Day: September 17, 2020

It’s Science-backed With Our Foolproof Research: How to Build a Business Credit Score in a Recession

We Smuggled Out Hidden Information on How to Build a Business Credit Score in a Recession

Our research dynamos can teach YOU how to build a business credit score in a recession! The economy doesn’t have to be perfect to build business credit quickly and effectively.

Building better business credit means that your small business attains opportunities you never assumed it would.

You can get new equipment, bid on real property, and deal with the company payroll. And you can do so even when times are a bit lean. This is specifically helpful in holiday businesses, where you can go for calendar months with simply negligible sales.

Because of this, you ought to tackle building your company credit. Enhance and maintain your scores and you will have these possibilities. Do not, and either you do not get these opportunities, or they will cost you a lot more. And no company owner wants that.

So you need to know what affects your business credit before you can make it better.

How to Build a Business Credit Score in a Recession: Credit History Length Is Vital

This is essentially the length of time your business has been using business credit. Obviously newer businesses will have short credit histories. While there is not too much you can particularly do about that, do not despair.

Credit reporting agencies will also consider your personal credit score and your own history of payments. If your consumer credit is good, and particularly if you have a fairly extensive credit history, then your individual credit can come to the rescue of your company.

So that is, you did not just get your first credit card recently.

Normally the converse is also right. Hence if your individual credit history is poor, then it will have a bearing on your business credit scores. And it will do so until your small business and personal credit can be split up.

How to Build a Business Credit Score in a Recession: Don’t Allow Your Credit Utilization Rate to Harm Your Small business

Your credit utilization rate is just the amount of cash you have on credit. So it is then divided by your total available credit. Lenders in general do not wish to see this exceed 30%. Hence for every $100 in credit, do not borrow more than $30 of that.

If this percent is climbing, you’ll have to spend down and pay off your debts prior to borrowing more.

How to Build a Business Credit Score in a Recession: Your Payment History Truly Matters

Late repayments will affect your company credit score for a good seven years. If you pay your company debts off, as fast as possible, then you can make a very real difference when it relates to your credit scores.

Ensure that you pay promptly. And you will enjoy the rewards of promptness.

Learn more here and get started toward building business credit attached to your company’s EIN and not your SSN. Get money even in a recession!

How to Build a Business Credit Score in a Recession: Your Personal Credit Can Bear upon Your Business Credit

A substandard business year could end up on your personal credit score. And in case your business has not been around for too long, it will directly influence your company credit.

But don’t worry, you can separate them easily. Do so by taking measures to unlink them.

For instance, get credit cards exclusively for your firm. Or open business checking accounts and other bank accounts (or perhaps get a business loan). And then the credit reporting bureaus will begin to address your personal and small business credit independently.

Also, make sure to incorporate. Or at least file a DBA (doing business as) status. You can also pay for your company’s debts with your firm credit card or checking account. And make certain it is the company’s full name on the bill and not your own.

How to Build a Business Credit Score in a Recession: The Credit Reporting Bureaus Can Just Plain Get It Wrong

Just like each organization out there, credit reporting agencies like Equifax and Experian are only as good as their information. If your firm’s name is like another’s, there can possibly be some errors.

So check those reports, and your company report at Dun & Bradstreet, PAYDEX. Remain on top of these reports and contest charges with documentation and clear communications. Do not just let them stay incorrect! You can fix this!

And while you’re at, it you should also be overseeing the credit reporting agency which solely handles personal and not business credit, TransUnion. If you do not know how to pull a credit report, do not fret. It’s easy.

An Alternative – Business Credit!

Business credit is credit in a small business’s name. It doesn’t attach to an owner’s consumer credit, not even if the owner is a sole proprietor and the only employee of the company. Consequently, a business owner’s business and consumer credit scores can be very different.

The Benefits

Since small business credit is independent from individual, it helps to secure a business owner’s personal assets, in the event of a lawsuit or business bankruptcy. Also, with two separate credit scores, a small business owner can get two different cards from the same merchant. This effectively doubles buying power.

Another advantage is that even new ventures can do this. Visiting a bank for a business loan can be a recipe for disappointment. But building business credit, when done the right way, is a plan for success.

Personal credit scores depend upon payments but also additional factors like credit usage percentages. But for business credit, the scores truly only hinge on whether a company pays its bills on time.

Learn more here and get started toward building business credit attached to your company’s EIN and not your SSN. Get money even in a recession!

