Phone Systems for Churches: Navigating Hosted Voice Providers
- Joshua Harste
- Nov 24, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Nov 27, 2023
In the fast-paced digital age, effective communication is crucial for churches aiming to connect with their congregations and communities. Transitioning to a VOIP phone service is a strategic move, but where do you begin? In this guide, we'll explore best practices for churches in search of a new phone system, with a special focus on the value Cross Solutions Group brings to the process.
This guide is designed to help church administrators find the best solution for their church in accordance with its mission. It includes everything you need to know when selecting a new phone system for your church.
Phone Systems for Churches. Let's start with the basics, what is VOIP? VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) enables voice communications over the internet, converting analog signals into digital packets. You'll also hear it referred to as cloud-based phone and hosted phone service.
Making the decision to move away from a legacy, on premise PBX, phone system and moving to a hosted phone system, for your church, may seem daunting. There are literally hundreds of hosted phone providers in the United States, and finding the one that best meets your needs may seem challenging. However, when you have a firm understanding of the communication needs of your church, you'll be much better prepared to find the right cloud-based phone provider for you.
Where to Begin When Looking for the Right Phone System for Your Church
The first thing to understand when selecting a new phone system for your church, is what unique communication needs your church has and what issues you are attempting to solve. Often times, staff and volunteers will comment on having created work arounds, or they've built manual processes. This is due to a technology short-fall. "That's just the way we've always done it" is a tell-tale statement heard when technology is falling short. A thorough assessment of your church's needs can solve both known and unknown issues. Next, gain a firm understanding of the features that hosted phone systems provide, and their benefits. Explore whether these solve your "known and unknown issues". In addition, understand how the available features can benefit your churches mission, both now and in the future. Another option that is available to your church is to consult with organizations with expertise in sourcing and implementing phone systems for churches. The team at Cross Solutions Group has helped hundreds of church's with their technology needs. Cross Solutions Group makes need assessments, provider selection, project management, and ongoing provider account management a breeze for churches. Plus - their consulting services are free.
#1: Assess Your Church's Unique Needs
Before diving into the world of VOIP phone systems. It's essential to assess your church's specific requirements. Consider factors such as the size of your congregation, the complexity of your communication needs, and any additional features that could enhance your outreach efforts. Understanding that these unique needs will lay the foundation for a tailored communication solution.
When a church is considering a VOIP phone system, it's crucial to evaluate its specific needs and preferences. Here are key questions to guide the decision process:
Communication Needs: How frequently are long-distance and international calls made at the church? Do you need video conferencing capabilities for remote meetings?
Scalability: How much will the congregation grow in the next few years? Can the VOIP system easily scale to accommodate growth?
Integration: What other communication and collaboration tools is the church using (email, IM, ChMS, etc.). How well will VOIP system integrate with your existing technology infrastructure?
Mobility: Do your staff and volunteers need to make and receive calls away from the office? Many providers offer convenient mobile apps, which allow you to take your phone line with you.
Special Features: What special features are essential for your church, e.g. virtual extensions, call routing, call groups, voicemail-to-email, etc?
Reliability: What failover or redundancy measures does a hosted voice service provider offer?
Security: How are your data and call records handled in terms of privacy and compliance?
Ease of Use: Is the cloud-based system easy to use? What type of training and ongoing support does the provider offer?
Cost: What is the pricing structure for the phone system? Does it scale, with the ability to add more users. What are the setup costs? Are there any additional fees? Will you need to hire a low-voltage cabling company to assist with installation? Note: telecommunications providers notoriously charge taxes to churches and other non-profits. Make sure they ask for and that you submit a copy of your 501c3 to avoid this happening to your church.
Customer Support: What level of customer support is provided? Is it 24/7 and U.S. based? How are updates, patches, and maintenance handled?
Environmental Impact: Does the VOIP provider align with your church's commitment to environmental sustainability?
Contractual Terms: What are the terms of the contract, and are they flexible in the event that your churches needs to make a change? What are the contract penalties if the service is canceled prior to term expiration?
#2: Explore Features that Align with Your Mission
A great VOIP hosted phone service goes beyond basic calling capabilities. Look for features that align with your church's mission and enhance your communication strategy. Features like virtual extensions, call routing, and voicemail-to-email can streamline communication within your community and contribute to more efficient operations.
Hosted phone systems come with a variety of features. These features can significantly enhance collaboration, communication, and efficiency for organizations of all sizes. The most popular features included with hosted phone systems, and their benefits, are listed below:
Auto Attendant: Enhances professionalism by automating call routing, providing a professional greeting, and efficiently directing callers to the appropriate extension or department.
Voicemail to Email: Improves accessibility by sending voicemail messages directly to email, allowing users to check and respond to messages from any device.
Call Forwarding: Enhances mobility and responsiveness by forwarding calls to other devices or numbers, ensuring calls are answered promptly regardless of location.
Virtual Extensions: Facilitates scalability by creating virtual extensions for additional users without the need for physical phone lines, accommodating the growth of an organization.
Call Recording: Enhances training, compliance, and quality assurance by recording calls for review, analysis, and documentation of customer interactions.
Conference Calling: Fosters collaboration by enabling multiple participants to join a single call, promoting efficient communication within the organization or with external partners.
Mobile Apps: Increases flexibility and accessibility by allowing users to make and receive calls using their business phone number from their mobile devices, supporting remote work.
Unified Communications: Streamlines communication by integrating various channels such as voice, video, chat, and email into a unified platform, enhancing collaboration and efficiency.
HD Voice Quality: Ensures crystal-clear voice quality, providing a more professional and enjoyable calling experience for users and callers alike.
Interactive Voice Responses: Enhances customer experience by allowing callers to interact with a menu system to access information or services without the need for direct human intervention.
CRM Integrations: Improves productivity by integrating with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, enabling users to access customer data during calls for more personalized interactions.
Call Analytics: Provides insights into call patterns, durations, and performance, empowering businesses to make data-driven decisions, optimize workflows, and improve customer service.
Web-Based Management: Simplifies administration by offering a user-friendly web-based interface for managing phone system settings, configurations, and user profiles.
Emergency Routing: Enhances safety by automatically rerouting calls to designated emergency numbers or backup locations during unexpected events or system issues.
Custom Hold Music & Messages: Reinforces branding and professionalism by allowing organizations to play customized music or messages when callers are placed on hold.
Presence Management: Improves real-time communication by indicating the availability or status of users (e.g., available, busy, away), promoting efficient collaboration.
Security Features: Ensures the privacy and security of communications through encryption, secure connections, and features that safeguard against unauthorized access.
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