4 Signs That It’s Time to Switch VoIP Providers

A change might be needed. Here’s how to make the big decision.

This article is for businesses that are already using a VoIP service provider, but aren’t completely satisfied … Or perhaps suspect they might not be getting everything they should be getting out of their service.

The reality is that switching providers can be a lot of work. It’s always a headache to manage a big transition. But if you’re not getting the most out of your VoIP service, the extra work will be worth the effort in the long run.

If you think about it, a high-functioning business communication ecosystem is crucial. A poorly designed (or poorly implemented) VoIP system can have a negative impact on everything from customer service, to employee productivity, to your bottom line. So take the the time to make sure you’re not getting burned on service quality/reliability or unnecessary expenses.

To help you make this big decision, we put together 4 signs that you’re ready to change VoIP providers.

1. You’re starting to get the impression that VoIP sucks

We have news for you: It’s your provider that sucks. Not VoIP technology.

Often the issue stems from bad phones, old routers, or misconfigured systems. These could be negatively affecting your VoIP experience. If your provider is unable to remedy these hardware-related problems, switch to a provider that will.

Your provider should have the technical know-how and customer service capabilities to help you get the right equipment for the job – and configure your network for optimal connectivity. They should also be able to help you with procuring more bandwidth to improve call quality, or even setting up an SD-WAN (an advanced WAN service ideal for running cloud-based services like VoIP).

2. Call quality is inconsistent at best

It’s definitely possible to have call quality (and reliability) that’s on par with landline telephones.

The perception that this is impossible with VoIP is a remnant of the early 2000s, when too many low-quality providers promised quality they couldn’t deliver.

The truth is you CAN have a high-quality VoIP experience over public internet connections. You just need a provider that can configure your network properly and give you access to adequate bandwidth. The top VoIP providers do this by using a technique called traffic shaping.

If your current provider doesn’t have the technical know-how to fix call quality, it’s time to switch.

3. You’re constantly anxious about your system going down

If you’ve experienced several instances of downtime since adopting VoIP, that’s a really bad sign. High-quality VoIP providers rarely experience downtime.

One of the reasons downtime occurs is a lack of redundancy. Many lower quality providers just have one data center. More established companies have several, geographically dispersed data centers. If one goes down, the others automatically pick up the slack. And you won’t even notice.

Even worse is if your provider doesn’t tell you when or why downtime is occurring. And if they point the finger at your internet provider, that’s another bad sign.

4. You experience long wait times when you call customer service

If you have to wait too long on the line before getting help, your provider is wasting your valuable time. Customer service agents should be readily available and well-versed – able to help you solve basic problems whenever they crop up.

If you call and have to wait on hold for 30 minutes while customer service tries to figure out what’s going on, it’s a sign your provider is disorganized or inexperienced (or both).

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All 4 warning signs in this article are big red flags that signal you should switch providers – and fast. These are serious issues. And if your provider can’t address each and every one of them, they don’t deserve your business.

At BullsEye, we take pride in the quality of our services. We offer all our customers:

• A Service Agreement that guarantees uptime (and sets out the consequences if we’re unable to meet this guarantee),
• 24/7 customer support through a range of channels so you can choose what works best for you, and
• All the powerful VoIP features businesses need to stay productive, like video conferencing, integrations with your CRM, call forwarding, call recording, advanced analytics, and more.

Plus, before we even think about beginning an installation, we’ll walk you through the entire setup process, ensuring you have the right equipment, the right configuration, and enough bandwidth to protect call quality through even the largest demand spikes.

For a closer look at what VoIP SHOULD be like, read some of our case studies.

Then, when you’re ready, give us a call to learn more about how we could help you get a VoIP service that really works.