The use of voice over IP (VoIP) is growing steadily. In 2017 alone, the VoIP market was worth $7.5 billion in the U.S. and $14 billion in Europe. And those numbers are projected to grow to $23.5 billion and $46.5 billion, respectively, by the year 2024. Whether or not you’re already in the communications industry, it makes sense that you would want a piece of that very lucrative pie. And if you’re already offering telecommunications services, then you’re well positioned to join a VoIP reseller program.
Moreover, with recent events like the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, remote work is becoming the norm across the world. VoIP is the solution to keep workers connected and efficient.
Why joining a VoIP reseller program makes sense
If you already offer communications services, joining a VoIP reseller program is the next logical step. You already have a loyal customer base that trusts you. Offering VoIP allows you to help your customers have a more cost-effective method of communication via the cloud. In fact, it’s possible for customers to save as much as 40% on local calls and 90% on international calls with VoIP.
VoIP also offers the following benefits to your customers:
- Portability—they can easily have communication service anywhere in the world.
- Scalability—the service can grow with their business.
- Functionality—they have the option of sharing files and folders and conducting conference calls.
- Flexibility—the customers of your customers can call directly from their website.
- Automation—automated assistance for customers that call in.
However, the benefits don’t stop there. You’ll also enjoy numerous benefits that make joining a VoIP reseller program worthwhile. By joining, you can:
- Grow your brand, particularly if you go with one of the white-label VoIP reseller programs. This way, you can sell the VoIP service under your brand name while avoiding the need to invest in building your own platform.
- Set your own profit margins by creating custom pricing models. You can adjust pricing based on the client and as needed.
- Offer state-of-the-art technology, allowing you to stay ahead of your competition. When you combine VoIP with your other communications offerings, you’ll be able to offer a well-rounded selection of technology options to your customers.
- Customize your VoIP offerings by integrating them with external platforms, especially if you’re part of a white-label VoIP reseller program. This will help you meet your individual customers’ needs.
When you start offering VoIP as a reseller, you will open up a predictable revenue stream for your business and be able to take advantage of a product that is in high demand. With this in mind, you need to take the right approach to becoming a VoIP reseller.
How to become a VoIP reseller
Joining a VoIP reseller program requires some preparation and research. You need to have a solid understanding of what you are committing to before you take the plunge. Here are some things to consider when choosing a VoIP reseller program:
- Partner with the right cloud services distributor
It’s essential that you partner with the right cloud services distributor because not all of them offer the same services and benefits. With that in mind, consider these things when choosing a distributor:
- Reputation The distributor you choose must be reliable. Check their ratings and feedback. Do they have good reviews? What are people saying on social media? The company should have been in business for more than 5 years and be highly experienced.
- Features Determine what features you need from a VoIP services distributor, and find one that offers them at an affordable price. At the very least, they should offer tight security, ample data storage, and automatic backup. They should also be capable of supporting mobile VoIP and remote offices.
- Training and resources Make sure that whatever distributor you’re considering offers training to help get you up and running.
- Wide selection of VoIP reseller programs If they offer a generic solution, avoid them at all costs—they likely don’t know what they’re doing and are trying to cater to everyone. By picking a program that meets your needs and those of your customers, you’ll be able to offer more competitive rates, depending on the size of your client’s business.
- Excellent technical support Are they just going to charge you and hang you out to dry, or will they offer the quality support that you paid for? Find out how many support staff they have, what their support hours are, and the details of their service-level agreement (SLA). Be sure to get the SLA in writing.
- Properly scope the project
Once you get started with a VoIP reseller program, you need to scope out each project in detail. This means getting a good handle on what your customer needs and the features they require for their business. This requires you to familiarize yourself with their existing phone system so you can obtain all the information you need to plan their VoIP service.
- Preform your network assessment
Once you’ve decided on the features your customer needs, you need to perform a comprehensive network assessment. There are many tools out there that you can use to conduct this. The goal here is to determine the network’s weaknesses and areas of improvement. This way, you can implement preventative measures to ensure your customer’s VoIP service continues to run smoothly.
- Sell a product that fits your market
Make sure you know your target market thoroughly. You’ll want to know your customers’ needs and then stick within that scope without overselling. Big brands are able to sell big features and charge a lot of money, but if that isn’t you, then don’t push it. The best move, particularly when starting out, is to promote products that fit your market and set a competitive pricing structure that makes sense. This will help you avoid high customer turnover.
The bottom line
The best approach when joining a VoIP reseller program is to choose from the many white-label VoIP reseller programs available. These programs will allow you to customize the experience for your customers, set your pricing structure the way you want, and sell the services under your own brand. In turn, this ensures that you maximize the profit from your new venture.