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Ring Central vs 8x8

Tuesday, March 28th

2023 Business Phone System Reviews

Ring Central Review 4 Star Rating

Ring Central

4 Star Rating
  • Lots of pricing and service tiers: you only pay for what your team needs
  • Ample integration capabilities with established partners - or design your own
  • Great options for global-scale teams
  • 7 layers of security, redundant data centers
  • "A+" rated and accredited by the BBB

RingCentral is one of the most well-known names in business phone systems, originally for PBX and now for cloud-based solutions. It's not the least expensive provider on the market, but it offers some attractive features like seamless open API integrations (with partner apps or design-your-own) and effortless expansion to global teams. Their reputation is still solid, but some business owners have complained about long contracts that are costly to break and a few systems that haven't kept up with the times.

8x8 Review 2 Star Rating

8x8

2 Star Rating
  • Over 2 million users
  • Five tiers of service to choose from, starting at just $12/user per month
  • Global reliability with 99.999% uptime SLA and 35+ public and private data centers
  • Analytics for every employee and customer interaction
  • Open integration framework with popular apps like Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams
  • Free one-month trial of 8x8 Express small business phone system

If two million businesses use 8x8 for their business phone systems, it should be everyone's go-to provider, right? Not hardly. Even though there are more than enough features to catch your eye here, we couldn't get past a dismal "B-" from the BBB and clients describing this platform as one to "avoid at all costs" . 8x8 looks good upfront, but their track record for customer satisfaction well after the sale has been completed is nothing we're excited about.

Which Company Offers the Best Business Phone System?

To answer that question, you first need to decide what exactly you need your system to accomplish. Is it just the basics, like having a separate number for business calls and being able to route them to different employees? Or are you looking for something fully-featured, with the ability to handle video conferencing and file sharing, integrate with apps you're already using, and extend your reach globally?

No matter what type of phone system your business needs, you've got options! Even if you're a solo entrepreneur, there's a provider for you. If you're wondering whether it's going to be a huge investment to set up your business phones, that depends on how you look at it.

The Best Business Phone Systems Compare Business Phone Systems Compare Business Phone System Reviews What are the best Business Phone Systems Best Business Phone System Reviews

Business Phone System FAQ

A business phone system allows you to manage all of your company's telecommunications. Packages may include a toll-free phone number, call routing to multiple users, and voicemail retrieval via email.
Whatever your company's size, there's a system that fits. Most providers have packages and plans that scale well, so even if you start with just a few features and phones, you can expand as needed - or keep it exactly the same. Business phone systems are a fantastic way to manage multiple phones and users with little hassle.
They don't have to be! Monthly plans start at $9.95 for smaller packages of users and minutes.
There will probably be a slight learning curve, but the best providers of these systems will walk you through every step of setup and give you great tech support as long as you have your plan. Most services let you use an online dashboard to configure and manage every aspect of your system.
Yes, most of the time. If you've already invested in phones for your business, you don't want to have to spend a lot more to set up a business phone system - so choose a provider that lets you incorporate existing equipment.
Most customers use these systems to route phone calls among team members. It's easy to change which numbers are directed to which phones, for easy coverage when someone is out of the office or unavailable. Other popular features are creating a virtual PBX, receiving and sending faxes, automated voicemail-to-text, call screening, and even premium hold music!
Very! Some providers have been in business for more than 20 years, and they know exactly how to help you get your system up and running the way you want. You can always check out a company's customer feedback and their rating from the Better Business Bureau, for assurance that a provider is on the up-and-up.
Of course. Because you're not physically installing phone lines in your business, changing your business phone system is easy to do. And, many services have a 30-day money-back guarantee to protect you even more.
Compare the Best Reviews

Continued from above...

Gone are the days of having to buy equipment and install landlines: most business phone systems today rely on mobile phones and can often use what you already have, minimizing hardware expenses like never before. That doesn't mean it's going to be cheap, though: expect monthly costs ranging anywhere from $12 to over $100 per user, depending on the features you require and which provider you choose.

However, that doesn't mean you'll end up spending more money. Those costs can quickly be offset by increased productivity, getting more customers because of faster response times, and all-in-one packaging that eliminates the need for multiple vendor contracts.

There are a lot of business phone system services out there, and it can be a little daunting narrowing down the possibilities. Want some help? Keep these four Cs in mind as you look for the one that will be the best fit for your company:

  • Convenience. How easy is it to set up and use the business phone system? Will it save you time and hassle over the long run? Does it work well with the phones, apps, and other processes your company already uses?
  • Cost. How much will you pay to get the business phone system that meets your day-to-day operational needs? How do those fees compare with rival systems? Do you get a good value for the money?
  • Contracts. Do you have to make a commitment of a year or longer? Does paying for a year-long contract get you a discount on your monthly fees? What happens if you need to break your contract?
  • Customer Support. It's easy to make big promises about service and savings but not as easy to keep them. How does the provider respond after the sale, to keep your system up and running with little to no downtime?

To help you get the right phone system for your business, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the top providers on the market today. We're confident that this information will help you easily sort through the options and find the perfect match for your company!

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