5 Small Business VoIP Phone Case Studies & Lessons Learned

Why is VoIP Crucial for Small Businesses?

As a small business owner, you might think that VoIP is only essential for large enterprises with high call volumes. But in fact, VoIP technology is still an ideal option for small businesses. Here’s how:

1. Cost Savings

Many believe VoIP comes with lower call rates, especially for long-distance or international calls. But it’s not the only cost to consider when you leverage VoIP rather than traditional landlines.

For VoIP users, you need to pay for a monthly subscription, internet connection, VoIP equipment, hardware/software licenses, and possibly long-distance rates. Meanwhile, traditional phone lines require spending on a monthly line rental, equipment rental or purchases, installation costs, and long-distance charges.

In comparison, VoIP can be more cost-effective than landlines, especially for small companies with high call volumes or remote workers. This is because VoIP often provides lower monthly fees and international rates. However, the exact savings still depend on your specific needs and usage patterns.

2. Scalability

VoIP systems grow with your business more easily than traditional phone lines. Imagine the scenario when your team increases from five to 50 members in the future. This requires significant investments in additional phone cables and firmware for landlines.

But VoIP scalability proves easier to implement. In case you utilize on-premises VoIP systems, you may need to add more hardware like IP phones or routers. The cost of such equipment is already included in hardware or software licenses.

Meanwhile, cloud-based systems handle most of the cloud’s infrastructure. So, what you need to do for VoIP scaling is adding or eliminating features or lines with just a few clicks, without investing in new firmware.

3. Flexibility for Remote Work

Traditional landlines tie you to a physical location. This means you can only make or receive calls from your office phone.

However, VoIP systems don’t confine you to physical phones. Instead, VoIP providers now offer softphone applications for you to enable calls from any device (i.e., smartphones, laptops, or tablets). This flexibility is especially beneficial as remote work becomes more prevalent with a projected growth rate of 23.90% during 2024-2031.

Accordingly, such providers as Designveloper ensure your smooth communication, regardless of location, by customizing VoIP solutions for remote workers. Our VoIP systems come with features like video conferencing or virtual extensions to keep your remote teams connected and productive from anywhere. Plus, these solutions provide your workers with strong security measures and reliable connectivity to communicate securely and create the best outcomes.

4. Advanced Features

Traditional landlines might be limited to basic calling features (e.g., call forwarding or waiting). By contrast, VoIP systems provide a diverse range of functionalities, from core to advanced ones, such as auto-attendants, call routing, or call analytics. All these features help your small business offer better service and streamline operations.

5. Integration With Business Tools

Physical landlines operate in isolation without any integration capabilities. Meanwhile, modern VoIP systems can integrate seamlessly with other business software, like CRM systems (HubSpot or Salesforce), through their native or third-party integration features.

This helps your team track customer interactions effectively, streamline workflows, and manage communication in one central place. Also, this integration also boosts productivity among your team members and improves customer service.

5 Small Business VoIP Phone Case Studies

You’ve understood the importance of VoIP systems for small businesses. So now, let’s discover successful case studies on how these small businesses are leveraging VoIP phones to support their communication process and streamline workflows.

Case Study 1: Mobilia

Mobilia - Small Business VoIP Phone Case Study

Mobilia offers a versatile SaaS platform, known as Mobilia Gestión CRM, to real estate agencies. The platform comes with essential tools to manage every aspect of a real estate agency’s operations, from recruiting new clients to closing deals. These tools include mobile apps for sales consultants and clients, tailored web pages, and integration with real estate portals. They help agencies control their entire workflow smoothly.

Key Challenges

Mobilia needed a reliable and efficient telephony service to support commercial calls, after-sales services, and technical assistance for their daily operations.

Further, Mobilia wanted to provide a high-quality yet scalable VoIP solution integrated with the CRM at an affordable price. So, they required some key features like click-to-call, incoming call identification, or call history.

How the Business Used a VoIP Solution

To resolve these issues, Mobilia turned to VoIPstudio. The provider offers a VoIP solution to handle Mobilia’s internal communication needs and serve Mobilia CRM users to the fullest.

Plus, two companies have developed an integration that enables Mobilia Gestión CRM to incorporate telephony features. They involve IVR/Virtual Operator, Call Center, Call Recording, Time Routing, and more. Accordingly, when a call comes in through VoIPstudio, the CRM will be directly notified about the corresponding customer information. Further, users can make a call by clicking directly on the contact in the CRM, and download a finished call recording.

