NFON phone systems review – Prices, features and value explained

NFON offers a compelling communications solution with its cloud-based phone systems, promising flexibility, scalability, and a host of features designed to meet diverse needs. But is NFON the right fit for your business? This review explores the core features, pricing, pros, and cons of NFON phone systems to help you make an informed choice.

Key features of NFON phone systems

NFON’s business phone systems are designed for businesses seeking cloud-based solutions that remove the need for on-premises hardware. Here are the standout features NFON offers:

1. Cloudya: NFON’s core platform – Cloudya is NFON’s main cloud PBX platform, providing an all-in-one solution for voice, video, and messaging. Cloudya integrates seamlessly with various devices, allowing businesses to manage calls and messages across desktops, smartphones, and other devices. With Cloudya, users benefit from a unified communications approach, where all communication channels are accessible from a single interface.
2. Mobile-first capabilities – The NFON platform supports mobile working by allowing employees to access the system from anywhere. Their mobile app enables calls, voicemail access, and messaging, making it ideal for businesses with remote workers or employees who travel frequently.
3. Advanced call management – NFON’s phone systems offer robust call management features, including call forwarding, call queuing, call transfer, and call recording. These features help businesses maintain a professional standard of service, especially when handling high call volumes. Call analytics allow managers to monitor and optimise call handling.
4. Collaboration tools – NFON integrates well with other collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams, so teams can enjoy streamlined communication within their existing workflow. This integration helps businesses minimise the learning curve, allowing employees to keep using tools they’re already familiar with.
5. CRM integration – With built-in CRM integration, NFON’s system allows businesses to connect their phone system with popular CRM platforms. This integration means that customer information is readily accessible during calls, streamlining customer support and helping employees engage more effectively with clients.
6. Contact centre solutions – For businesses requiring a dedicated contact centre solution, NFON provides a specialised add-on called Ncontactcenter. This feature allows businesses to manage customer interactions across multiple channels, including phone, email, and social media, all from a single platform.
7. Security and compliance – NFON’s phone systems are designed with data protection in mind, complying with GDPR regulations, an essential consideration for UK businesses handling sensitive information. NFON also offers high-quality encryption to keep communications secure.

NFON phone system costs

NFON offers flexible pricing structures to cater to different business sizes and requirements. While exact pricing may vary based on specific needs and packages, here’s an overview of typical pricing models:

• Basic plans: Starting around £10 per user per month, NFON’s basic packages cover essential calling and mobile integration. This plan suits smaller businesses that need reliable, no-frills phone services.
• Premium plans: Typically ranging from £20-£30 per user per month, these plans include advanced features such as call recording, CRM integration, and video conferencing. These packages are ideal for growing businesses or companies that need more robust functionalities.
• Enterprise solutions: For large organisations or those with complex requirements, NFON provides custom pricing. These packages may include Ncontactcenter for multi-channel customer support, personalised onboarding, and priority customer service, making them suitable for businesses requiring tailored solutions.

Additionally, NFON offers a free trial, allowing businesses to test the platform before committing to a full subscription. Installation fees and hardware costs, if any, are generally separate, though the cloud-based nature of NFON’s phone systems minimises the need for extensive hardware.

Pros – What we like about NFON

1. Scalability and flexibility – NFON’s cloud-based platform makes it easy for businesses to scale up or down as needed. This flexibility is beneficial for growing businesses or those with fluctuating communication needs.
2. Mobile-friendly – With the ability to access NFON’s systems from mobile devices, businesses can support a mobile or remote workforce effectively. The system is easy to deploy across devices, ensuring a seamless experience for users on the go.
3. GDPR compliance and security – NFON’s GDPR-compliant design and high standards for data security make it suitable for UK businesses handling sensitive data, offering peace of mind when it comes to legal compliance.
4. CRM and collaboration integrations – Integrations with CRM platforms and collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams make NFON a versatile choice, allowing businesses to leverage their existing tools and workflows without disruption.
5. Customisable plans – NFON’s range of plans and customisable options mean that businesses of all sizes and requirements can find a plan that aligns with their budget and needs.

Cons – Potential downsides

1. Additional fees for premium features – While NFON offers a solid set of features, advanced functionalities such as call analytics, CRM integration, and contact centre solutions may incur additional costs, potentially adding to the total expenditure.
2. Limited on-premises options – NFON’s focus on cloud solutions may not be ideal for businesses that prefer or require on-premises systems. While this approach reduces hardware needs, companies with specific infrastructure requirements may find this limiting.
3. Learning curve for advanced features – Some users have noted that the extensive features and integrations can require a bit of a learning curve, particularly for employees unfamiliar with cloud-based systems. This could necessitate some initial training, especially for organisations transitioning from traditional phone systems.

NFON reviews and ratings

NFON’s phone system reviews vary widely across platforms, providing mixed feedback that may help you weigh its pros and cons.

• TrustPilot: Currently, NFON does not have significant data on TrustPilot for a reliable rating; however, individual user feedback on other review sites reveals notable insights.
• Google Reviews: NFON’s rating generally hovers around 3.0 to 3.5 out of 5 stars. Users appreciate the convenience and cloud-based flexibility but cite issues with customer support and setup challenges.
• GetApp: NFON scores an average of 3.5 out of 5 from about 11 reviews, where ease of use and feature flexibility are highlighted as positives. However, customer service and value for money receive lower marks, indicating room for improvement in support quality.
• SoftwareAdvice: With a rating of around 3.3 out of 5, SoftwareAdvice reviews reveal a split between users who find NFON’s features highly useful and others who report unsatisfactory service and functionality issues, especially in customer support and system reliability.
• Star Evaluator: This site reflects a mixed user experience, with a 3.0 rating out of 5. Here, about 50% of users rate NFON very highly, often citing strong functionality, while the remaining 50% report negative experiences with service interruptions and customer support.

Overall, NFON’s cloud telephony systems receive moderate to positive ratings for features and usability, though customer support and occasional service issues are common themes in lower ratings. For businesses prioritising strong customer service, these aspects may warrant consideration.

Review – Is NFON the right choice for your business?

NFON’s cloud-based phone systems offer a comprehensive solution for businesses looking to modernise their communications.

The platform’s scalability, mobile integration, and advanced call management features make it a good fit for growing businesses or those with remote workforces.

For companies already using CRM and collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, NFON’s integrations provide an added advantage, helping to streamline operations.

However, if your business requires on-premises infrastructure or has a limited budget, the additional costs associated with premium features may be a consideration.

For smaller companies with simpler requirements, NFON’s entry-level plans offer essential functionalities without overextending budgets, but companies with more complex needs will find the advanced plans worth the investment.

In conclusion, NFON’s cloud phone systems are best suited for UK businesses prioritising flexibility, scalability, and robust integrations.

By offering a variety of plans and a strong suite of features, NFON caters to a wide range of businesses, from small enterprises to large corporations, making it a reliable choice for those willing to embrace cloud-based communication.

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