The rise of VoIP services has transformed the way we communicate, offering new opportunities for the industry to grow rapidly in the coming years. VoIP now offers video and voice calls, instant messaging, screen sharing, file sharing, CRM integration services, virtual number services, SMS, mobile top-up, and many more features.
It’s predicted that there will be 1 billion VoIP users by 2017, and the VoIP services market will expand 10 percent every year until 2021. The global market for UC and VoIP services is predicted to reach 88 billion by 2018.
If you are considering starting your own VoIP business, there are six steps you need to follow to ensure success.
Step 1: Set up a VoIP infrastructure comprising of required hardware and software. This includes the ‘softswitch’, which is the heart of the VoIP business, controlling all transactions, customer records, call routing, invoice billing, and report generation in both prepaid and postpaid business models. You will also need bandwidth optimization and tunneling software which are very essential for retail VoIP providers to offer their services in geographical areas where VoIP calls are blocked by firewalls. Servers and hosting must be installed on enterprise-class servers which can offer an always-on service with bandwidth and power 24/7 to ensure your services never go down.
Step 2: Provide the applications for which customers will originate calls. For a full-blown retail service, you will have to purchase software solutions like mobile dealer’s PC dialer.
Step 3: Ensure a fully functional business website supported with payment options to provide services effectively to your global customers.
Step 4: Terminate calls to your customers both in retail and wholesale businesses. You will have to interconnect with multiple carriers globally for various termination destinations.
Step 5: Find customers while offering competitive rates with good quality of services.
Step 6: Ensure 24/7 customer support services through which your customers will be able to reach you during any service disruption.
Before you start your business, you need to choose a VoIP software solution provider that best serves your business needs regarding VoIP infrastructure and applications. To choose the right solution provider, you should visit websites and read blogs of different solution providers, try free demos of different solution providers, and visit different solution providers’ offices to discuss VoIP.
Starting a VoIP business may seem daunting, but by following these six easy steps, you can start your own successful VoIP business. Remember, the VoIP revolution has just begun!