Results

After adopting VoIPstudio, Mobilia saw significant improvements in both internal and external communications. Their team could now work remotely without any disruption. Customer service became more efficient, thanks to the flexibility and real-time adaptability of the new VoIP system.

The integration with their CRM allowed for a more complete, functional platform for their clients, providing them with call center capabilities, voicemail, mobile applications, and more. Mobilia’s Product Manager praised the solution for its excellent service, simple setup, and cost-effectiveness, which has greatly enhanced their operations.

Case Study 2: El Dorado Public Schools

El Dorado Public Schools is a school complex based in Texas. It covers four elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, and one alternative high school. All focus on teaching vocal music, technology, fine arts, and more.

Key Challenges

The El Dorado Public Schools works around the motto of one wireless device for each student. For instance, one high school student uses one laptop. To support this high-tech approach, the school complex’s Director of Technology, Doug Jensen, was finding a competitive VoIP solution that could be easily deployed in the classrooms and throughout the administrative offices.

However, the existing equipment – a Toshiba analog system – was outdated. The schools invested in a newer NEC analog system and even added IP phone connections using MultiTech gateways to connect everything. Although this solution was cost-effective, managing two different systems still presented ongoing challenges, especially in terms of maintenance.

Facing this hassle, Doug started seeking another better solution. He immediately removed the proprietary systems and researched Linux-based phone systems. Below are what he wanted from the new system:

Place an IP phone in each classroom to connect all rooms to the communication network.
Allow users to make emergency calls or announcements through the intercom by dialing a 2- or 4-digit code from any location.
Let teachers immediately contact the main office or other teachers.
Automatically send voicemails to the teacher’s email.
Forward calls from the teacher’s desk phones to cell phones so that the teacher won’t miss important calls when they’re not at their desk.
Support 4-digit dialing between different schools to allow for quick communication.

How the Business Used a VoIP Solution

The El Dorado Public Schools installed:

Xorcom XR3000 at the central office;
CXE2000/XR2000 at the larger elementary schools while XR1000 and Astribank for the smaller elementary schools;
Yealink IP phones (T28 for administrators & T22 for classroom devices).

A dedicated VoIP VLAN was set up to separate voice from data traffic for Quality of Service (QoS) purposes. It means prioritizing voice calls to avoid issues like delays or poor call quality. This is especially crucial for locations with lower bandwidth connections.

Plus, the system used the school’s existing Dell switched infrastructure to mitigate costs. The school decided to still leverage the existing infrastructure with $250 per phone extension rather than replacing the entire system (including switches). It’s because changing everything could lead to a per extension cost of around $500-$1,000.

Results

Xorcom systems can not only use existing infrastructure but also offer advanced technology at an affordable cost. Moreover, these systems align with the updated e-Rate program, which offers federal funding for school technology.

In the past, the school could get reimbursement from the federal government for traditional phone expenses. Also, they served higher-poverty populations, so they would get more support for equipment. However, updates in e-Rate are in favor of VoIP technology. Therefore, using VoIP ensures compliance while offering a cost-effective solution without high licensing fees.

Case Study 3: RE/MAX

RE/MAX - Small Business VoIP Phone Case Study

Michael runs a property management company, RE/MAX, with 30 employees. They aim to serve large residential apartment complexes. Their main communication tool is phones, which are essential for monitoring bookings, handling maintenance requests, and addressing new business inquiries. So, reliable phone service is crucial for keeping RE/MAX’s operations smooth.

Key Challenges

Unfortunately, RE/MAX relied on an old on-premises phone system that is no longer supported by the manufacturer. This made it difficult to repair.

Worse, RE/MAX recently underwent a full-day phone outage. This frustrated both property owners and tenants. Further, this made RE/MAX miss an important call that could lead to new revenue.

How the Business Used a VoIP Solution

At that time, Michael knew he had to find a quick solution to protect his business reputation and prevent future outages. He decided not to invest in another expensive and hard-to-maintain PBX system. Instead, he opted for a more reliable cloud-based phone service that would offer constant access.

Results

This solution allows his whole team to generate calls from any device as long as they have an internet connection. If the network goes down or the office is inaccessible for any reason, they can work from home or any other remote location to deliver seamless, uninterrupted service.

They can even use a mobile app to make or receive calls over a cellular network if the Internet is down. Each call will look as if it came from the firm’s office line, not a cell phone number. This ensures the company’s professionalism.

Case Study 4: Colburn Construction, Inc.

