Choosing the right phone system is crucial for a business’s daily operations, especially in an era where communication technology continues to evolve rapidly. 8×8 is a popular choice in the business communications market, offering a comprehensive VoIP-based phone system with a range of features tailored to various business sizes and requirements. Here’s a detailed review of 8×8, examining its features, costs, pros, and cons to help you decide if it’s the right fit for your business.
Features of 8×8 phone systems
8×8 provides a wide array of tools designed to meet the needs of modern businesses. Its main offering is the 8×8 X Series, which combines voice, video, chat, and contact centre capabilities within a unified communications platform. Key features include:
- HD Voice Calling: Reliable, high-quality voice calls are essential for clear communication. 8×8’s platform ensures HD voice quality for both internal and external calls.
- Video Conferencing and Meetings: Integrated video functionality allows teams to connect with one another or with clients through video calls, which can support up to 500 participants depending on the plan.
- Team Messaging and Collaboration: 8×8 includes a team messaging feature, allowing employees to send instant messages, create channels for specific teams or projects, and share files in real-time.
- Mobile and Desktop Apps: The 8×8 system includes apps for both mobile and desktop, allowing employees to stay connected whether they are working in the office or remotely.
- Auto-Attendant and Call Handling: Automate call handling with features like auto-attendant, call queues, and call forwarding to ensure that customers reach the right department quickly.
- Contact Centre Integration: 8×8 also offers a powerful contact centre solution, integrating with the phone system to provide a seamless customer service experience. This includes CRM integration, call analytics, and omnichannel support for email, social media, and chat.
- Analytics and Reporting: Gain insights into your business communications with in-depth reporting and analytics. 8×8 allows you to monitor call quality, employee performance, and customer interaction trends, which can aid decision-making.
8×8 pricing and plans
8×8’s pricing is structured to accommodate different business needs and budgets. Below is a breakdown of its main pricing tiers:
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- 8×8 Express: £10 per user, per month. This entry-level plan is aimed at smaller businesses and provides basic VoIP functionality, including unlimited calling within the UK.
- X2 Plan: £20 per user, per month. This plan adds video meetings with unlimited participants, SMS messaging, team chat, and more advanced call management features.
- X4 Plan: £30 per user, per month. This plan includes everything in X2 plus advanced analytics, call monitoring, and unlimited calling to 48 countries, making it ideal for businesses with international clients or a distributed workforce.
- X6, X7, and X8 Plans: £60-£85 per user, per month. These higher-tier plans are geared towards businesses that require full contact centre capabilities. They include CRM integration, advanced contact centre analytics, and AI-powered interactive voice response (IVR).
Additional costs
Beyond the monthly subscription, there may be additional charges for hardware if your business needs physical desk phones or conference room equipment.
8×8 offers a range of compatible phones from brands like Poly and Cisco, which are sold separately.
Installation services, if required, may also add to the overall cost, though 8×8’s cloud-based setup is often manageable without external assistance.
Pros – What we like about 8×8
- Unified Communications: The 8×8 platform offers voice, video, messaging, and contact centre tools all in one system, reducing the need for multiple providers and applications.
- Scalability: With a variety of plans, 8×8 is scalable for businesses of all sizes. Whether you need a basic system or an enterprise-grade solution, there’s an option that can grow with your business.
- High-Quality Audio and Video: 8×8’s HD voice and video capabilities are reliable, ensuring clear communication for both internal and external conversations.
- International Reach: Unlimited calling to up to 48 countries on the X4 plan and above is a major advantage for UK businesses with international clients or branches.
- Robust Security and Compliance: 8×8 is fully compliant with UK and international standards, including GDPR, which is essential for businesses handling sensitive information.
- 24/7 Support: 8×8 provides around-the-clock support, which is ideal for businesses operating across different time zones.
Cons – Downsides to consider
- Pricing for Advanced Features: While the entry-level plans are reasonably priced, the costs rise significantly for the higher-tier plans, which may be prohibitive for smaller businesses that want advanced features.
- Complexity for Small Businesses: For businesses that only need basic functionality, 8×8’s extensive feature set might feel overwhelming. In such cases, smaller, simpler systems might be more suitable.
- Potential for Hidden Costs: Businesses may need to invest in additional hardware, installation, or training, particularly if they lack in-house IT resources.
How 8×8 compares to other providers
In the UK, 8×8 competes with several other VoIP and unified communications providers, including RingCentral, Microsoft Teams, and Vonage. Here’s how 8×8 compares:
- RingCentral: RingCentral offers a similar suite of features and is known for its robust app integrations. However, 8×8 often stands out for its international calling options and compliance standards, which may make it a better choice for businesses with global reach.