The Process

Growing business credit is a process, and it does not happen automatically. A business needs to actively work to establish business credit. Nevertheless, it can be done easily and quickly, and it is much more rapid than establishing personal credit scores.

Merchants are a big part of this process.

Doing the steps out of order will result in repetitive denials. No one can start at the top with company credit. For instance, you can’t start with store or cash credit from your bank. If you do you’ll get a rejection 100% of the time.

Business Fundability

A business has to be genuine to lenders and merchants. For that reason, a business will need a professional-looking web site and email address, with site hosting bought from a merchant such as GoDaddy.

And company telephone and fax numbers ought to have a listing on ListYourself.net.

Likewise the company telephone number should be toll-free (800 exchange or comparable).

A business will also need a bank account dedicated solely to it, and it has to have all of the licenses essential for running. These licenses all have to be in the correct, correct name of the small business, with the same business address and phone numbers.

So bear in mind that this means not just state licenses, but possibly also city licenses.

Learn more here and get started toward building business credit attached to your company’s EIN and not your SSN. Get money even in a recession!

Dealing with the Internal Revenue Service

Visit the Internal Revenue Service web site and acquire an EIN for the company. They’re totally free. Select a business entity like corporation, LLC, etc.

A company can get started as a sole proprietor. But they will more than likely wish to change to a kind of corporation or partnership to decrease risk and maximize tax benefits.

A business entity will matter when it comes to taxes and liability in case of a lawsuit. A sole proprietorship means the entrepreneur is it when it comes to liability and taxes. No one else is responsible.

If you operate a small business as a sole proprietor, then at the very least be sure to file for a DBA (‘doing business as’) status.

If you do not, then your personal name is the same as the business name. As a result, you can wind up being directly responsible for all company debts.

Additionally, according to the IRS, by having this structure there is a 1 in 7 possibility of an IRS audit. There is a 1 in 50 chance for corporations! Steer clear of confusion and significantly decrease the chances of an IRS audit at the same time.

Starting Off the Business Credit Reporting Process

Begin at the D&B website and get a cost-free DUNS number. A DUNS number is how D&B gets a company in their system, to produce a PAYDEX score. If there is no DUNS number, then there is no record and no PAYDEX score.

Once in D&B’s system, search Equifax and Experian’s websites for the company. You can do this here. If there is a record with them, check it for correctness and completeness. If there are no records with them, go to the next step in the process.

By doing this, Experian and Equifax will have something to report on.

Trade Lines

First you must establish trade lines that report. This is also called vendor accounts. Then you’ll have an established credit profile, and you’ll get a business credit score.

And with an established business credit profile and score you can start getting revolving store and cash credit.

These types of accounts have the tendency to be for the things bought all the time, like coffee, shipping boxes, outdoor work wear, ink and toner, and office furniture.

But first off, what is trade credit? These trade lines are credit issuers who will give you initial credit when you have none now. Terms are commonly Net 30, instead of revolving.

Hence if you get approval for $1,000 in vendor credit and use all of it, you must pay that money back in a set term, like within 30 days on a Net 30 account.

Details

Net 30 accounts have to be paid in full within 30 days. 60 accounts have to be paid in full within 60 days. In contrast to with revolving accounts, you have a set time when you must pay back what you borrowed or the credit you made use of.

To kick off your business credit profile the right way, you should get approval for vendor accounts that report to the business credit reporting bureaus. As soon as that’s done, you can then use the credit.

Then pay back what you used, and the account is on report to Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, or Equifax.

Not every vendor can help like true starter credit can. These are vendors that will grant an approval with hardly any effort. You also need them to be reporting to one or more of the big three CRAs: Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, and Experian.

But you may have to apply more than one time to these vendors, and you may need to purchase some things you don’t need, to confirm you are responsible and will pay promptly. Consider giving nonessential things to charitable organizations.

Revolving Store CreditHow to build a business credit score in a recession Credit Suite

Once there are 3 or more vendor trade accounts reporting to at least one of the CRAs, progress to revolving store credit. These are service providers such as Office Depot and Staples.

Use the small business’s EIN on these credit applications.

Fleet Credit

Are there more accounts reporting? Then move onto fleet credit. These are businesses like BP and Conoco. Use this credit to purchase fuel, and to repair and take care of vehicles. Make sure to apply using the small business’s EIN.

