I work with a lot of agents and phone system dealers who are currently working with, or have worked with Broadvox at one time or another. It’s part and parcel of being in this industry. Broadvox is the big kid in the sandbox and rightly so. They’ve made the investments and have grown their company substantially over the last several years. They are to the SIP carrier world what the Bell companies are to the traditional carrier world.
So what’s wrong with Broadvox? Absolutely nothing. I’m sure they have a ton of very happy customers and agents. They wouldn’t be in business otherwise. This article isn’t about bashing Broadvox. I don’t know or work with them. The information I receive comes in via agents and their experiences. Some are happy while others have expressed frustration.
The main complaint I hear from agents is that they feel like it’s Broadvox or bust. They don’t realize that there are alternatives. Just like back in the ISP days, for every AOL or Juno, there were a dozen small ISP’s equal to the task of providing the same, if not better, service. Broadvox is just the AOL of SIP and Hosted PBX Services. There ARE alternatives for dealers seeking them.
Why aren’t dealers seeking out these alternatives? Because change is scary.
- What if the boutique SIP carrier sucks? I’ll look terrible to my client.
- I’ve been screwed before. At least Broadvox won’t try and steal my clients.
- What if the smaller SIP carrier goes out of business? What happens to my clients? Broadvox is big. At least I don’t have to worry about that.
- Am I going to get paid?
- Smaller providers can’t get numbers in hard to reach rate centers.
The list goes on and on, but at the root of each concern is basic fear. Broadvox is big, so it must be safe.
While it’s probably a safe choice, many dealers with whom I speak express frustration at the lack of options and choices in the SIP carrier space. That’s really what people and businesses want – options and choices. What’s the best fit for them?
The disdain for being placed in a “one size fits all” box is what drives competition and opens the door to other options. It’s at the heart of what makes America great.
There are probably a thousand other SIP carriers out there who can service your accounts and perhaps add a ton of value that the big box stores can’t or won’t. People, service, and attention to detail are all compliments I’ve received over the years from our agents. They like that we make them look good to their clients and include them throughout the install process.
N2Net, however, is only one carrier in the waters of the SIP Trunking ocean. Just realize that there are a lot of us out there that you probably didn’t even know existed.
What’s the benefit, you ask? Well competing against the big guys means that I have to work twice as hard and three times as smart to add value to our products and services for our agents. That hard and (somewhat) smart work has led me to architect the following philosophy:
- Keep it simple – create products that are easy to position and sell, like the Virtual PRI.
- Give exceptional service. It seems cliché, but at N2Net, it’s anything but. As a provider, we only have a few times to shine – during install, with support issues, and getting commission checks out on time. We strive to not only shine, but glow during these opportunities.
- Act as a resource for agents – Offer great content and programs. Help them leverage what we do so that they can do more of what they do.
That’s it. Seems simple, right? Well, in theory it is. It’s the consistent practice over time that makes the difference.
Whether it’s us or someone else, just remember that there are alternatives to the big players. You and your clients have choices. You have options.
I’d encourage you to do your homework. Ask a lot of great questions and work with the partner that you feel is going to take care of you, and more importantly, take care of your clients!
Interested in becoming an N2Net Agent? Schedule a call today!
