Small Business lacking internet speed and quality. Price $40-$90/Month per line. Little to no price negotiation possible.
T1 Phone Service — For Medium to Large Business and Call Centres on Fibre Optic Internet. Price $15-$50/Month per extension. Secure, Private and Customizable with pricing that is negotiable.
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