It’s never easy to introduce change in your workplace, and initial costs need to be measured against long-term savings. But switching your business to a is almost guaranteed to pay dividends.
As well as introducing a financial saving, cloud phone systems empower your team with convenient new tools, seamless integration with existing platforms, and new opportunities for marketing and conferencing.
Of course, this all sounds quite overwhelming. Where do you begin? How do you install and configure a whole new cloud-based business telephone system, and will your staff need training?
Our telecoms team keeps it simple for you. Let’s take a closer look at why your business needs a cloud phone system now, and how it will benefit your business far beyond 2021.
What is a Cloud Phone System?
First thing’s first – what is a cloud phone system? With cloud-based technology becoming more common all over the world, many of us already understand the basic principles of on-demand computer system resources.
It may be less obvious at first, but a cloud phone system uses those same basic principles to deliver a powerful, modern, and user-friendly communication tool.
A cloud phone system is a versatile phone system that uses Voice over Internet-Protocol (VoIP) technology – think of it as ‘internet calling.’ Relying on an internet-based platform, your team can make calls using an internet connection rather than an analogue phone line.
That means no pre-configured fixed extensions and no extra copper wires. Instead, the phones (or other devices) connect via a standard computer network cable or WIFI and the system is configured through the cloud-based software. Data (such as call statistics) is stored on an off-site data centre and is instantly available whenever it’s required.
Users can also take and make calls as if they were at their desk even when out of the office. Since there are no on-site servers and the infrastructure is greatly reduced, a cloud phone system is also significantly easier to maintain.
And Why is Everybody Switching to a Cloud Phone System?
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you – all the way from the smallest businesses with only a few staff members to international corporations, cloud-based phone systems are becoming the norm.
Here are just a few reasons why.
Endless Flexibility
Did your company initially struggle to adapt to the new working-from-home arrangement enforced by COVID-19? Well, we won’t blame you if you were slightly envious of companies that seemed to take it in their stride. One thing that helped them achieve this was already having a cloud phone system in place.
When you have a remote and flexible workforce, a seamless communication platform is essential for efficient and effective working. Wherever there’s an internet connection, your team can make and receive calls. There are even free apps that allow cloud phone systems to be used with mobile phones as well.
Put simply, cloud phone systems are the future for easy and accessible communication that isn’t restricted to the office.
Quick Installation
We’ve already mentioned that cloud phone systems require very little hardware. All you need is an internet connection and a handset, and you’re good to go!
Compare that with traditional analogue-based systems, where individual cables need to be run to each handset and routed back to the central system. This means that installing a cloud-based system is easy – your team could be connected in a matter of minutes.
Is your team likely to grow in the future? Or perhaps you’re downsizing? With a cloud phone system there’s no need to rip-up floorboards or lay new dedicated phone cables – as long as you have internet access, everything else is managed through software.
Easy Integration
With a cloud-based phone system you can take your communication platform far beyond the telephone. With fewer cable connections and a streamlined configuration, you can easily connect new devices and third-party tools.
For instance, you can easily make your business mobile phone an extension of your office phone. Whenever work takes you away from your desk (be that in the office or in your remote workplace), you won’t miss a thing.
You’ll also be able to incorporate video conferencing technology without requiring any additional hardware and integrate your phone system with your computer system. There are opportunities to record calls, produce and manage talk-time reports, use artificial intelligence (AI), automatically forward calls, and introduce marketing strategies to customers and clients on hold.
There are endless possibilities, and it’s incredibly straightforward to expand your cloud portfolio.
Does it Make Sense Financially?
Everything we’ve spoken about so far has focused on the convenience that cloud phone systems offer. But money makes the world go round, and the first thing that office managers and directors will ask is whether or not this new technology will save your business money.
Costs are much reduced with a cloud-based system. Maintenance costs are minimal or zero and calling rates are significantly lower with a VoIP platform. There are no surprises in your monthly bill and it’s easy to manage total usage.
This is because calls are conducted through the internet. On top of that, many analogue telephone providers will charge extra for voicemail and add-ons like ‘on hold’ messaging.
There are often ‘unlimited minutes’ packages available from VOIP providers for businesses with high call traffic. And, as mentioned previously, the cost of hardware is significantly reduced with a cloud-based set-up. Maintenance, installation, and configuration is far cheaper than with traditional phone systems.
Get a Free Cloud Phone System Quote Today
Businesses throughout the United Kingdom have, in the last year, been shown the advantages of an efficient remote-working set-up. Prepare your business and equip your staff with intuitive and flexible VOIP solutions from The PC Support Group.
Contact our expert team on 03300 886 116 or email info@pcsupportgroup.com to find out how we can help transform your business today.