And if it is your idea of fun then you obviously can’t be trusted to pick out a phone system. To try and make the process less tortuous for law offices, we have put together a list of what you need to consider and what your best options are when choosing a VoIP phone system for your law office.
The Benefits Of VoIP
For any law office, clear communication with clients is essential. This doesn’t just mean speaking clearly and using clear language - it also requires communications to literally be clear. Without decent communication infrastructure in place, law firms are going to struggle with their client communication. Communicating with customers is important for any business but law firms are especially reliant upon good communications.
A comprehensive multi-platform VoIP service ensures that staff are able to reach out to one another and clients with confidence, ensuring good communication with customers. As well as facilitating the calls themselves, modern VoIP services come with a range of other tools and features to further enhance communication between the users and their customers. For example, many VoIP services enable users to record their calls and track communication more efficiently via recordings. Being able to record conversations enables your legal team to stay on top of everything and can provide a valuable training tool for the future.
A VoIP system also avoids the common problem of not being able to chase down the right member of staff when there is someone on the phone for them. With a VoIP system that is available on mobile devices as well as computers, it is easy to route calls to the right person and they will be able to accept them wherever they are. This also makes your workforce more mobile, as they will be able to field important calls from clients while on the go and communicate easily with other members of staff.
Things To Consider
There are a number of things that law offices need to consider when they’re choosing a suitable VoIP system.
- Platforms: The most basic VoIP services are only available on Windows or Mac, meaning that you have to be at your computer to use them. Cloud-based and multi-platform services, on the other hand, can be used while online. In some cases, you don’t even need to download an app.
- Pricing: As with any business expenditure, you don’t want to spend more than you have to in order to get the VoIP service that you need.
- Number of users: How many people are there in your business? Many VoIP packages offer different subscription tiers depending on the number of users that it supports. As well as the total user count, pay attention to the simultaneous user limit.
- Supported channels: While VoIP specifically refers to voice communications, most modern VoIP services incorporate multiple channels into their platforms. For example, video conferencing is something that law firms often use, and a lot of VoIP phone systems will also enable users to message one another with emails and SMS messages.
With all that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the best options out there today.
Vonage
Vonage boasts a wide range of options for users and integrates superbly with numerous other communications systems. Their voice communications are also among the best we have heard in terms of their sound quality. There are more than 40 business-specific features bundled into the package and many of these are going to be of interest to law firms.
Vonage also offers excellent value to law firms with savings of up to 36% on their communications costs when compared to the average landline rental price.
RingCentral
RingCentral is a VoIP provider that has something to offer businesses of all sizes. Smaller law offices will appreciate the simple setup process, as there’s no need to have a team of IT experts on hand. RingCentral also sells its service at a range of different price points, making it easy to find a package that is suited to your needs.
Another important benefit of RingCentral is that it offers 24/7 customer service. This is something else that small law firms will appreciate.
8x8
8x8’s service isn’t aimed at the largest law firms, but it is fantastic for small and mid-sized law firms. With support across multiple platforms, 8x8’s service is always there when you need it. It is also another service that is simple to set up without access to a whole IT department.
Choosing the right phone system for your law offices is an important decision. VoIP systems are a must in the modern world, they enable you to integrate your internal office communications with your external communications with clients. Staff will appreciate being able to access their communications whenever they need them, as well as the ability to easily contact one another.
