Whether you’re an experienced VoIP user or you’re new to the technology, understanding what to do if you encounter a problem is key to your success. VoIP has been around for a while now and is a robust, reliable technology, but it’s still possible that you may experience complications with call quality, connectivity or setup.
It’s likely you’ll have to work with your provider to resolve these issues, but first, you need to know how to identify and communicate them effectively. We’ve outlined some common issues that you might experience below.
Common issues and how to resolve them
As with any system, at some point, you are likely to experience an issue. The key to success is knowing how to troubleshoot and what to do next. To help you, we’ve pulled together the most common VoIP service issues and advice on how to address them with your provider.
Call quality
Call quality issues can be frustrating for both parties. The first step is to establish if it’s a more general connectivity issue, or specifically related to a problem with your VoIP device. For connectivity issues jump ahead to that section. But if you’re experiencing any of the following then you’ve got an issue with call quality:
- Unwanted background noise
- Dropped calls
- Echoes
- Distortion
- One-way audio
Solution:
The first step is to check your internet connection, to be sure you’ve got the stability necessary to cope with VoIP. Your provider can advise and assist you with running relevant checks to confirm what the issue is.
If the problem persists, keep a log of what quality issues you’ve experienced and when, along with any other pertinent information. You can then share this with your provider to help pinpoint the problem and hopefully find a resolution.
Setup problems
For the most part, setting up a VoIP system is straightforward, but as with any process, there are times when things don’t go as planned. It might be that a particular feature isn’t working as it should, or you might be struggling with setting up a new feature you haven’t used before.
Solution:
This is something your provider should be able to help you with easily. When you hit a setup issue, contact your provider, and they should have the support in place to walk you through the issue. If it’s a common problem, they might have an online resource they can direct you to, or if it’s something more complicated, their support team should be on hand to assist.
Billing issues
Maybe you’ve received your first bill and it’s not what you expected, there might be hidden charges or perhaps another billing issue you require help with.
Solution:
Once you’ve identified the problem, contact your provider and explain what it is. If it’s a hidden charge ask for as much information about what it’s for, why you were unaware of it and what happens next. If it’s a more straightforward billing issue, once you’ve outlined the situation, it should be easy for your provider to resolve.
Connectivity problems
As VoIP relies on a stable internet connection, it’s possible to experience issues if the connectivity is unreliable. That might mean network congestion if there are multiple calls or demands on your internet connection, or you might be unable to connect at all.
Solution:
This can be a frustrating time for businesses who just want to get on with their day. Try restarting your router to see if that resolves the issue. If it has little or no impact the next step would be contacting your VoIP provider.
Depending on the issue, your provider should be able to offer further advice on the next steps.
Unreliable service
Sometimes you could be experiencing a mixture of the problems above. Calls drop out, the call quality is mixed, and you can’t connect. In short, you’re experiencing an unreliable service. There’s no obvious pattern or explanation but you’re struggling to stay in touch with your customers.
Solution:
Contact your provider immediately and provide as much detail as possible. If you can, keep a log that will provide you with the information they’re likely to ask for. The first step is to check your internet connection, to be sure you’ve got the stability necessary to cope with VoIP. Your provider can advise and assist you with running relevant checks and work through a checklist including testing your equipment and updating software. This process normally highlights what the issue is and how it can be resolved.
The role of your VoIP provider
There’s nothing more frustrating than experiencing an issue and struggling to get hold of your provider. When it comes to your communication system, the old saying “time is money” is true. If you can’t stay in touch with your clients or they can’t contact you, it can have a detrimental impact on your reputation.
That’s why it’s so important that your VoIP provider offers stellar customer service. They need to be quick, efficient, reliable and, most importantly, want to help you. Without those things, you’re left banging your head against your keyboard.
Before you choose your provider, be sure to check out their reviews and customer satisfaction scores. At Dial 9, our customers are our priority and we pride ourselves on the level of service we give to each and every one. We regularly check in with our customers to understand their needs and satisfaction rates and to find out what we can do to improve. In our last customer survey, 100% of our customers said they were satisfied with our support, with 92% being extremely satisfied.
When to consider switching providers
There might come a time when you need to part ways with your existing VoIP provider, but how do you know when that is?
Ultimately, it’s down to you and how much of a negative impact your current service is having on your business. If you’re experiencing persistent issues that can’t be resolved, whether through technical issues or poor customer service, then it might be time to find a new VoIP provider.
Before you make the leap, make sure you do your research into new providers to check that you won’t experience the same issues. If you need more advice on what to look for in a new provider take a look at our blog.
What next
The majority of issues you might encounter with your VoIP service can be resolved by working with your provider. But if these issues become persistent or you experience an unsatisfactory level of service from your provider, it might be time to switch.
To get you started with your research, the Dial 9 Business Phone package contains everything you need and takes less than 10 minutes to get up and running. If you’re considering switching providers, get in touch with our team today.
