Small business phone service features and a whole lot more
Finding the best business phone service
Business phone service FAQs

Small business phone service

Handle all of your business communications from a single unified app that connects to your existing tools. With RingCentral RingEX, you can chat, text, and meet from anywhere. Plus, you’ll work smarter with the help of our AI Assistant.

  • Manage all your conversations in one place
  • Streamline workflows and increase team productivity
  • Secure your communications, protect your data
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Plans & pricing
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Modern businesses of all sizes are working with flexible and remote teams. On top of flexible working, your customers expect to connect with you on multiple preferred communication channels. Small businesses like yours need intuitive solutions to level the playing field, giving you access to advanced enterprise capabilities.

Both the cloud and AI are transforming the way businesses operate and communicate. Conversational AI and virtual assistants are just a few examples of technologies that SMBs need to keep up with the competition, now and in the future. 

RingCentral RingEX is the business phone system that makes it easy for you to manage your conversations and work smarter with AI.

Small business phone service features and a whole lot more

You want the same professional, innovative phone service for business that large enterprises enjoy. RingCentral RingEX gives you easy access to powerful capabilities that transform the way your business connects internally and externally.
Here are just a few examples of features of our intelligent platform:

Business phone numbers

  • Choose from 200+ trusted area codes and maintain a local presence, gaining instant credibility. Add toll-free numbers to make it easier for customers to reach you.
  • Make unlimited calls within the US and Canada—dial international calls with low, competitive rates.
  • Add phone numbers for every channel, including voice, text, and fax—manage outbound caller ID to display the right number and information.

Call management features

  • Call forwarding ensures you never miss a call again and improves response times. Set up custom routing that forwards calls to specific numbers based on pre-defined rules
  • Use Call Flip to effortlessly switch between devices during a conversation. Free your team from their desks for better on-the-go flexibility.
  • Visual voicemail and voicemail-to-email make it easier to receive messages in loud or noisy environments.

AI Receptionist

  • Answer customer calls 24/7 and deliver human-like interactions for support, sales, and other routine questions.
  • Decrease the time spent on inbound calls by 50%, enabling you to invest more time in other areas.
  • Our AI Receptionist scales with your small business as it grows and expands—you won’t need to worry about adding more team members to cover your inbound call management.

Business SMS

  • Easily create and automate SMS marketing campaigns with advanced messaging rules. Send secure payment requests and automate appointment scheduling with a few clicks.
  • Ensure compliance effortlessly with built-in capabilities to track SMS consent, manage opt-outs, and comply with carrier requirements.
  • Use shared team SMS inboxes and ready-made replies to get speedy responses and relevant solutions to customers.

Team messaging

  • Seamlessly manage tasks, share files, send video and audio messages, and create public and private conversation channels.
  • Turn any chat into a phone call or video call with the click of a button without losing any momentum.
  • Sync conversations across all devices, including your phone, tablet, and desktop, while also collaborating on notes, projects, tasks, and events.

AI Assistant

  • Say goodbye to note-taking—our AI Assistant automatically captures key details, decisions, and action items for every conversation or meeting.
  • Be more inclusive and accessible with AI-powered closed captions and on-screen text translations that help people communicate with greater clarity.
  • A smart composer quickly drafts messages that sound like you and fit the context and circumstances of the discussion, reducing time spent on replying to messages.

Online fax

  • Use your existing numbers or set up toll-free, vanity, or local numbers, and you’ll be faxing in no time.
  • Protect your online faxes with secure encryption that meets HIPAA, FINRA, and other compliance regulations.
  • Enjoy online-only capabilities including email-to-fax, customizable cover page templates, cloud storage, and integrations with Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Chrome.

Video conferencing

  • A comprehensive video collaboration suite allows you to host professional HD video meetings with up to 200 participants (depending on plan), featuring screen sharing, virtual backgrounds, and crystal-clear audio quality.
  • Schedule and join meetings seamlessly from any device with calendar integrations, one-click joining, and no downloads required for participants.
  • Record meetings automatically with cloud storage, generate AI-powered transcripts, and share recordings instantly with team members who couldn't attend.

Finding the best business phone service

Modern business communications solutions give you access to powerful capabilities, all at your fingertips. At the same time, features like call routing and AI note-taking are of little use if the platform requires a degree to use it or if a mobile app is easy for a hacker to crack and steal sensitive information.

To truly find the best solutions, you need to consider the total package. The best phone services for business more than cover your bases so you can communicate and collaborate with ease.

RingCentral RingEX does far more than offer a broad feature set. Our platform comes with everything you need to transform the way you communicate.

