Man and woman starting a new business. America's Phone Guys serving Portland OR and Vancouver WA talks about when you should take your phone system or switch to VoIP when relocating your business.

Whether you’re moving across the street or the state, moving is stressful. You have so many things on your mind, from designing your new space and keeping track of equipment to notifying clients and making sure utilities are activated. And what about your business phone system? If you have a high daily call volume, that’s downtime you don’t want.

Moving is often a time when businesses decide to switch to VoIP. It’s flexible and efficient, allowing you to get settled into your new location in no time! Additionally, for some small businesses, the cost of getting set up with new VoIP lines and equipment can be less than the cost of relocating your existing phone system. Below are some factors you may want to consider as you weigh your options.

No Downtime

As a business, you can’t afford much downtime, especially if you receive a high number of daily calls. If you use a more traditional telephone system, you’ll have to wait for a technician to migrate your phone lines — which can take anywhere from a day or sometimes as long as a week to install. With a non-functioning phone system, this can potentially lead to a loss of customers, something you can avoid with VoIP phone service. With a VoIP solution, you have two options:

On-premise VoIP: your business number can be temporarily forwarded to a specific phone number so that customers can reach you
Cloud-based VoIP: your phones can be set up and activated at both locations at the same time

Provides Mobility

A cloud-based VoIP system doesn’t limit users. A call can route anywhere as long as there’s an internet connection, like your employee’s home office or smartphone, for example. Additional voice features and functions, including call transfers and voicemail, can also be done remotely through most VoIP providers.

Keep Your Current Phone Number

Switching your phone number is not fun, especially if you’ve had the same number for years. It’s part of your company’s branding. It may also be on ads, business cards, and on your website. With VoIP, your phone number is not an issue. Many VoIP providers allow you to keep your existing number and transfer it to their service — this is called number porting. This way, you no longer have to worry about losing your loyal customers or personal contacts. Most providers either offer number porting for free or at a low cost.

Moving your business can be stressful, but it also provides an opportunity for you to let go of unnecessary equipment and upgrade beneficial equipment. A well-considered plan for your business telecommunications will help keep you in touch with clients, customers, and suppliers while helping to prevent any unpleasant surprises during your move. If you are considering making the switch to VoIP for your business but aren’t sure if which system and features are best, contact America’s Phone Guys. We provide cloud-based and premise-based VoIP phone systems to the Portland OR and Vancouver WA area.