Cash Credit

Have you been sensibly handling the credit you’ve gotten up to this point? Then move onto more universal cash credit. Keep your SSN off these applications; use your EIN instead.

These are usually MasterCard credit cards. If you have more trade accounts reporting, then these are feasible.

Monitor Your Business Credit

Know what is happening with your credit. Make sure it is being reported and deal with any mistakes ASAP. Get in the practice of checking credit reports. Dig into the specifics, not just the scores.

We can help you monitor business credit at Experian and D&B for 90% less. Update the information if there are errors or the info is incomplete.

Disputing Errors

So, what’s all this monitoring for? It’s to dispute any errors in your records. Errors in your credit report(s) can be corrected. But the CRAs normally want you to dispute in a particular way.

Disputing credit report inaccuracies usually means you send a paper letter with copies of any proofs of payment with it. These are documents like receipts and cancelled checks. Never mail the originals. Always mail copies and retain the original copies.

Disputing credit report mistakes also means you specifically spell out any charges you challenge. Make your dispute letter as clear as possible. Be specific about the problems with your report. Use certified mail so that you will have proof that you mailed in your dispute.

A Word about Building Business Credit

Always use credit sensibly! Don’t borrow more than what you can pay off. Keep an eye on balances and deadlines for repayments. Paying in a timely manner and in full will do more to raise business credit scores than pretty much anything else.

Establishing business credit pays. Great business credit scores help a business get loans. Your lending institution knows the business can pay its debts. They know the business is bona fide.

The small business’s EIN attaches to high scores, and lending institutions won’t feel the need to demand a personal guarantee.

How to Build a Business Credit Score in a Recession: The Takeaways

Once you find out what influences your small business credit score, you are that much nearer to being able to build a business credit in a recession.

Learn more here and get started on how to build a business credit score in a recession.

The post It’s Science-backed With Our Foolproof Research: How to Build a Business Credit Score in a Recession appeared first on Credit Suite.

New comment by martinbeta1 in "Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2020)"

Prisma | Senior Product Manager | Remote or Berlin | Full-Time
Apply here: https://grnh.se/0b8ad4fe2us

Requirements:
– 3+ Years XP as Product Manager or related position
– At least some experience working as Engineer in BE Applications
– Some first-hand experience working with Databases.
– Some experience working in SaaS B2B environment.

The post New comment by martinbeta1 in “Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2020)” appeared first on ROI Credit Builders.

New comment by mahnen in "Ask HN: Who is hiring? (September 2020)"

Positrigo | Full Stack Software Developer | Zurich | Apply: https://positrigo-ag.breezy.hr/p/234b41567cba-full-stack-sof…

Our vision at Positrigo is to image everyone by bringing nuclear medical imaging to the patients. That is why we work to develop the smallest and most affordable brain PET system – combining cutting-edge medical imaging technology with simplicity to enable the early and reliable detection of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. We are an ETH Zurich spin-off which has just closed its Series A investment round. With your help we want to take our first product NeuroLF to the markets!

Best HR Software

Disclosure: This content is reader-supported, which means if you click on some of our links that we may earn a commission. Human resources can be a tough department to manage. From hiring to onboarding, employee scheduling, and HR compliance, there are dozens of responsibilities being juggled. What if an employee wants to view an old … Continue reading Best HR Software

11 Proven Ways to Increase Dwell Time

Are you doing everything you can to rank for a specific keyword? Are you struggling to get on even the first page, much less the top?

Here’s the thing: there’s a good chance you are making a ton of mistakes that sends users back to the SERP.

After developing hundreds of high-ranking pages, I’m here to show you the role dwell time plays in ranking and how you can increase it.

Before I share 11 strategies to increase your dwell time, let’s look at what dwell time is and why it matters.

What is Dwell Time?

Dwell time is the length of time a user spends on your page before returning to SERP. Most SEOs consider dwell time to be a ranking signal, though Google hasn’t confirmed it.

As an example, let’s say you want to establish a better morning routine. So you Google “morning rituals.”

SERP screenshot example, how to increase dwell time

You click on the first result. But the page is hard to navigate, and the content’s not useful.

Within a few seconds, you hit back on your browser and click on the second result.

The second page has excellent content, and the website is easy to scroll through. You end up spending six minutes there and then go back to the SERP.

Now, if other people also spend more time on the second page, Google may factor that in their page rankings and demote the current first result. That will bump the #2 result up to #1.

