Broadvoice is a cloud-based VoIP service for small and mid-sized companies. Its choices embody unified communications as a service (UCaaS) and cloud PBX. 

However Broadvoice may not be the very best cloud contact heart resolution for some companies regardless of its options. If that is so in your firm, you’ll want to know what choices exist available on the market and the way they stack up in opposition to one another that can assist you select the precise Broadvoice various.  

What Are A few of Broadvoice’s Strengths?

Let’s take a look at some issues customers love about Broadvoice. 

Cloud PBX providers 

The b-hive Communicator is Broadvoice’s cloud PBX utility. It’s an all-in-one software program resolution with many options, together with on-line faxing, voicemail, softphones, and distant workplace capabilities. 

After logging in to this app, your crew members can name out of your telephone system from wherever with an web connection. That is significantly helpful for companies with distant or distributed groups as a result of workers could make and obtain calls utilizing their enterprise telephone numbers from any location. 

SIP trunking

Not prepared to maneuver on out of your legacy telephone system but? Broadvoice means that you can entry restricted cloud telephone capabilities in your current telephone {hardware}. 

Particularly, it provides SIP trunking options corresponding to name recording, name analytics, and limitless utilization choices. So, you get the flexibleness of a cloud telephone service with out the fee and time concerned in overhauling an archaic enterprise telephone system. 

UCaaS options

Broadvoice has a number of unified communications options, together with: 

• An internet-based communicator software
• SMS and textual content messaging
• Superior calling capabilities like name routing and queueing
• Name logs
• Voicemail and faxing
• Admin name heart analytics 

These UCaaS options allow companies to energy and management multichannel communications from a single platform to grow to be extra environment friendly. 

Cell apps

If you’ll want to work on the go, you’ll be able to obtain Broadvoice’s Android or iOS purposes in your smartphone machine. G2 opinions counsel that that is Broadvoice’s most useful function, though some customers say the app might be fairly buggy:

“I really like the b-hive app on my mobile phone! I can use the app to reply incoming calls regardless of the place I’m, in addition to [make] outgoing calls displaying our foremost quantity.”

Danger-free cancellation coverage

You’ll be able to cancel your Broadvoice subscription without cost inside 30 days and get all of your a refund, which makes up for the shortage of a free trial or freemium expertise. This coverage is uncommon within the cloud communications house.  

Why Clients Search Alternate options to Broadvoice

Though it has interesting options, Broadvoice falls quick in a number of areas. 

Customer support points

Buyer assist isn’t Broadvoice’s robust go well with. Customers complain of lengthy wait instances, unhelpful assist brokers, and unresolved assist tickets, amongst different points. 

For instance, one person stated that the assist crew grew to become nonchalant after he signed the contract, leaving him with a defective enterprise telephone setup. And one other person spent weeks ready for suggestions from the assist crew, solely to lastly obtain incorrect data that didn’t remedy their downside. 

Reliability considerations 

Broadvoice’s service high quality regularly fluctuates. This manifests itself in a number of methods: pause and connection noises, name lagging, and interruptions throughout name transfers. For instance, this person skilled poor audio high quality and sudden name disconnections:

“We had points with name high quality. Plenty of calls would lower out intermittently and sounded ‘uneven.’ On many events, we acquired suggestions that it was arduous to know us when calling from Broadvoice. I perceive web points may very well be concerned, however we by no means had points with different VoIP providers on the identical web connection.”

Billing and account administration

Additionally it is widespread for Broadvoice customers to expertise billing discrepancies — both by means of a number of debits that aren’t refunded on time or funds that aren’t mirrored within the system. 

For instance, Broadvoice abruptly shut down this person’s phone service with little or no warning after the cloud service supplier did not renew his month-to-month subscription regardless of charging his card a number of instances. 

Poor person expertise

It takes a while to learn the way Broadvoice works, particularly in case you aren’t tech-savvy. And even while you’re up to the mark, you would possibly wrestle with organising sure options or understanding how particular elements of the platform work. 

For instance, this buyer needed to change to a distinct texting service after discovering it tough to make use of Broadvoice’s Communicator utility. And the administration portal lacks name circulate visible aids, which makes it arduous to make use of. 

Within the App Retailer, Broadvoice has a 2.1 out of 5.0 rating from its customers. 

Restricted options

As you employ Broadvoice, you’ll shortly uncover that the majority of its options are restricted — as this particular person did: 

“Broadvoice’s name reporting could be very restricted, and the system doesn’t precisely account for calls transferred between customers. Obtainable SMS performance can solely be utilized by one person per telephone quantity, making it impractical to handle in some instances. There aren’t accessible name queue choices except you improve to the premium contact heart, which is on the market at a value. Many suppliers supply an in-between choice, however Broadvoice doesn’t.”

6 High Alternate options to Broadvoice

Need to change from Broadvoice to a different cloud-based VoIP service? Listed here are the very best Broadvoice options which can be price contemplating.

1. Nextiva 

Should you’re trying to find a dependable and easy-to-use cloud communications resolution in your rising enterprise, Nextiva is certainly price wanting into. 

