RingCentral phone systems review – Prices, features and value explained

RingCentral has emerged as one of the top contenders in the business telephony space, renowned for its feature-rich cloud-based phone systems and unified communication solutions. This review delves into the features, pricing, pros and cons, and the reasons RingCentral might—or might not—be the right choice for your business.

Key features of RingCentral phone systems

RingCentral’s platform offers a broad spectrum of features designed to meet the needs of modern businesses. Here’s a breakdown of its most prominent functionalities:

1. Cloud-based communication – RingCentral’s phone system is entirely cloud-based, meaning businesses benefit from reduced infrastructure costs, easy scalability, and remote access. This flexibility is ideal for companies with hybrid or remote work models, as employees can use the platform from any location.
2. Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) – RingCentral provides a full suite of unified communications, including messaging, video conferencing, and calling, all integrated into a single platform. This reduces the need for multiple communication tools and simplifies internal communication, helping teams stay connected and productive.
3. Auto-attendant and IVR – The auto-attendant feature allows businesses to route calls to the right departments or team members automatically, improving caller experience and enhancing efficiency. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) also offers custom menu options for more complex call handling.
4. Call management and analytics – RingCentral offers extensive call management tools, including call forwarding, voicemail, and call queue management. Businesses can also access detailed analytics to monitor performance, track call volumes, and gain insights into how customer calls are handled, helping to refine customer service.
5. Mobile and desktop apps – RingCentral’s mobile and desktop apps are user-friendly, allowing employees to manage calls, messages, and video meetings across devices. This cross-device flexibility is highly beneficial for on-the-go professionals who need to remain accessible.
6. Integrations with business tools – The platform integrates with various business applications such as Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, and Google Workspace. These integrations allow users to streamline workflows, access information directly from the apps they already use, and avoid disruptions.
7. Collaboration tools – In addition to voice calling, RingCentral provides messaging and video conferencing tools that allow teams to collaborate more effectively. Its ‘Team Huddle’ feature, for instance, provides a virtual meeting space for ongoing discussions, creating an agile communication environment.

Cost of RingCentral phone systems

RingCentral offers multiple pricing plans tailored to different business sizes and requirements. Here is a breakdown of the key pricing tiers:

• Essentials: This plan starts at around £7.99 per user per month and includes essential phone features like unlimited calls within the UK and basic call management. It’s suitable for small businesses with minimal telephony needs.
• Standard: Priced at approximately £15.99 per user per month, the Standard plan includes additional features such as unlimited audio conferencing, video meetings for up to 100 participants, and access to third-party integrations like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. This is an ideal choice for small to medium-sized businesses needing more collaboration tools.
• Premium: Starting at around £22.99 per user per month, this plan offers advanced features such as automatic call recording, analytics, and integrations with CRM systems. Premium is ideal for businesses that require robust call tracking and analytics for customer service improvement.
• Ultimate: At £29.99 per user per month, the Ultimate plan provides access to the full range of RingCentral’s features, including device status reports, alerts, and advanced analytics. This option is designed for larger businesses or those with high telephony and analytics needs.

It’s worth noting that RingCentral frequently offers discounts for annual billing, making it more cost-effective for businesses prepared to commit to a longer-term contract.

Pros and cons of RingCentral

What we like

• Comprehensive feature set: RingCentral’s range of features covers virtually every need a modern business could have, from basic call handling to video conferencing and messaging.
• Ease of use: The platform’s intuitive interface makes it accessible to users at any technical level. This simplicity is particularly beneficial for small businesses without dedicated IT staff.
• Scalability: RingCentral’s cloud-based nature makes it easy to scale up or down depending on business needs, making it a versatile solution for businesses of all sizes.
• Integration options: With its wide range of integrations, RingCentral enables teams to work seamlessly across other business applications, streamlining workflows and boosting productivity.
• Remote work support: Its mobile and desktop apps provide robust support for remote workers, ensuring they have access to the same features as office-based staff.