Although Google hasn’t gone on the record to say dwell time is a ranking factor, the closest thing we’ve got so far is a Google engineer sharing this tidbit:

“So when search was invented… they wrote heuristics that had figure out what the relationship between a search and the best page for that search was. And those heuristics worked pretty well and continue to work pretty well.

But Google is now integrating machine learning into that process. So then training models on when someone clicks on a page and stays on that page, when they go back or when they and trying to figure out exactly on that relationship.”

Here’s another strong indicator that dwell time is at least a mild ranking factor: Google used to let you hide specific websites on the SERP after visiting them.

If you bounce fast from a page, you could block all results from a domain – because Google knew that if people left a page quickly, there was a good chance they didn’t like the content.

Over time, that feature was dropped, likely as Google better understood which sites were most useful.

Dwell Time Versus Time On Page

You may have heard of time on page, which is the amount of time a user is on a page until they go anywhere else.

dwell time versus time on page metrics for SEO

Time on page is based on two clicks:

1. A user visits your website.

2. The user then clicks on another page on your website.

time on page versus dwell time in SEO

The big difference between time on page and dwell time is whether or not the visitor went to another page on your website. With time on page, they have to visit a second page on your website for Google Analytics to take the session into account.

If a user only visits one page on your website, Google Analytics shows time on page for the session as zero.

Here are 11 strategies to increase your pages’ dwell time.

Hook Readers In

You have one shot at making a great first impression from the SERP. One web usability study found the first 10 seconds of a page visit are critical for determining if a visitor stays or goes.

Are your blog post introductions reeling in readers? To encourage dwell time, each introduction needs to be interesting and relevant to your target keywords.

Take this example from a recent post about spying on your competitor’s SEO.

competitor research example, how to increase your dwell time in SEO

The open-ended question is the hook. The follow-up sentence is brief and touches on a universal pain point. It also acts as a transition guiding the reader to the thesis.

This hook isn’t like a traditional university paper thesis, though. It’s a teaser of what readers can expect in your article.  

Divide Into Snackable Sections

Your introduction gets site visitors engaged and excited to continue reading.

Use H2’s to break content into sections, so it’s easy to read. It also makes it easier for folks to go back and reference your content later.

A good example is this article on defining your target audience.

Another way to make your content easier to consume is to turn succinct lists intobullet-pointt format. These make content easier to read and help users find the meat of the content faster.

Another way to engage readers is to use a ton of screenshots and other visuals to illustrate your points.

Create a Multimedia Experience

Infographics aren’t just great for referral traffic. Visuals can also help keep your site visitors engaged.

For example, check out this content layering infographic. It makes a complex topic easier to digest and understand.

Image source

Here are a few tools you can use to create visuals for your content quickly:

Video can also encourage visitors to stick around. 80% of marketers said in a Wyzowl survey video increased the dwell time on their website. Embedding videos in your content can too.

Here are a few different strategies to increase the effectiveness of video:

  • Use an eye-catching video thumbnail so users will click and watch.
  • Customer testimonial videos and product videos can be a powerful way to push conversions.
  • Embed video explaining a specific strategy or concept you touch on within your content. Use the video for diving deeper into the strategy.
  • Share a video from a popular YouTube channel in your content. Then reach out to the producers, as there may be opportunities for social referral traffic.
  • Insert a video containing information with related content.

Match Search Intent

If you’re looking to rank #1 for a keyword on Google, you need to be the most relevant query. In other words, the content on your page needs to reflect a searcher’s intent, the reason for the search.

Let’s say you’re trying to rank for “best spa” in NYC.

Spas in NYC example in how to increase dwell time

Google knows the most relevant results from millions of searchers who have either bounced or stuck around pages. In this case, spa options based on a searcher’s location and the best spas worldwide are the top results.  

A landing page spotlighting a specific spa won’t work. However, charts showing different destination spa’s amenities and price comparison tools may be effective.  

The four most common types of search intent are:

Information

A searcher is looking for general information (“How can I interpret my dreams?”)  or an answer to a specific question (“How old is Elon Musk?”)

More examples of information searches:

  • “When is NBA draft”
  • “LAX Terminal 4 to 5 directions”
  • “Howard Schultz”

Brand

The searcher is looking for a specific website or brand. They may forget the URL or find it easier to Google a brand than type out the site’s address.