It’s an AI-powered conversational platform integrating voice, video, and messaging providers for all-in-one enterprise communications. Nextiva’s options embody superior name administration capabilities like name routing, IVR and name forwarding, CRM instruments for buyer personalization, and analytics. 

You get A+ buyer assist, too. Right here’s one person’s expertise with Nextiva’s crew. 

2. Webex

Powered by Cisco, Webex is a collaboration software for small and rising companies. Its options embody high-definition video conferencing, omnichannel assist, and integration with different Cisco merchandise.

What customers love most about Webex is its sturdy safety capabilities. It provides end-to-end knowledge encryption, machine authentication, and knowledge retention controls.  

Webex has a free plan. It additionally has three paid plans, with the bottom tier priced at $14.50 month-to-month. Webex is price trying out in case your distant crew prioritizes knowledge safety. 

3. 8×8

8×8 caters to international companies with superior communications workflows. It provides limitless voice calling to quite a few nations, video conferencing, skills-based routing, and powerful analytics capabilities. 

Regardless of these options, 8×8 appears to be lacking some key contact heart capabilities. For instance, this person stated that the assembly and chat capabilities are primary. And one other struggled to obtain name recordings. 

8×8’s international attain and scalability make it an amazing selection for companies with a world presence or these planning to broaden. You’ll be able to select from considered one of its 5 plans. Pricing isn’t accessible on its web site, so it’s essential to contact the corporate for a custom-made quote primarily based on your enterprise wants.

4. GoTo Join

Previously generally known as Jive, GoTo Join is an easy-to-use cloud telephone system with voice, video, and messaging capabilities. Its high options embody customizable name routing, limitless name queues, and an intensive integrations library. 

What customers love most is its user-friendly interface and suppleness. In keeping with one buyer, it’s very easy to alter name flows and add out-of-office messages on the platform without having assist from the assist crew.  

GoTo Join has two plans that price $29 per person monthly and $39 per person monthly. It’s appropriate for companies that don’t wish to be held again by pointless telephone service complexity.  

5. CloudTalk

CloudTalk is a well-liked VoIP choice for gross sales and buyer assist groups due to its CRM integration capabilities. You’ll be able to sync the telephone with HubSpot to get up-to-date buyer knowledge for extra personalised calls. This integration comes with a one-click choice that allows your gross sales and assist brokers to make calls straight from HubSpot. 

CloudTalk has different customer-centric options like superior name routing, ring teams, and name recording. It has 4 pricing plans, together with the Starter Plan, which prices $25 per person monthly. Or you’ll be able to contact the corporate for a tailor-made plan designed in your particular enterprise use case. 

One factor to remember is that CloudTalk typically will get buggy. Customers complain about random account logouts and app glitches. 

6. Ooma 

Ooma is right for small companies searching for an inexpensive, uncomplicated telephone system. It provides greater than 50 commonplace options, together with name switch and forwarding, digital fax, and name logs. 

Ooma has three enterprise telephone plans: Necessities, Professional, and Professional Plus. Pricing for the Necessities Plan begins at $19.95 per person monthly. This plan offers you entry to Ooma’s commonplace options and specialised capabilities like a digital receptionist and cell app assist. 

Its customer support crew is fairly responsive. In keeping with this person, “The very best factor about Ooma is the good and useful customer support. Each time I’ve an issue, the customer support division is there to assist and supply assist.” 

Ooma may be price exploring in case you’re searching for a easy, cost-effective small enterprise telephone service that will get the job carried out. 

Nextiva vs. Broadvoice: Cloud PBX Pricing 

It’s necessary to notice that every one of Broadvoice’s pricing plans are primarily based on three-year contracts. 

In distinction, Nextiva provides versatile plans with pricing that is determined by the variety of customers and the period. That is ultimate for organizations that don’t wish to be locked into strict enterprise telephone contracts. 

With Nextiva, you’ll be able to go month to month for the last word flexibility or a multi-year settlement for probably the most aggressive value. 

Let’s take a look at the numbers. 

Broadvoice’s Commonplace Plan prices $18 per person monthly, whereas Nextiva’s Skilled Plan prices $21.95 per person monthly. For a 100-person crew, that’s $26,340 per 12 months for Nextiva’s service in contrast with $21,600 for Broadvoice’s service. 

For slightly bit extra finances, your crew good points superior cloud PBX options like crew collaboration, video and audio conferences, and free native and toll-free numbers, which Broadvoice’s plan doesn’t supply. 

The Verdict: Why Nextiva Wins

You get respectable cloud communications options and pricing with Broadvoice. However upgrading to Nextiva offers you entry to top-notch buyer assist, all-in-one UCaaS options, and an intuitive interface that’s simple to know and use. 

Most significantly, you’ll be utilizing a streamlined, built-in contact heart resolution that scales as your enterprise grows. Say goodbye to switching software program options each few years.

See why over 150,000 companies made the change. Find out how a lot of an affect Nextiva made on Austin Zoo within the video under.