Colburn Construction, Inc. (CCI) is a union-affiliated contractor based in Cullman, Alabama. Despite being a small business, CCI has over 200 employees, many of whom are highly skilled craftsmen working on various projects.

Key Challenges

Although CCI has a large workforce, only four people manage the entire operation at the main office. They’re also in charge of directing resources, communicating with on-site managers, and working with clients and suppliers. With such a busy office, it’s crucial to have an efficient phone system for seamless communication.

However, their previous phone fell short in this regard. It lacked advanced functions, making operations inefficient. When someone called, every phone in the office would ring. Anyone available could answer the phone and transfer the caller to the right person. Worse, they got piles of telemarketer calls each day. This continuously interrupted their work. Despite poor service, CCI had to pay more than $300 per month for their outdated phone system.

How the Business Used a VoIP Solution

After researching online, Jonathan Arndt, CCI’s general manager, discovered the Ooma Office and switched to this service. CCI uses Ooma’s Virtual Receptionist to forward calls to the right person. This mitigates delays and improves communication. Besides, Arndt mentioned that the Ooma Office is easy to install and monitor without needing IT help. This helps them implement the new system quickly and benefit from it immediately.

Results

The new system boosts productivity while still making CCI more professional. Further, Arndt predicted that they could cut the number of telemarketer calls in half. So, there are far fewer interruptions in their daily operation and they can focus more on important tasks. Plus, CCI lowers their phone expenses from $300 to $40 per month.

Case Study 5: Dorset Nursing Supplies

Dorset Nursing Supplies is a family-run business based in Christchurch. They provide healthcare professionals and individuals with medical and homecare equipment.

Key Challenges

Dorset Nursing Supplies started partnering with Town & Country Communications for cost-efficient SIM-only mobile contracts over 20 years ago. This long-term partnership encouraged Dorset Nursing Supplies to ask Town & Country to cover all their telecommunications. They also wanted to upgrade their existing phone system in the office.

How the Business Used a VoIP Solution

In the past, Dorset Nursing Supplies relied on an old VoIP system that was old-fashioned and slow. So, after evaluating the client’s existing setup, Town & Country Communications recommended Dorset use a newer system that operates similarly. This saves them from learning a whole new platform. However, this new VoIP system is faster, more versatile, and more responsive.

First, Town & Country Communications found the essential physical equipment, like phones or network devices. The company then configured the system to fit Dorset’s business needs. They only only about 30 minutes to finish the system installation. Going forward, the company will continue to support its phone system and mobile contracts. This helps maintain their trusted partnership.

Results

After installation, Dorset Nursing Supplies felt completely satisfied with the new system. They now can interact with both clients and internal staff quickly and easily.

Lessons Learned from Small Business VoIP Phone Case Studies

Through those case studies, we can see that outdated phone systems impede communication efficiency. Each small business, from schools to healthcare suppliers, bumped into common issues like high costs and disruptions due to hardware limitations. By using VoIP systems, small businesses can resolve these problems by fostering internal and external communication and lowering operational costs.

Additionally, VoIP offers immense benefits like scalability, reliability, and cost-efficiency. By integrating such features as call routing and mobile access, small business owners can better monitor resources, improve workflows, and ensure smooth communication. VoIP systems are also easier to set up and maintain. This is a big plus for those with limited IT staff.

Further, VoIP systems can be customized to fit the specific needs of your small business. For instance, Mobilia incorporated VoIP with its CRM to monitor customer relationships more effectively, while El Dorado Public Schools used IP phones to foster communication between classrooms and administrative offices. This enables your small business to tailor your telecommunication solutions based on team sizes, unique workflows, and customer service demands.

How Designveloper Can Help With Small Business VoIP Systems

Through these small business VoIP phone case studies, it’s clear that this tech offers more than just a phone service. It functions as a strategic assistant to boost your productivity and mitigate costs. If you’re considering VoIP, look for the right provider that can meet your specific needs. Here at Designveloper, we provide a customized, scalable VoIP solution for internal communication, remote working, customer service, and more.

Our team uses cutting-edge technology, coupled with our in-depth expertise & years of experience, to develop robust VoIP solutions that meet your requirements. These solutions come with core & advanced features, including call routing, video conferencing, IVR (Interactive Voice Response), real-time analytics, mobile access, etc. Trust Designveloper to build a VoIP app that enhances communication efficiency and productivity for your organization.

Contact Designveloper to share your VoIP idea and realize your dream!