Examples of brand searches:

  • “Instagram login”
  • “Ubersuggest”
  • “Neil Patel guide to Local SEO”

Inquiry

With an inquiry search, a searcher shows interest in an item or solution but is still researching and comparing their options.

Examples of inquiry searches:

  • “best spas”
  • “United versus Delta”
  • “Ubersuggest reviews”

Transaction

In a transaction search, the searcher is ready to buy. They are either looking for the best price or trying to find a specific item or service.

Examples of transaction searches:

  • “Chipotles near me”
  • “buy iPad pro”
  • “athletic greens coupon”

Now let’s say a spa decides to target “corporate wellness retreats.” Here are the steps they can take to do competitive research on Ubersuggest:

First, review search volume and keyword difficulty under “Keyword Ideas.”

keyword ideas in how to increase your dwell time

Next, analyze the top SERP results for that keyword.

keyword overview example on how to increase dwell time

Are the top results product pages, blog posts, or another format? For a search of “corporate wellness retreat,” we can see most of the top 10 results are landing pages.

As you review each page, take notes on the page’s content to see how you can improve.

You can also review on-page optimizations, such as the use of keywords in headlines and subheadings and any other factors encouraging dwell time.

Then review the top results off-page SEO strategy. Copy the URL of any result into Ubersuggest and select overview to see more about the domain, including:

  • The number of backlinks pointing to their domain
  • Domain score; the higher the number, the more authoritative a site is, and the higher it will rank in Google
  • The number of unique domains linking back to their domain
domain overview example in How to increase dwell time

Craft In-depth Content

In most cases, longer content gets more traffic. Since it takes more time to read, more robust content boosts dwell time.

Help encourage visitors to stick around by providing the go-to resource for a specific query using the Skyscraper technique (a term initially coined by Brian Dean of Backlinko). 

All skyscraper content has one or more of the following elements:

  • Useful: Does it provide step-by-step instructions where possible? Are you providing your reader with clear takeaways?
  • Entertaining: Does your content draw in your reader either through a compelling narrative, hook, or funny bits?
  • User Experience: Is your content easy to navigate and skim? Does content logically flow? Is the content accessible in tone and style? In particular, it doesn’t read like a post-graduate paper or use larger words than needed.

Each of the eight steps in this article on monetizing your blog shows you don’t need a massive amount of traffic to start making money. Readers can also see a ton of examples where they can draw inspiration.

how to increase dwell time through great content

By creating thorough content it ranks #1 for highly competitive keywords and readers spend an average of over 4 minutes on the page.

Enable Comments

Open up your blog to questions and discussion in the comments. Just like here, where I try to reply to all comments.

People want to read others’ comments. Other readers likely have the same questions and can contain additional valuable responses from the author.

As people read or add in their own comments, their dwell time goes up.

Plus, you can get a ton of great feedback with your site visitors, like the comment below.

comment example

Create Interactive Elements

Interactive content not only keeps users on your page longer, it can also improve the user experience.

Quizzes, polls, downloadable assessments, and calculators are all features that can help site visitors work through the specific issue they came to your site to solve.

Establish Next Steps

If someone wants to learn more about a specific topic you’ve covered, make it easy to access with an internal link.

Internal links not only help keep users on your site, but are another key feature for on-page optimization.

Your internal links can also guide users to take the next step along your inbound funnel.

As you may know, a pillar page is a central piece on a website covering a topic in-depth.  

Let’s say you’re looking to target a keyword with significant volume like “camper living.”

pillar page research, how to increase dwell time

Once you create a pillar page targeting the keyword, you may develop a blog post reviewing an RV essential like a mobile hotspot. Then link to this piece on your pillar page.

Increase Your Site Speed

Part of making a great first impression — and preventing people from hitting the back button on your site — is ensuring your pages load fast.

47% of consumers expect a page to load in two seconds or less.

A few tools to help speed up your site:

Mobile First

More than half of worldwide traffic comes from mobile devices, which means you need to provide a mobile-first experience on your website.

What does that mean? Your site needs to perform well on mobile devices, not just desktop.

Here’s how you can double-check your pages are optimized for mobile:

  1. Visit Google Search Console.
  2. Click “Mobile Usability.”
  3. If any errors show in Search Console, click the error for details on how to fix the issue on your site.

Google’s support documentation that is linked in the results also provides more info on specific errors.

Level Up the Copy

You can have the best content but still fail to resonate with your readers.

