With the recent shift in how businesses are carrying their day-to-day business, telecom has become an integral part of any organization. Traditional landline systems are not only expensive but are no comparison to the benefits VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephone system brings.
So as VoIP is revolutionizing the communications world, the key question is how can you become a VoIP Provider? There are two ways you can go about this:-
- Spend $$$ and become a provider or
- Become a VoIP Reseller and reap all the benefits without making a hole in your wallet.
If you choose option #2 and want to be a VoIP Reseller then let us show you how you can get started with it.
What will you need to become a VoIP Reseller?
Whether you want to start a business as an ITSP (Internet Telephony Service Provider), or you are currently an ISP (Internet Service Provider), or MSP (Managed Service Provider) and want to add VoIP Business Phone Services to your portfolio. Here are a few simple steps you will need to start with.
1. Understanding VoIP.
You are not required to have the thorough technical knowledge to sell VoIP Phone Systems. However, it is very important for you and your team to have a fair understanding of how VoIP works and to be well-versed with terms, features, and acronyms in the field. This will help you plan and package your services for your clients.
There are two types of VoIP services you can sell.
♦ Reselling Hosted PBX System: When reselling hosted PBX system you are actually providing a complete phone system to your client. The client is not required to have an on-premise PBX (Private Branch Exchange), instead, they get access to full-featured cloud/hosted phone system that can be managed via a web portal.
♦ Reselling SIP Trunk Service: SIP Trunk services are sold to enterprises that choose to have an on-premise PBX system and need a SIP Trunk Provider to provision the phone numbers. You need to know about the PBX they are using and check the PBX compatibility with your provider.
2. Choosing the right VoIP Service Provider.
The market is flooded with different VoIP Service providers. But before you start talking to them you have to do a bit of homework.
a) Understand the market you want to serve and what their needs are?
b) Conduct initial financial research to know how much money you should be paying to your Service Provider and still be able to make profits.
Now that you understand the scope and financials you can start talking to services providers. Compare what you are getting and how you can satisfy your client and yet make money. At a minimum, we recommend you consider the following:-
♦ A white-label solution that allows you to manage, sell, support, and invoice your clients.
♦ Your provider should have a Reliable, Scalable, and Flexible network.
♦ For SIP Trunk services make sure you check that the SIP Trunk is compatible with a wide range of IP PBX and Phone Systems.
♦ For Hosted PBX verify the Phone System features that you get access to and see if you have everything you need for your clients.
3. Laying down achievable goals.
Look around and you will see that opportunities are seamless and potential is huge. But, if you do not channel your efforts in the right direction it can all go in vain. Having a strategy to scale your efforts by targeting your clients by geographical area, or by industry is what we recommend you should start with.
♦ Targeting by geography: Start with your own city. This helps reap the benefits of being able to meet in person with your client. as you gain confidence start expanding to neighboring cities, then county, then state, and so on.
♦ Targeting by Industry: When you choose to target a specific industry you will learn the needs of that industry. Features that are important to that specific industry, a competition that’s out there, and what communication tools can give an edge to your clients.
4. Market and start selling.
Once you have signed up with VoIP Service Provider that meets your expectations you can begin building your brand. Market your VoIP Phone Services and start selling under your label and your brand.
