VoIP Phone System for Small Business: Benefits and Features

A VoIP phone system for small business is beneficial for one simple reason: your phone works the way your team works. You see who is calling before you pick up. You see which colleague is free. And you answer on your laptop, your mobile or your desk phone, all with the same business number. No phone cabinet in the cupboard. No engineer visit every time someone joins.

But what does that look like on a busy Tuesday morning? And how do you pick the right small business VoIP setup without getting lost in technical terms? Let’s walk through it.

What is a VoIP phone system for small business?

VoIP stands for voice over IP. Small business voice over IP simply means your calls travel over your internet connection instead of an old copper phone line. That’s it.

Because the calls run through the cloud, you don’t need a server or a phone exchange in your office. You log in to an app, and your business number is there. Most VoIP systems for small business work on almost any device: a desktop computer, a smartphone, a browser or a classic IP desk phone.

This also explains the many names you see online. IP phone systems for small business, VoIP telephone systems for small business, hosted VoIP phone systems for small business and cloud telephony all point to the same idea: your telephony runs online, and someone else looks after the technology.

Small business phone system: VoIP or traditional lines?

Picture a small accountancy firm with eight people, still on an old phone line. On Monday, two people work from home and one is visiting a client. The phone rings at reception. Nobody is there.

With an old phone line, that call goes to voicemail. Or it rings and rings until the caller gives up. With a VoIP small business phone system, the call rings on the next available colleague, wherever they are. The colleague at home picks up on the Xelion app. The customer has no idea anyone is out of the office.

There’s another reason to look at this now. The old analogue and ISDN phone network in the UK is being switched off. If your business still runs on those lines, you will need to move at some point anyway. Doing it on your own terms is a lot calmer than doing it at the last minute.

The benefits of a business VoIP system

So what changes when you switch to a business VoIP system? Here are the things small teams notice first.

You see who is available
Every colleague has a presence status. Before you transfer a call, you see who is free, who is on the phone and who is in a meeting. No more “hang on, I’ll just see if she’s in”.

You decide where calls go
You set up call routing, call queues and hunt groups yourself. Calls during opening hours go to the sales team. After 17:30 they go to voicemail or a mobile. An auto attendant can ask the caller to press 1 for support or 2 for accounts.

You work from anywhere
With the Xelion app on your phone or laptop, your business number goes with you. You call customers from home, from the train or from a client’s office. They always see the same number.

You see what happened
Missed a call while you were out? You see it in the call history, with the name of the caller if they are already in your contacts. Reports and a wallboard show how many calls came in and how quickly your team answered.

You add people in minutes
New starter on Monday? You add a user, they download the app, and they can make calls. No cables, no new hardware.

What to look for in VoIP phone systems for small business

There are a lot of small business VoIP providers out there, and many small business VoIP systems look very similar on paper. Before you choose a VoIP system for small business use, ask these questions.

• Is everything in one licence? Some providers charge extra for call queues, recordings or reports. Check what you actually get for the price.
• Does it work with the tools you already use? Think of Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365 or your CRM.
• Can you manage settings yourself? You don’t want to raise a ticket every time someone changes their working hours.
• Where does your data live? For many businesses, GDPR and data storage in Europe matter.
• Who helps you set it up? Local support makes a real difference in the first few weeks.

How Xelion works as your small business VoIP phone system

Xelion is a cloud phone system that keeps things practical. You make and take calls, and you get a clear overview of who is calling and who can answer.

One licence, all core features
With Xelion, you get one user licence with all core features included. Call queues, hunt groups, call recording, presence, reports and the apps are part of the package. You know what you pay each month, which makes Xelion a VoIP phone system for small business budgets too.

Calls on every device
The Xelion Windows App, Xelion iOS App and Xelion Android App give your team the same features on every device. Prefer a desk phone? Many VoIP phones for small business work with Xelion, so you can keep a handset on reception.

Works with Microsoft Teams and your CRM
With the Xelion Microsoft Teams App, you call from inside Teams with your business number. When a customer calls, Xelion can match the caller to your CRM, so you see their details straight away.

Built by Xelion, supported by local partners
We build our software ourselves in Europe. We are ISO 27001 certified and work in line with GDPR. In the UK, you buy Xelion through accredited partners. They install your system, train your team and stay your first point of contact.

Is a VoIP business phone right for you?
If your team uses the phone every day, it’s worth a look. Business VoIP solutions are not only for big companies with an IT department. A business VoIP telephone setup is often easier to run for a team of five than an old phone system, because you manage everything from one app.

Ready to see what a VoIP phone system for small business looks like in practice? Request a demo and we’ll show you how Xelion works for a team like yours. Or find a Xelion partner near you to talk about your options.