The term cloud is used with all the services and applications that work with the help of the internet and not with a device or equipment in the office. Any data stored in the cloud, whether it is photos, documents, or emails can be easily accessed from any device that has access to the internet. This means that such information can be obtained from any place that has internet access.
Cloud-Based Phone System
The cloud phone system, also called Virtual PBX, is a SaaS application that is hosted as well as stored digitally. Here are some of the top reasons you must consider switching to a cloud-based system for your business. Since it is stored and hosted digitally, there is no need for on-site infrastructure or an IT team to maintain those phone lines. Such a system is cost-efficient, easy to use, and can be easily implemented. Given that a secure internet connection in place of a public internet is used to transmit cloud phone calls, it is also much more reliable than the traditional phone system. To truly understand pricing, you’ll have to compare business phone system costs
Benefits of using Cloud-Based Phone System
1. Scalability gets easier
As a business owner, you would like to expand your business and take it to new heights. With the growing business, its communication system needs to grow as well. A cloud-based phone system helps to smoothly accommodate the increase in the call volume in an industry that happens with the addition of new employees, customers, and offices. A simple call is enough to get those extra extensions or even deactivate those that might seem additional.
Unlike traditional phone systems, a business using a cloud-based phone system needs to pay only for the extensions that they use and the duration they use them.
2. It has the benefit of mobility.
This one is probably the most valuable benefit of using a cloud-based phone system. Irrespective of your business location around the world, you can log in and be easily reached by your employees or the customers from a completely different place, even while you are on the go! As long as you have access to the internet, you can use all the features of the cloud phone system from anywhere.
The business employees can easily access the system from anywhere directly with their tablets or smartphones by using the mobile apps offered by VoIP providers and Hosted PBX providers.
This is especially favorable today when most of the businesses have multiple locations around the globe, and the employees are frequently traveling.
3. It makes for a better customer experience.
A cloud-based phone system has the ability to influence different aspects of a business, and customers’ experience is one of them. The cloud-based phone system can be integrated with the CRM or the Customer Relationship Management System of the company, which helps to engage the customer completely.
A simple text to a customer to remind them about their payment is due, or a Virtual Receptionist (VR) or Auto Attendant feature making unique greeting messages can go a long way in creating a better customer experience.
4. It is a cost-efficient option.
A cloud-based phone system is a very cost-efficient option when compared to traditional landline systems. Since this kind of communication system is hosted in the cloud, there is no need for physical hardware, which means there are no maintenance or up-gradation expenses. For this reason, this system is not just cost-effective but also easily scalable.
Apart from this, unlike the hosted VoIP solutions that allow the customers to pay on the go (depending on the services required), the traditional telephone system requires not just an upfront investment but also regular maintenance costs. A lock-in period works like adding fuel to the fire here.
A cloud-based phone system works very well in favor of small companies that need to slash off their operational costs marginally. Such companies get an edge with such a system; they reduce costs and ultimately increase their profits.
5. Gives access to the best of business features
A cloud phone system works very well in favor of small businesses. When they choose a cloud-based phone system over the traditional phone line systems, they get access to some of the best in class business features that are otherwise possible only with large corporations.
Advanced features such as Virtual Receptionist, Never Miss a Call, Auto Attendant and Call Center solutions simplify the business operations and make for better customer experience.
6. It increases efficiency
Cloud telephony is an uncluttered and straightforward system that does not require a lot of time to learn technicalities. Instead, companies can focus on improving customer experience and increasing sales. Since employees spend minimum time to manage their phones and maximum time in doing activities that matter, there is better output and higher efficiency.
Factors such as greater flexibility, better control, and minimum efforts to maintain create a cumulative effect of higher efficiency for the business.
Apart from this, cloud-based telephone systems can be easily integrated with other cloud-based solutions. With this, the employees who are traveling have full access to their customer’s system and account and all the necessary features that help them work as efficiently as they would work from the office. In this manner, lesser resources are spent on project management, and more focus is given on works that matter to the business.
Conclusion
A Cloud-based phone system is an excellent choice for both small and medium-sized businesses. Since it is easy to implement and maintain, it helps to free the vital IT resources and use them for projects and applications crucial for the growth of a business.
But before you choose to integrate any new application to your company’s existing system, it is advisable to research and learn intensively about it and then make a decision.