Communication Solutions for Small Businesses

Small business owners understand the importance of communicating with their customers and employees, but they might not always know the best methods. Finding and using effective communication solutions can help small businesses overcome these challenges and improve both external and internal communication.

Intermedia, a provider of intelligent business communication tools, offers solutions that enhance workplace productivity and alignment for small businesses. In this discussion, we explore effective communication solutions for small businesses and the options available through Intermedia.

What Are Communication Solutions?

Communication solutions are strategies or software systems that help people, often in the workplace, interact and share information effectively. Examples of communication solutions include:

• Messaging platforms (Skype, Slack, etc.)
• Video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Teams, etc.)
• Voice messaging apps
• Email
• Unified communications platforms (Unite)

Effective communication solutions are especially important for small businesses to help them overcome common challenges with both internal and client or customer-facing communication. When communication solutions are employed in a small business, they make information flow smoothly and efficiently and enhance collaboration.

Understanding the Communication Challenges of Small Businesses

Small businesses can experience unique communication challenges that larger organizations often don’t. These include:

 Limited Resources

For one, small businesses don’t have the same amount of resources that large companies do to help them with effective communication. This can manifest in a few ways, like:

• Not having experienced staff who are familiar with communication tools
• Not having the funds to update tech equipment or subscriptions
• Not having enough time to routinely revisit communications processes and identify areas of improvement

If employees don’t have access to communication methods that work reliably or someone to ask questions about any tech-related issues, it can slow down productivity and reduce employee satisfaction. If customers don’t have access to information about your business that is available, up-to-date, and consistent, they may choose to take their business somewhere that does.

Need for Scalability

Another challenge small businesses face with communication solutions is scalability. Scalability refers to the ability of a company to adjust to changing business circumstances and sales over time. The goal of most small businesses is to grow larger, gain customers, and increase sales. Scalable solutions help small businesses achieve these goals without having to make huge changes to their existing infrastructures. 

Scalability in reference to business communications, means how effectively that system grows as you grow. You want to pick a solution that will grow with your business over time, like a cloud service with unlimited storage possibilities rather than a plan with a set number of calls, messages, etc. 

Desire for Flexibility

In addition to scalable communication solutions, small businesses should prioritize flexibility. Flexible solutions keep businesses connected during uncertain times.

For example, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies lacked flexible communication solutions for remote work. Those with flexible options, such as video conferencing and instant messaging platforms, were better prepared to adapt to these unexpected changes.

 Key Features of Effective Communication Solutions

When selecting communication solutions for your small business, consider key features for optimal results. These include:

Seamless Integration Across Platforms

A crucial feature for communication solutions is seamless integration with your existing tools. Instead of overhauling everything, you can add only the necessary tools. Integrated systems provide smooth connections between different software or apps, making information flow more efficient.

An example of a seamless integration platform is Intermedia Unite Extend, which integrates the Unite unified communications platform with other common business applications like Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, and more. Intermedia also offers SIP trunking, which updates a business’s existing phone system to use an internet connection instead of over traditional phone lines.

 Scalability and Flexibility

Small businesses often aim to grow. Scalable and flexible communication solutions prepare them for future expansion. Effective communication with customers and employees is crucial for success as a business grows.

One example of a scalable and flexible communication solution is called Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). This allows a business to add more phone lines to its system in new locations or for an uptick in business. They can also decrease phone lines if the volume of calls declines. SIP trunking is also a type of VoIP.

Flexible Pricing Plans

Look for communication solutions with flexible pricing plans. Many small businesses operate on limited budgets and need to spend money wisely. If you’re paying for communication solutions at a fixed-rate price for every employee, you’re probably paying more than you need to. Some communication solutions offer flexible pricing plans that can be customized to the business’s needs.

Remote Work Capabilities

Effective communication solutions should support remote employees. With the rise of remote work, it’s important to have solutions that connect remote workers with in-person team members seamlessly.

Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) is one way to achieve this. UCaaS combines various communication tools into one platform, eliminating the need for multiple subscriptions and accounts. This helps teams work more efficiently and closely together, especially important for remote work.

Mobile Accessibility

Communication solutions should also be accessible on mobile devices. Employees might not always have a solid internet connection but still need to access their work. Mobile-compatible solutions ensure productivity even when employees are out of the office or at home.

 Intermedia’s Communication Solutions for Small Businesses

For small business owners looking to enhance communication with employees and customers, Intermedia offers a range of tools. Having helped over 140,000 businesses connect and collaborate, Intermedia provides several suitable options for small businesses, including:

Intermedia Unite®

Intermedia offers an all-in-one unified cloud communications system called Intermedia Unite®. This system combines a variety of tools for businesses into one seamless platform, including:

• A desk phone system
• Video conferencing
• Team chat
• File management
• Desktop app
• Mobile app
• Contact center

This platform helps increase employee productivity and collaboration by providing real-time updates and eliminating repetitive tasks. It also helps to improve employee experiences and customer engagement because it makes information readily available. Unite is also a scalable option, so businesses can update their services based on their changing needs.

For businesses who are worried about integration with their existing Microsoft services — don’t fret. Unite by Intermedia is the only Unified Communications provider that offers and supports a full range of Microsoft services, making it easy to seamlessly integrate new and old services and streamline your communication solutions.

SIP Trunking

Intermedia also offers SIP trunking, which helps businesses modernize their existing phone system by routing calls over the Internet. This is different from traditional calls where calling rates and operating costs are higher. Routing calls over the Internet helps decrease telephony costs while increasing flexibility and service reliability. It works for both inbound and outbound phone calls.

SIP trunking through Intermedia uses enterprise-grade data centers to protect businesses against local outages, increasing accessibility. SIP trunking is compatible with most newer phone systems without any extra equipment. Businesses can also take advantage of optional features like voicemail, conferencing, and automated attendants, which can also help improve user experience.

Contact Center

Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) is a cloud-based communication platform and designed to help businesses manage customer relations in different channels. The Contact Center from Intermedia helps small businesses improve external communication with customers by providing:

• Personalized interactions
• AI-powered workflows
• Call queues
• Smart routing
• Live dashboards

When the employees have more information about their customers through the call center, they can customize their service even more. This results in a better customer experience and increased customer satisfaction. These are just some of the many intelligent tools that Intermedia has to offer for small businesses.

Find Solutions to Your Business’s Communication Needs With Intermedia

Take the next step in preparing your small business for future growth by investing in communication solutions from Intermedia. From unified communications for efficiency to SIP trunking to drive growth, Intermedia has the tools your business needs to succeed. For more information on possible communication solutions for your small business, contact us today.

Melinda Curtis

Melinda Curtis is a Director of Product Marketing at Intermedia, where she focuses on helping businesses improve employee productivity and enhance their customer experiences using Intermedia's award-winning cloud communications solutions. Melinda brings over 20 years of experience in telecommunications, having worked in B2C and B2B marketing, product management, and vendor management roles. In her free time, she loves to travel with her family. https://www.linkedin.com/in/melinda-curtis/