What are the benefits of a cloud based business phone system?
Knowing what you need in terms of a phone system for your business can be a bit of a challenge, especially since there are so many options available to you when it comes to hosted telephony systems. You’ve probably heard of a cloud based business phone system but what exactly is one and what are the key benefits to you and your growing business?
A cloud based phone system, also called a hosted telephony system or hosted VoIP is where a provider hosts and manages your business phone system in a data centre. Making the investment in a VoIP system means all your voice communication needs are covered – and it’s usually very affordable too.
Is a cloud based business phone system reliable?
Hosted telephony systems mean communication is delivered via the Internet and it’s very quick and easy to install. This gives small to medium sized businesses the opportunity to utilise technologies that were previously only really widely available to the big brands. Typically costs work out per user per month, which means you never need to spend more than you need. It also allows you the growing room to scale up or down in line with your current business needs. Levels of efficiency and reliability for voice calling over the Internet has dramatically increased in recent years, meaning it’s extremely unlikely to experience any down time.
Hosted telephony solutions are now just as dependable and reliable as convention PBX systems, but what’s even better is that you don’t need to cover ongoing maintenance costs or multiple phone lines into your place of work.
How does a cloud based business phone system work?
The centralised data centre is updated and maintained by the provider, meaning you are able to focus on your core business responsibilities, ultimately saving you time and energy.
The company running the data centre are responsible for maintaining security and disaster security, again giving you less stress and hassle. So long as you’ve got a contract with a highly reputable company like CCUK you can ensure your business is in safe hands. And in the unlikely event that something does fail, your data will be sent to another area, meaning at a personal level you won’t experience any downtime.
Can I work from home with hosted telephony?
The features that come with hosted telephony mean your staff can work from home in exactly the same manner as they would in the office. It also means they can perform all the same duties when they are mobile. Their work issued mobile phones will tap into the same network, meaning even mobile calls run on the same network and can be recorded in the same manner.
additional features of hosted telephony
There are many optional features that come with hosted telephony. You’re able to assign a single telephone number to multiple different devices, you can set up call diverts, call groups, redirects and many more call management features. It’s also possible to access the system by using a softphone or IP handset – giving your business a variety of options. (Softphones are screen-based virtual phones that can be used with headsets.) You can of course integrate mobile phones but other devices as well.
Simply ask your provider what’s available as part of your chosen package. Depending on the package you choose as well you may not have to pay anything for internal calls.
unbelievable levels of control
Be prepared to have control over your business communications like you’ve never experienced before! High levels of control are one of the main benefits of using a cloud based business phone system. Even if your business operations are spread over numerous locations, even different countries, management is simple and efficient with the interface provided to you. Available on one dashboard is all the incoming and outgoing communication of your business.
In recent years more and more workers have become home workers, or are expected to continue working whilst on the move. A cloud based business phone system gives both your business and the individual employee the tools necessary to work efficiently remotely, with the transparency that this is being done as well.
cost and ease
Another perk is that most providers won’t expect you to fork out for any hardware, software or maintenance upfront, giving you a little extra peace of mind. Hosted telephony is extremely scalable and cost effective. It’s quick and easy to install and roll out, causing only very minor disruption to your business as the transition takes place. In short, the long term savings (not having to upkeep and maintain PBX hardware), combined with the fluidity, scalability and transparency of a cloud based system, means more and more SMEs are now making the switch.
get in touch with CCUK about a 14 day free trial
We’ve been helping businesses all over the UK make the switch. Get in touch with a member of our team and see how effortlessly we can make your transition.