Potential downsides

• Higher price point for premium features: While the basic plans are affordable, some businesses may find the premium and ultimate plans costly, especially if they need multiple users.
• Internet dependency: As a cloud-based solution, RingCentral requires a stable internet connection for optimal performance, which could be a disadvantage in areas with unreliable connectivity.
• Limited customisation: While RingCentral is flexible, some businesses might find that it doesn’t offer the customisation options they require, especially compared to on-premises systems.

Review – Is RingCentral the right choice for your business?

RingCentral is a powerful, feature-rich phone system that offers an all-in-one solution for businesses seeking to streamline communications.

Its unified communications suite, combined with flexible pricing plans, makes it a compelling choice for small to medium-sized businesses, particularly those with remote work requirements.

However, for businesses needing more extensive customisation or those in areas with unreliable internet, RingCentral might not be the ideal fit.

Suitable for:

• SMEs with a distributed workforce: RingCentral’s mobile and desktop apps allow employees to work seamlessly from any location, making it ideal for hybrid and remote teams.
• Companies needing UCaaS: If your business benefits from integrating calls, messaging, and video conferencing into one platform, RingCentral’s all-in-one approach is highly appealing.
• Businesses relying on other business software: The platform’s numerous integrations mean that businesses already using tools like Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, or Salesforce will find added efficiency in their workflows.

Possibly unsuitable for:

• Large enterprises with specific customisation needs: Companies that require heavily tailored call routing, CRM integration, or unique telephony features might prefer a more customisable system.
• Businesses in areas with poor internet reliability: As RingCentral is cloud-based, a reliable internet connection is necessary. Businesses in regions with intermittent connectivity may find a traditional phone system more reliable.

RingCentral reviews and ratings

Here is an overview of RingCentral’s ratings across various review platforms, providing a snapshot of user experiences with the brand:

1. Trustpilot: RingCentral has received a rating of approximately 2.4 out of 5 based on over 800 reviews. Feedback on Trustpilot is mixed, with some users highlighting challenges with customer support, setup, and issues around contract terms.
2. Google Play Store and App Store: On mobile platforms, RingCentral fares significantly better. The app holds a high rating of 4.6 out of 5 on Google Play (based on around 26,500 reviews) and 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store (based on over 54,600 reviews), indicating a generally positive response from mobile users regarding functionality and convenience.
3. G2: On G2, RingCentral is generally well-rated, with a cumulative score averaging around 4 out of 5. Users on G2 often praise the platform’s feature set and integrations but sometimes note the need for advanced technical knowledge to set up more complex functionalities.
4. ConsumersAdvocate: This platform gives RingCentral an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5, recognising its strong integration options, comprehensive feature set, and responsive customer service. The platform’s cloud-based model, which supports remote working capabilities and integrates seamlessly with various business tools, is a noted strength.
5. VoipReview: Ratings here vary based on different aspects. For example, sound quality, reliability, and feature flexibility receive high marks, often around 4-5 out of 5. However, customer service ratings are lower, around 2-3 out of 5, reflecting concerns about the consistency of support and issues some users have experienced with the sales and onboarding processes.

Overall, RingCentral’s ratings highlight its strengths in mobile functionality, integrations, and feature robustness, particularly for remote and distributed teams. However, there are recurring themes of mixed experiences with customer service and higher costs for premium features.

Final verdict – RingCentral review

RingCentral offers a comprehensive solution that can meet the needs of many UK businesses, particularly those looking for flexibility, remote work compatibility, and a strong selection of communication tools.

While the cost may be on the higher end for some, the value it provides through its all-encompassing features and scalability makes it a worthwhile investment for businesses aiming to enhance collaboration and communication efficiency.

For companies ready to embrace a cloud-based, unified communications platform, RingCentral is indeed a robust choice that’s well worth considering.

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FAQ – RingCentral review