Whether it’s a small business or a corporation, it’s important to have the essential parts of your business organized so you can operate smoothly and efficiently. For those who don’t have a brick-and-mortar location or who run their businesses primarily from remote locations, one of the best things you can do for your business and your employees is set up a virtual phone number for easy communication.
But how do you set up a VoIP? It’s easier than you might think.
Table of Contents
Step One: Use a Follow-Along Tutorial
If technology isn’t your thing, then using a follow-along tutorial such as the one at VoIP Virtual is a simple way to get your VoIP set up without a hitch. Viewing our tutorial will walk you through all the steps necessary to set up a virtual number for your business, which can get tricky if you’re a small business without a physical location.
Step Two: Search for VoIP by Price and Need
After watching our tutorial, the first thing you will need to do is search for a VoIP service based on the price you can afford and the needs of your business. There are dozens of virtual phone services to choose from, but the best of the best is Ring Central, which caters to both small businesses and larger corporations.
Once you find the service provider that seems to match your needs, you can narrow your selection by the specific plans that are offered. A tip: select the plan that covers only what you need now because you can always upgrade later.
Step Three: Chose Your Phone Number
While most other phone plans will randomly assign you a number, you usually have a bit more freedom with virtual phone services. When it comes to selecting your phone number, you will need to first sort by area code and then choose from the available numbers that go with that area code. This usually means that you have the choice of about 5 to 10 phone numbers to select from.
Step Four: Add Users
Next, you will need to add users. For this, it’s best to estimate how many people will need access to the virtual phone service, as well as if any people in your business will need a physical phone from the service, which is offered with some plans and service providers. You can add users manually or by importing contact information.
Step Five: Create Your Account
Once the basics of your plan have been outlined, you will need to create your account. This is often where small business owners get hung up. While you may be the CEO of your business, you need to make sure that you are creating your account with your business information, not your personal information. This means using a PO box number if you don’t have a physical location and inputting a company credit card number if you have one.
Step Six: Verify, Activate, and Set Up Account
Finally, you will need to verify your account through your mobile number or your email, create a pin number for security purposes, and add security questions after you create your password. Setting up your account will include creating extensions for users if necessary, creating a company greeting for voicemail (and your own voicemail for your personal extension), and finalizing emergency calling protocols.
Your business needs to have a phone number to ease the communication between yourself, your employees, and your business partners – and if you don’t have a physical location or you want to save money, then a VoIP service is the best way to go. For more information on how to set up your own virtual phone service, contact VoIP Virtual today.