Reliability and security

No matter how appealing a small business VoIP phone service may look, you should look carefully at the level of availability. RingCentral operates in the cloud with redundant data centers spread across the globe. We provide a communications service that is 99.999% reliable and available whenever you need it.

With our platform, every conversation is protected by seven robust layers of defense. We shield all cloud communications with end-to-end encryption (E2EE), single sign-on (SSO), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and other security measures. All of your data is securely handled to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements such as HIPAA and the GDPR.

Easy to set up and learn

The best small business phone service eliminates problems rather than creating them. Teams are resistant to change, and strenuous learning curves will only make adoption that much harder. RingCentral RingEX enables you to deploy a comprehensive unified communications system in minutes.

Add and create users, numbers, and call flows with an intuitive interface and a drag-and-drop editor. RingCentral University offers your team online training and video tutorials, while our customer service and success teams provide 24/7 support.

You’ll be up and running in no time, and if you run into any problems, we’ll be there to help you painlessly sort them out.

Usable on multiple devices

Modern teams don’t only get work done in the office. Whether you have remote team members or just people who are frequently on the road, RingCentral empowers businesses to operate with ultimate flexibility.

Download our mobile app for iOS and Android or choose the desktop alternative where our app supports Windows and macOS. For even less friction, users can access our platform straight from their web browser—no downloads required.

Combined with features like call forwarding, custom routing, set office hours, and Call Flip, your team is free to work and communicate as they please, from anywhere in the world.

Integrations with other business tools

There’s no point in choosing a VoIP phone service that doesn’t connect to your existing tech stack. You don’t want to build artificial silos and create inefficient or redundant processes. The RingCentral App Gallery includes over 500 pre-built integrations that streamline workflows and help your team work more efficiently.

Easily embed RingCentral communications in platforms like Salesforce, Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, and others for convenient calls, video meetings, and messaging without having to switch between apps.

Other integrations automate manual processes and data entry, such as automatically logging call information into Google Sheets. It’s all about saving your time for more crucial matters.

Business phone service FAQs

The best phone service for a small business gives you the reliability, security, and advanced calling capabilities that larger businesses and enterprises expect. RingCentral RingEX is the perfect solution for small companies looking to level the playing field with larger competitors and leverage AI to work smarter.
Small businesses should look for a business VoIP phone service that includes a broad set of call management features and advanced capabilities such as AI call summaries. They also want a single, unified app for managing all business communications, as well as flexible app integrations that streamline workflows and improve efficiencies. Lastly, small businesses need platforms like RingCentral that offer 99.999% reliability and seven layers of enterprise-grade security.
How you set up a new business phone service depends on the provider and solution you choose. It doesn’t get any easier than RingCentral RingEX. Sign up for a package that meets your needs. After that, you need to follow some simple steps after clicking on a link from an account activation email.
Within minutes, you’ll have created a password, activated voicemail, and added your business phone number and extensions. Download an app for the device of your choice, or log in to the browser portal, and you’ll be making calls in no time.
Yes, most providers enable you to port your existing phone numbers. RingCentral can transfer most business phone numbers in a matter of days. We only need a small amount of information, and we’ll ensure you maintain your existing number equity to retain trust and credibility with customers.
Prices from small business phone service providers vary widely depending on several factors. Traditional services that use the public switched telephone network (PSTN) may require a heavy investment of thousands of dollars to install copper phone lines and equipment. You’ll also pay monthly fees to a carrier with likely expensive long-distance rates.
A VoIP phone service for small business eliminates the need to spend money on costly equipment. The service provider handles all maintenance and infrastructure expenses, saving you money. You only need to sign up for a plan that fits your needs and budget. 
RingCentral RingEX offers pricing plans starting as low as $20 per user/month that include unlimited domestic calling and business SMS and MMS.
There are many indicators that it is time to upgrade your business phone service. Some of these include:
  • You’re still using analog or outdated legacy on-site systems
  • You lack omnichannel and unified communications
  • You’re suffering frequent dropped calls or poor quality
  • You struggle with low performance for dialing or connecting calls
  • You have trouble managing current call volumes
  • You’re unable to integrate your business phone service with other apps in your tech stack
  • You lack mobile apps for supporting remote teams and flexible working
  • You’re spending too much on your current service
  • Your system doesn’t have robust enough security to meet compliance requirements.
Written by SanYee Dieh
Manager, Product Marketing
Reviewed by Esther Yoon
VP, Product Management
Updated: 30 August 2024

Get started with the best phone service for small business today

Transform the way your small business communicates by getting started with RingCentral RingEX. Embrace the convenience of unified communications and advanced calling features, all supported by your own personal AI Assistant. Get in touch with our team to find out more today.

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