Twelve Benefits of Moving Your Business Phone System to the Cloud
Enterprises looking for ways to improve the customer experience through digital transformation generally pivot pretty quickly to the possibility of moving their business phone system to the cloud. If you’re looking for ways to provide convenient service to your customers while trimming your budget and improving reliability, moving to cloud communications is a great solution.
Customers have become aware that if they can’t easily reach a service representative at your company, there are several competitors all too happy to assist them. By moving your business phone system to the cloud, you’ll have access to the features and tools that provide the best possible experience to your customers and other end users. Take a look at 12 benefits that will give your company the competitive edge:
- Little-to-no capital investment: When you move your business phone system to the cloud, there isn’t a big outlay of cash required like there would be with a new on-site system. All hardware is housed and supplied by the provider, while you pay a monthly invoice that can be categorized as an operating expense.
- Choose the equipment you want: While an in-house private branch exchange (PBX) locks you into a certain brand and maybe even a model of a phone system, a cloud system’s equipment is commodity-based, so you choose the handsets you want.
- Utilize a single network: While a traditional phone system requires separate lines for telephone and data, a cloud solution provides connectivity through your existing network. It’s a good idea to test the performance and speed of your network before deploying a cloud business phone system, but it won’t require a separate network.
- Predictable invoicing: There are never any surprise charges for replacing hardware or the rollout of a new version of your solution. You’ll receive an invoice each month for the number of users you need on a communications solution.
- No worries about obsolescence: Your cloud provider is responsible for all updates, infrastructure upgrades, and other investments that keep your solution current and competitive with other solutions on the market. You don’t have to worry about a ticking clock that’s already deemed your technology obsolete by the time you’ve implemented it, because it’s no longer a concern when you choose cloud solutions.
- Improved reliability: An on-premises solution has a single point of failure. If there’s a natural disaster or a cyber security breach for the telecom company, there’s no backup plan for allowing customers’ calls to come through. With a cloud solution, there’s an automatic rerouting of calls to another data center if one of them is compromised. Your end user won’t know the difference, and you’ll never miss a call.
- Broad flexibility: A cloud business phone system comes with access to a wide variety of features. From a digital receptionist to call forwarding and video conferencing, there are many ways to enhance productivity and collaboration with the right tools. A cloud solution allows you to choose the features that benefit your company, instead of paying for a package that includes tools you’ll never need.
- Support mobility: Enterprises have a growing percentage of remote and mobile employees, requiring the ability to work and interact with systems consistently, no matter where they are located. A cloud communications solution ensures that whether your employees are in the office, out in the field, or working at home on a Saturday, they have access to the same tools and features across any device or setting. As long as they have a valid log-in and a connection, they can be productive anywhere.
- Improved security: In an age where security threats change almost by the minute, it’s important to invest in communications solutions that proactively address security concerns. A cloud business phone system features encryption as well as enhanced monitoring that identifies any anomaly in data transmissions. You may choose to invest in not only voice functions but also tools like shared workspaces and other collaboration tools that introduce broad vulnerabilities across your data assets. Be sure to choose a provider that has robust security features.
- Convenient consolidation: Many cloud solutions are presented in a Unified Communications (UC) product, which offers a variety of formats accessible through a single application. This approach gives the customer the option to choose the format they’re most comfortable using, as well as providing service representatives with access to prior interactions with the customer, regardless of format.
- Integration: A cloud communications solution can be integrated with other cloud applications, such as a customer relationship management app or an accounts receivable feature for phone-based bill pay.
- Shifting the risk: When you own your on-premises phone system, you’re responsible for maintenance, upgrades, troubleshooting, and security. It’s hard to quantify that risk, but if you suffer a security breach or have to purchase a new fleet of hardware, it’s easier to recognize it. Shifting to a cloud-based communications solution also shifts the risk to the provider. You simply pay the monthly invoice.
If you’re considering an upgrade to your business phone system, contact us at Precision Interconnect by emailing hbitman@precisioninter.com or by calling (212)784-2002. We can help you assess the needs of your small business and whether a cloud solution would be a good fit in terms of features, budget, and innovation.