- Microsoft Teams: While Teams is highly popular and integrates seamlessly with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, it doesn’t offer the same comprehensive phone system features as 8×8 unless paired with Microsoft Phone System, which incurs additional costs.
- Vonage: Vonage’s focus is on smaller businesses and offers lower-tier plans that may be more cost-effective for small teams. However, 8×8 provides a more extensive feature set and better scalability.
8×8 reviews and ratings
- TrustPilot: 8×8 has a rating of 2.1 out of 5, with feedback often divided. While some users appreciate the system’s features and support, others report issues with call quality and pricing transparency.
- G2: Rated 4 out of 5, G2 reviews highlight 8×8’s ease of use, especially for small to mid-sized businesses, as well as the robust integration options. Complaints generally revolve around occasional system inconsistencies and higher costs for premium plans.
- ConsumerAffairs: This platform shows a mix of reviews, with some customers noting reliable performance and strong customer service. Negative reviews often mention the complexity of advanced features for smaller businesses.
- GetVoIP: 8×8 holds a positive rating for its features, including international calling options and integration with tools like Microsoft Teams and Salesforce. However, some users feel that its full value is more suited to larger enterprises due to the pricing of advanced tiers.
- Better Business Bureau (BBB): 8×8 has an A+ rating, though user reviews are often more critical, averaging 1 out of 5 stars. The primary issues cited include billing and service inconsistencies.
These ratings provide a mixed perspective, where 8×8’s functionality is highly regarded, particularly for medium to large businesses, though smaller companies may find the advanced features and pricing less ideal.
Review verdict – Is 8×8 the right choice for your business?
8×8 is a powerful and flexible communications solution that is well-suited to businesses looking for a unified, cloud-based phone system with integrated contact centre capabilities. The platform’s variety of plans means it can serve both small businesses and large enterprises, though smaller companies may find that some of the higher-tier features are beyond their requirements and budget.
For UK businesses with international clients, a need for high-quality audio and video, and a desire to consolidate communications within one platform, 8×8 is a strong contender. However, if your business only needs basic functionality or is seeking a budget-friendly solution, other providers with a more straightforward offering may be preferable.
In summary, 8×8 is a comprehensive phone system solution with the flexibility to scale as your business grows. With its high-quality features, robust international calling options, and compliance with security standards, it can be an excellent choice for businesses prioritising seamless communication and connectivity.
Comparisons
FAQ – 8×8 review
8×8 is a VoIP-based communications provider offering phone systems, video conferencing, team messaging, and contact centre solutions for businesses. It caters to various industries with scalable options to fit small teams and large enterprises alike, making it a versatile choice for organisations prioritising unified communications.
8×8 operates on cloud-based VoIP technology, enabling internet-based calling instead of traditional phone lines. This approach reduces infrastructure costs and provides businesses with mobility, as employees can make and receive calls from mobile or desktop apps anywhere there’s an internet connection.
Yes, 8×8 includes video conferencing within its X Series plans. Depending on the plan, users can host video meetings with up to 500 participants, making it a suitable option for remote collaboration, team meetings, and client interactions without requiring separate video software.
8×8 offers several plans, starting from the Express plan (£10 per user) up to advanced X Series plans like X6, X7, and X8, which cost between £60-£85 per user. Each tier includes different features, ranging from basic VoIP functionality to full contact centre capabilities.
Yes, 8×8 integrates with popular CRM tools, such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and HubSpot. This allows customer information to sync across platforms, improving efficiency for sales and support teams who need customer context and call data within their CRM.
8×8 is compatible with various IP phones from brands like Poly, Cisco, and Yealink. Additionally, 8×8 offers mobile and desktop apps that work independently of physical hardware, enabling employees to communicate through softphones using their devices.
8×8 offers HD voice quality and a high level of reliability through its global data centres. Its voice system is designed to minimise dropped calls and maintain high clarity for both domestic and international calls, supported by a dedicated customer support team.
Yes, 8×8 complies with GDPR and other UK data protection standards, ensuring data privacy and security for businesses handling sensitive customer information. This commitment to compliance makes 8×8 a suitable option for industries requiring stringent data handling.
Absolutely. 8×8’s cloud-based system and mobile apps are designed for flexibility, making it ideal for remote work. Employees can access the full suite of 8×8 communication features from any location, ensuring consistent productivity whether in the office or working remotely.
8×8 provides 24/7 customer support through phone, chat, and email. They also have a knowledge base, webinars, and training resources, ensuring that businesses have the assistance they need to troubleshoot issues and maximise the system’s functionality.