As anyone who has taken the plunge to create a startup knows, one of the key contributors to success is communication with your clients and customers. This is especially important in those early days when you're building your company's reputation, which is why a robust telephone system can make or break a new business.

The best telephone systems work flawlessly with little need for intervention, and won't let you down. We've taken a look at what your business needs to make sure that you can find the most reliable business telephone system that will keep you in touch with your customers, and won't leave you, or them, in the dark. 

Landline or VoiP

When looking to install a new telephone system, one of the first questions that you'll need to consider is whether to go with a traditional landline set up, or an online VoIP system. Both have their pros and cons, and while a landline system might just take the lead when it comes to reliability, most startups are likely to opt for a VoIP system instead. 

Here's why:

Price and flexibility. Budget constraints for new businesses are one of the reasons that many favor VoIP. It's easy to set up (if your business already has an internet connection - and it should have - then you're pretty much there), it can be used on a myriad of smart devices, it doesn't tie staff to their desks, and many providers offer monitoring and analytics tools. #

Its pleasing, entry-level price can be attributed to the fact that it operates solely online, in the cloud, with little of the dedicated hardware that a traditional landline needs to run.  

However, it's not infallible. While VoIP has come on in leaps and bounds as the underlying technology has improved, there can be some minor call quality issues compared to traditional landlines. Also, in the event of a power outage, the system will cease to operate, whereas a landline will remain open. Considerations, for sure, but minor matters when those wonderful words 'price' and 'flexibility' are taken into account.

VoIP systems come in several variations, with the main consideration being between hosted systems  and onsite systems. With a hosted system, a third party will manage your setup for you, and take care of troubleshooting and maintenance. With an onsite system, all hardware is located on your premises. While this gives you more autonomy over the setup, it does mean that you are solely responsible for the day-to-day management of the equipment, and could have IT cost implications.

The Most Reliable Telephone System Brands

While there are many telephone providers out there, your research will likely keep returning you to the same names, and with good reason. Here are some of the most reliable telephone providers on the market right now: 

8x8

One of the major telephone provider brands, 8x8 has been around for over thirty years, and as such has established a good reputation among its customers.

Having been built for small businesses, its 8x8 Express package is a good choice for new startups, giving clients unlimited messaging, calls, and meetings starting from a reasonable $12 per month.

Customer support is based overseas, but that shouldn't put you off, as customer reviews for this company are highly positive, and it boasts an impressive 99.997% uptime, making it very reliable. 

Setup is straightforward (plug in the 8x8 router, and connect your devices to it), and maintenance is handled by the company itself, offsite. 

Ooma

One of the main benefits of using Ooma is that it has a very straightforward setup process and user interface, making it ideal for anyone who may be anxious about integrating a new telephone system. 

In addition, its 24/7 customer service is also widely praised, meaning that should you need help, you can get it. Its customers clearly feel that the service is working for them, with 84% rating the company as 'excellent' on TrustPilot.

Ooma's offering for small businesses, Ooma Office for Mobile, gives the impression of a professional front end when your customers call, no matter what the size of your business, and can support an unlimited number of users, without breaking the bank.

The setup process is simple too, with Ooma stating that Ooma Office for Mobile customers can get set up in just twenty minutes.

RingCentral

If price is a central factor for your startup, then RingCentral could well appeal. Its virtual telephone system starts at just $9.99 per user, and includes toll-free and local numbers for voice, fax, and text.

RingCentral's solution is slightly different to 8x8's and Ooma's, in that it operates as a call forwarding service, meaning that your staff can answer calls from customers on any phone they wish - whether that's in the office, at home, or on the road - all while offering a centralized business number.

When it comes to reliability, RingCentral's 24/7 customer support should put most businesses' minds at ease. 

How to find the most reliable telephone system

So, once you know which type of system is best for your business, and you have a list of companies to consider, how do you find out which is the most reliable? There are a lot of them out there, and they don't all offer the same level of service and reliability. Here are some key pointers that will help you find the provider that works best for your company. 

Online reviews

Because you don't have the time or the want to test each telephone system yourself, there are sites out there that independently research providers and rate them accordingly. This can save you a lot of time and headache.

These sites rank the best telephone providers, as well as telling you which ones you should be avoiding. Sites like Expert Market have dedicated rankings for the best telephone providers of 2020, and you'll quickly be able to identify which companies offer the features and services you are interested in by comparing them side by side.

Customer reviews

Another good way to find out how effective and reliable a telephone provider can be is by checking out what its customers have to say about it. If something isn't right, customers are quick to be vocal about it, and online reviews, written by the people that use the services daily, can be invaluable to you and your business. Likewise, satisfied customers will also be keen to share their experience, and you could even discover information about the service that is absent from the company's promotional site.

Sites like TrustPilot are a central resource for customer reviews for telephone providers (as well as any other company you care to mention).

Free Trials for Telephone Providers 

Once you've got your shortlist down to a few key providers that you feel could work for your startup, don't be afraid to use them on a trial basis. You'll find that many providers offer the option, and there's no better way to actually understand what's being offered, and experience the reliability of the service, than using it yourself. 

With a free trial, you and your staff will be able to see how the system works, how it integrates with your existing systems, and of course, what your customers and clients think of it. Doesn't work for you? No problem, just terminate the trial and try another provider, all without any risk. 

With the above in mind, you should be able to find the best telephone provider solution for your needs, and start a new, even better chapter for your business. 

Author's Bio: Aimee is a writer at Expert Market, a leading B2B comparison site. She is the resident telephone systems, point of sale, and field service software go-to. When she's not writing about the intricacies of VoIP and EPOS, she's usually wishing that she could teleport herself to her favourite ski resort.