Are all the sentences in your content the same length? Do paragraphs begin the same way? It will get boring.

Copywriting techniques are the ace up your sleeve. Here are a few strategies to keep your writing engaging you can take from copy masters:

Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read. 

-Leo Burnett

Can you say the same thing in fewer words? Are their compelling stories or statistics you can use to draw in a reader?

Copy is a direct conversation with the consumer.

– Shirley Polykoff

Keep the conversation going by mirroring your customers. Not sure what your audience is thinking? Survey your current and existing customers.

Have sections where readers may get overwhelmed or bored? Use Bucket Brigades, a term penned by Brian Dean. These phrases that help bridge two sentences and lead readers through content.

These phrases are instant attention grabbers and keep readers from bouncing:

  • Pro-tip:
  • Here’s the deal:
  • Now:
  • What’s the bottom line?
  • You might be wondering:
  • This is crazy:
  • It gets better/worse:
  • But here’s the kicker:
  • Want to know the best part?

Conclusion

All of these techniques can help increase dwell time. But let your rankings and analytics reveal the most effective elements for your content. Start at the top of the list and try each strategy. For example, you might find that your users respond to interactive elements or that they prefer lists.

Once you see what works, you can fine-tune your strategy.

Which strategy will you try first?

The post 11 Proven Ways to Increase Dwell Time appeared first on Neil Patel.

Best Business Phone Systems

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Phone communication plays a critical role in today’s business landscape. Practically every business, regardless of size or industry, needs to have a business phone system.

This statement holds true for freelancers and single-member LLCs to Fortune 500 enterprises with thousands of employees across multiple locations. 

There’s just one problem—finding the best option for your business. With hundreds, if not thousands, of choices to consider, narrowing down the top pick for your business can feel like a daunting task.

Fortunately, I’ve handled all the heavy lifting for you. After spending countless hours researching and testing different business phone systems, I’ve picked the top six that I can recommend with conviction.  

The Top 6 Options For Business Phone Systems

  1. Ooma
  2. Freshcaller
  3. Dialpad
  4. RingCentral
  5. Line2
  6. Intermedia Unite

How to Choose the Best Business Phone System For You

Before we get into the specifics of reviewing each business phone system, you need to understand the methodology behind my research. There are certain feature sets and considerations that must be evaluated as you’re shopping around for different plans. 

Keep these factors in mind as you continue through this guide and read my reviews. 

Deployment Method

Generally speaking, there are two main ways to deploy a phone system for your business—cloud or on-premises. Historically speaking, most business phone systems have been on-site. However, cloud systems and VoIP technology have been growing in popularity.

If you don’t want your phone system tied to physical landlines, offices, and specific devices, then cloud deployment is definitely your best option. But if you prefer a more traditional phone line, then on-premises will work just fine for your situation.

Physical Phone Systems

Do you need to purchase physical hardware for your phone system?

Again, if you’re looking for a traditional office phone that’s sitting on a specific desk with a hardwire connection, then you’ll need to buy those phones. In this scenario, it’s usually in your best interest to buy hardware directly from the phone system provider. Hardware is rarely packaged into your plan, so keep that in mind as you’re shopping around. Actual phones, headsets, etc. will cost extra.

The beauty of cloud phone systems is that you can make and receive calls from anywhere. You and your staff can leverage your existing devices for this (laptops, desktops, smartphones, etc.).

Not only will this make your business phone system easily accessible, but it’s also more cost-effective. 

User Size and Scalability

How many people will be using your business phone system? 

Is it just you? Is it 5-10 people? 500? 5,000? The answer to this question will definitely have an impact on your decision. Certain systems are designed for individuals, while others are made for small teams and small businesses. Alternatively, there are business phone systems designed for huge organizations with thousands of users across multiple locations. 

Primary Communication Needs

There are plenty of general-purpose business phone systems. But some are designed with specific use cases in mind.

For example, there are business phone systems for customer support centers, outbound sales, and inbound phone orders. There are even solutions built for internal communication, such as conference calling and video chat.

So determine your primary communication need, then start your search from there.

Plan Features

Lots of business phone systems try to improve their market position by giving you lots of “extras” and features included free in your plan. But these are kind of useless if you’re never actually going to use them.

I’m referring to things like visual voicemail, hold music, automated answering, call forwarding, call attendants, texting, etc. The list goes on and on. These features are either provided all-inclusive with your plan or get offered at tiered pricing levels. 

