The 1970s called; they want their phone systems back

When we’re all walking around with mobile phones in our pockets, it seems bizarre that businesses still operate and rely on on-premise tools and technology.

Most businesses have realised the benefits of hosting their phone system in the cloud – using it to boost productivity, overall business agility and introduce new functionality.

However, some still rely on traditional Private Branch eXchange (PBX) systems, limiting their potential and imposing unnecessary restrictions on their teams.

The 1970s called; they want their phone systems back. If your business hasn’t yet caught up with the times, we’re here to explain how you can harness cloud-based solutions to bring your business operations up to date.

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Tech in ten: Reasons to host your telephony in the cloud

1. Improve business agility

Allow your colleagues to work anytime, anywhere. Have confidence that, whatever happens, your business is ready and able to step into action. When you adopt an agile way of working, you’ll be ready for anything.

2. Be flexible

There is a myriad of optional plug-in features to improve both your customer and employee experiences – call reporting, call recording, video… simply add and start paying for the bells and whistles when you need them.

3. Enhance employee wellbeing

Most people enjoy working flexibly so work around life, work anywhere, and don’t be constrained by telephone lines.

4. Boost profitability

Working from one intelligent desktop interface allows employees to work more efficiently. Give them the right tools to do their best work with additional communications tech such as instant messaging.   

5. Be more resilient and prepare for the unknown

Ensure maximum business resilience by avoiding traditional hardware and telephone line faults. Easily work around the unexpected with the flexibility of work-anywhere tech.

6. Be budget savvy

No maintenance costs and no need to renew or upgrade when technologies change. Cloud telephony minimises capital expenditure and unlike your outdated PBX systems, it won’t need replacing, ever.

7. Prioritise scalable solutions

As your business grows, so does your cloud solution. An operational expenditure model means you simply pay per person, per month, ensuring super straightforward budgeting.

8. Simplify

Don’t baffle your team with technical jargon. Cloud telephony is remarkably quick to learn and simple to use, just like many of the other communications apps we all know and love.   

9. Partner well   

When you work with one cloud solution partner, you’ll have a single point of responsibility covering everything from cloud telephony to cloud security.

10. Be ready for the analogue world to be switched off

The old-fashioned telephone lines used by old fashioned PBXs are going to be switched off. Not upgrading to digital simply isn’t an option.

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What is cloud telephony?

Cloud telephony allows calls to be sent and received via the internet. It moves all elements of your phone system online through your internet connection, removing the need for cumbersome on-site technology such as physical telephone lines or a switch board.

Moving your traditional PBX system to the cloud is a vital component of digital migration. As businesses look to futureproof their operations and become more agile, old-fashioned PBX systems are soon to become a thing of the past.

Old PBX systems are linear. They are designed just to make and receive calls. Cloud-based solutions allow employees to answer calls from their computer, rather than a physical handset. Cloud telephony also seamlessly integrates with other contact methods, allowing employees to connect with customers using one desktop interface. Picking up a phone, jumping on to Twitter, responding to emails and monitoring a live chat requires significant multi-tasking. Imagine having all these channels in one place. A solution that’s easy to navigate means employees have more time to deliver quality customer service.

A desktop interface has many benefits and features, including the ability to reroute and distribute calls, monitor the volume of calls and record call quality. Intelligent reporting ensures you have much greater visibility of staff output across the board.

Why are businesses moving to a virtual PBX?

The harsh reality is traditional PBX systems are being retired. Moving to cloud-based solutions is now a necessity.

Most businesses want to move to a cloud-based solution to increase agility. We’ve all learnt the importance of being agile and flexible over the last year or so. Don’t tie your employees to a phone line or rely on call forwarding when you can use a much more effective system.

Cloud telephony allows employees to work whenever, wherever. They don’t need to worry about picking up calls from a physical handset. All they need is a laptop and internet connection, and away they go. Research suggests employees are happier, have higher job satisfaction and are more productive when working flexibly. Why deny your staff members the opportunity to do their best work, simply because they’re required to man a phoneline?

Virtual PBX systems aren’t reliant on on-premise equipment and in-person expertise. Cloud telephony ensures there’s little room for human error, such as plugging in the wrong wires or even something as simple as a split cup of tea causing chaos. If a problem occurs with your cloud-based solution, your experts can diagnose and solve any issue remotely.

In contrast, traditional PBX systems require constant physical maintenance. Every time you want to make a change, add or remove a line or fix a problem, you’ll need a professional to visit your site. You have to get through to an engineer then wait for them to turn up, diagnose the problem and fix your PBX. That’s serious downtime which impacts productivity and profitability.

Now let’s talk money. Cloud telephony works in a similar way to a mobile phone contract. You’ll pay per person, per month, with all calls included in that monthly fee. It’s much easier to budget this way, with no nasty surprises waiting for you at the end of the month. In most cases cloud telephony solutions have zero installation or maintenance costs, too. Traditional PBX systems can be expensive as you’ll be renting a telephone line plus paying per minute for every call. These systems also have to be upgraded from time to time, which can be a huge inconvenience and expense.

How to migrate to cloud telephony

Moving to a cloud-based solution requires expertise. You’ll need to understand how cloud telephony will work for your business and its employees, defining a clear strategy and roadmap to success. Partnering with a technology expert like Babble ensures everything is taken care of – helping with all aspects of setting up a cloud-based solution right through to transferring numbers over to your new system.

Our team will help you to achieve your business goals. We’ve been operating using cloud-based solutions from the very beginning, so our experts know cloud technology inside out. Whilst traditional PBX providers are now beginning to offer virtual solutions, their engineers have only just transitioned to the cloud themselves.

It’s far better to consult an expert in cloud solutions, than an expert in telephone lines. We’ve completed cloud telephony migrations within weeks, helping teams to get up-and-running seamlessly and efficiently.

Transform the way you work

Babble is a cloud-first business. Our experts are able to analyse your business and identify how to improve key processes and operations. When you sign up to a four-year agreement with us, there’ll be no upfront costs for the first 12 months. It’s a win-win way to transition to a cloud-based solution.

When you work with us, you’re not just getting a cloud telephony migration, you’re buying into a long-term partnership. Our team cares about the businesses we work with. We take pride in being part of their future because we’ve been a key player in securing it. 

Contact our team to reimagine the way you do work.