How to start a small call center for your business using VOIP

If you think providing exceptional customer service over the phone is for INC 500 companies only, then you have to realize that setting up a mini-call center will not put a hole in your pocket. Providing phone support to your customers is a must if competition over similar services is high. Giving your business an edge is the way to go and setting up a VOIP-based phone system is your ace.

VOIP which stands for Voice over Internet Protocol is simply a technology harnessing the internet for communication. A traditional telephone system has a central office to connect one area to another while VOIP can use any computer to interconnect one caller to another. A system can be setup where you only need to spend some cash on headsets since software will allow you to dial numbers through your computer just like how Skype does.

Get a toll free number for your business or a local number if your market is based on a locality. Having a toll free number is nice if your service is something that you can deliver to a wider audience even those from abroad.

You can have toll-free numbers as part of a package by looking for VOIP companies like Onebox or Ringcentral. Packages are bundled minutes, e.g. 12000 minutes for a premium plan, and some addons like free recording, fax capability and so on. Make sure you check a company's pricing page before you commit. Most of the time, they offer a one month trial.

If having your customer support offshore will save you considerable amount, you may search for freelancers that extend such service. Just make sure you get those that are reliable. Having your extensions routed to another country will give additional cost (e.g. 30 cents a minute) so you have to factor those. But there are ways you can save. Why not have your phone agents use Skype instead? Yes, through Skype, you can provide them an international number which forward the calls to their Skype application. Just route your extensions to their Skype numbers. Paying for $50 for a three month international number might save you more than opting for variable cost per minute.

You can have 24/7 customer support in no time if you utilize what current technology can offer