My recommendation is this—don’t pay extra for features you didn’t know existed five minutes ago. Stick to the features you know you’ll use. If you get a few bonus ones, that’s great. But don’t fall victim to great marketing by these providers.  

Phone Numbers

Do you want to keep your existing phone number? Are you looking for an 800 number? Vanity number? Toll-free numbers?

Some of you will be looking for all of these; others just want a single line for basic use. Most business phone systems will offer a wide range of different phone number options. But the pricing and offerings vary from provider to provider. 

Just know that you might have to pay extra for things like toll-free calling and international phone numbers. 

The Different Types of Business Phone Systems

Business phone systems aren’t really a one-size-fits-all product. Most people don’t realize it, but there are actually several different types of phone systems out there. I’ll explain each one in greater detail below to give you a better understanding as you’re shopping around and evaluating plans. 

VoIP Phone Systems

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP for short) has quickly become one of the most popular types of phone systems for business users. As the name implies, the system is based on an IP connection. Rather than setting up complicated wires and landlines, a VoIP system just uses the same Internet connection that your organization already has. 

VoIP systems are generally cost-effective and easy to set up. However, they rely on a strong Internet connection. So if you have spotty service, this won’t really work for your business.

Analog Phone Systems

Analog systems use POTS—plain old telephone service. 

Think of a traditional landline phone system. That’s an analog service. It uses copper lines and connections between your system and carrier. As a result, analog phones have exceptional call quality and reliability. 

However, analog phones lack the features associated with newer types of phone systems. They’ll still offer basic phone features (hold, mute, call waiting, speaker, speed dial, redial, etc.), but you won’t get too much more. Overall, analog technology is pretty dated.

PBX Phone Systems

PBX stands for “private branch exchange.” This is also referred to as a digital phone system.

It’s common for PBX systems to have an extensive feature list with lots of applications. These solutions are great for businesses that want to customize their phone system with various add-ons and upgrades. 

Hybrid Phone Systems

Hybrid phones offer digital and IP functionality. These solutions have been growing in popularity because of their versatility. 

Most business owners that purchase a digital phone system lean towards hybrid options. This will give them the opportunity to expand and scale in the future using IP protocols. It’s also common for hybrid systems to include features like fax and email integrations.

To ensure high-quality voice, the hybrid phone system must have a strong network connection. The quality is limited to the type of phone service that’s delivering it. A robust Internet connection is the best way to ensure call quality.

Cloud Phone Systems

The terms “cloud” and “hosted” are often used interchangeably in the world of business phone services. With a cloud system, you likely won’t need any on-site hardware (aside from your existing routers and data switches).

It’s easy for anyone to manage a cloud phone system, including your staff. All of the customization and management can be handled directly from a simple interface offered by your system provider. 

The communication on a cloud phone system relies on a third-party data center (from the company you purchased from) and a stable Internet connection. 

#1 – Ooma Review — Best Phone Systems For Small Businesses

Ooma offers VoIP phone systems specifically designed for small businesses. The system is easy to set up, and you can make calls from anywhere using the Ooma mobile app or desktop computer app.

You can completely customize your Ooma phone system based on factors like how many employees need a phone, fax connection, conference calling, physical hardware, and more.

Here’s what I like the most about Ooma’s business phone system:

  • Get the system up and running in less than 15 minutes
  • Keep your existing number or pick a new one
  • Easy to set up a 1-800 or toll-free phone number
  • Features like call recording, virtual extensions, overhead paging, and more
  • Create “ring groups” (like sales or customer service)

Ooma’s phone system starts at $19.95 per user per month. There are no contracts or hidden fees. You can even get a new phone number for free.

#2 – Freshcaller Review — The Best Business Phone System For Contact Centers

Freshcaller is a bit unique compared to other business phone systems on the market today. This solution is designed specifically for customer support teams.

There are no hardware or download requirements to run Freshcaller. As a cloud-based PBX system, your customer service reps can access the software from anywhere.

40,000+ businesses worldwide trust Freshcaller. If their reputation isn’t enough to convince you, here’s a quick overview of the top features:

  • Ability to port your numbers or purchase new numbers from 90+ countries
  • Advanced inbound call routing capabilities
  • Supervisor controls for conversation monitoring, call queues, and more
  • Easy to use for remote customer service teams
  • Smart escalations, call transfers, agent notes, and conferences
  • Use AI voice bots to engage with your customers

While Freshcaller is definitely geared towards support teams, the phone service could double as a solution for sales representatives as well. 

Local phone numbers start at $1 per month, and incoming calls start at $0.016 per minute. You can try Freshcaller free for 21 days. 

#3 – Dialpad Review — Best Business Phone System For Remote Teams

Dialpad is another modern business phone solution. This provider leverages cloud technology and VoIP for their phone systems.

Plans start at $15 per user per month, and you can try it free for 14 days.

Dialpad has carved out a niche in the remote work space. A quick visit to their website, and you’ll see #WorkFromAnywhere plastered in big letters on the homepage. 

These are some of the reasons why I recommend Dialpad:

  • Easy to deploy, add users, and change numbers in real-time
  • Seamless integrations with tools like Zendesk, Salesforce, G Suite, and more
  • SMS, MMS, and group chat business messaging
  • Create smart call routing paths to the right sales rep, agent, or operator
  • Tools for sales, contact centers, and conference calling

More than 70,000 organizations across the globe use Dialpad. So you know that it’s a trustworthy and reliable business phone system. 

#4 – RingCentral Review — The Best Business Phone System For Larger Organizations

RingCentral has quickly become one of the most popular service providers in the business communications space. They have a wide range of solutions based on company size, industry, and business needs. 

You can use RingCentral for cloud phone systems, video conferencing, remote customer service, contact centers, global expansion, and more.

Used by 400,000+ businesses in nearly every category you can imagine, RingCentral is an industry leader in this space. 

Popularity aside, these are some of the other reasons why I like RingCentral so much:

  • Deploy new users and start scaling in minutes
  • Auto-receptionist, shared lines, and extensions to ensure you never miss a call
  • High-quality audio
  • Ability to switch live calls between mobile and desktop with just one click
  • Automated visual voicemails
  • Set up local phone numbers from 200+ area codes
  • Robust admin portal for dynamic call routing, usage monitoring, and quality control
  • 24/7 customer service from RingCentral’s friendly team of experts

Overall, RingCentral’s extensive feature set is definitely designed for larger teams. They do have plans for small businesses, but most smaller teams don’t need these extra features.

RingCentral starts at $19.99 per user per month. Try before you buy with a 15-day free trial.

#5 – Line2 Review — Best For Individuals and Small Teams

Line2 is exactly what it sounds like. This business phone system makes it easy for anyone to add a second line to their existing phone. 

Your new business phone number can easily be managed directly from the Line2 mobile app.

The entire process is as simple as 1, 2, 3—sign up, choose a number, and download the app. That’s it! Now you’ll be able to make and receive business calls from your smartphone without giving away your personal phone number.

Other features worth mentioning include:

  • In addition to smartphones, Line2 works on Macs, PCs, and tablets
  • You can continue to add multiple lines as you scale your business
  • It’s easy to deploy with no hardware or IT requirements
  • Line2 is always coming out with new calling and messaging features

Overall, the concept behind Line2 is pretty straightforward. It’s perfect for individual users, freelancers, and small business owners. 

Plans start at just $9.95 per month with a 30-day money-back guarantee.  

#6 – Intermedia Unite Review — The Best All-in-One Business Communication Platform

Intermedia Unite is more than just a PBX business phone system. You’ll also get tools for video conferencing, live chat, file management, and screen sharing. 

All of these features are bundled into a fully integrated unified communication and collaboration platform.

If you’re just looking for a basic business phone system, this option probably isn’t for you. But for businesses seeking an all-in-one solution, I can’t really name a better option than Intermedia Unite.

  • Auto attendant for connecting customers with the right person
  • Wide range of integrations for building efficient interactions
  • The system works from the Intermedia Unite mobile app and desktop app
  • Phone support on pre-configured desk phone devices
  • Award-winning customer service, 24/7
  • Admins benefit from custom management tools and actionable analytics

Intermedia Unite pricing starts at $27.99 per month per user. It’s a bargain, considering all of the features you’re getting in this package.

Summary

To say you have lots of options to consider for a business phone system would be a drastic understatement. But by using this guide, you’ll be equipped to make the right decision based on your needs. 

In a market that’s saturated with phone systems for businesses, I really only like the six options reviewed above. 

So start your search there, and use the buying guide outlined earlier in my guide. This will steer you in the right direction. 

The post Best Business Phone Systems appeared first on Neil Patel.

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