ⓘ Featured image credits: Freepik
Communication in business has changed rapidly, as have business phone systems. Before, Old-school landlines were essential to business communication but currently are being replaced by more flexible, cost-effective, and reliable ones now. Voice over IP technology: Although many companies find this change positively, some still underestimate its real capability.
More and more enterprises are weighing the pros and cons of cloud-based answers. There are definite benefits of moving to cloud-based options for remote answering services at a time like this, with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing too much damage to traditional business operations.
What is a Cloud-Based Answering Service?
Cloud-based telephone structures improve its most recent – and nonetheless widely utilized – predecessors recognised as on-premise non-public department exchanges (PBX). Private department exchanges are personal replacing or switching structures that give interior connections between device customers (e.g., employees in the same office) as nicely as connections to the public phone community (for communication with human beings outside the office).
Practically, it’s a cellphone system that operates to the role and acquires calls the use of the community system. The voice in such applications is viewed as real-time data uploaded and installed. The cloud-based smartphone gadget operates in the cloud, as cautioned by means of its name, so all your facts are stored online. This way, you do not have to suppose problems with downtime and nonetheless continue to be available.
The Positive Side of Having a Cloud-Based Answering Service
Cheaper Cost
Telecommunications systems are much cheaper than conventional, cloud-based telephone systems. This is the easiest way if you’re trying to streamline your contact expenditures. Most VoIP providers are billed by the minute or even by the second, so your business phone system does not cost a fortune like a landline phone used to do. Also, most of the time there are no setup fees charged, which means it is very affordable.
Why are the expenses so much lower? Because cloud telecommunications systems rely on your connection to the internet while conventional telephone lines include expenses for the following: Initial investment in an on-site PBX, Recurring charges for repairs, and function add-ons such as auto attendants, voicemail recording, queueing of messages, and the like.
Centralized Communication Channels
When your smartphone system works over the Internet, it is handy to centralize all your enterprise communications on a single platform without interfering with the present-day infrastructure and process of teleworking technology. This is recognised as the Unified Communications as a Service. UCaas is a type of answer that lets in smartphone calls, video conferencing, instantaneous messaging, conference calls and sharing files.
It is much less complicated to deal with a centralized gadget that is accountable for the company’s transactions. It also makes it less difficult for remote personnel and in-office employees to join effectively, as each would have access to the contact networks they need for collaboration at the same time.
Many of the cloud phone systems can be integrated with your CRM system, making it easy for your agents or customers to dial numbers with a single mouse click. Also, having all your data in sync can improve your sales campaign and database management.
Fewer Hardware Requirements
There is little or no special hardware needed for cloud-based phone systems. Usually, they are compatible with telephone lines and cell phones, such as office desk phones, fax machines and smartphones.
Without expensive hardware requirements, cloud-based telephone systems are of course relatively inexpensive to deploy. Customers only pay the ongoing subscription fees and all costs related to call minutes, toll-free phone numbers, vanity phone numbers and other additional services.
Increased Level of Security
Although conventional on-premises telephone is very physically secure, it can be impacted by power failures, any unforeseen natural disasters, or literally robbed from your workplace, while VOIPs have few layers of protection and solid encryption keys in cloud telephone systems.
Data security is another big business risk. By this measure, cloud-based phone networks are clearly on top of the game. Out-of-the-box on-premises systems are only as good as the IT teams behind them. You better have talented IT professionals capable of building and maintaining a proper cybersecurity defence. Cloud-based providers handle the data security themselves, using state-of-the-art unique encryption to keep the data and communication system from the company confidential and out of reach from hackers and snoopers.
Worldwide Reach
Cloud-based telecommunications services easily connect with mobile networks and provide immediate connectivity to remote workers and independent contractors, whether situated in the next county or halfway across the globe. For smaller businesses with scattered workforces, this is an immense advantage, as it conveys the image of a broad, unified in-house staff to outsiders.
The Negative Side of Having a Cloud-Based Answering Service
Upgrade on Internet Equipment for Faster Networking
A potential disadvantage of a cloud-based telephone system is the need for high-performance network devices such as routers and switches. The role of a router is to segment networks, assign IP addresses, and manage network bandwidth. Older routers may not be compatible with large-scale VoIP implementations. Wi-Fi does not work well on walls, and as more employees use laptops and softphones, they are likely to use a wireless connection. If your office did not do a wireless site survey, you may have dead spots.
To have quality connectivity suitable for VoIP calls, small businesses can need to upgrade their communications infrastructure. For industries where people operate from home, this is less of a concern, since most people still have sufficient home networks set up for this reason.
Dependency on Internet Connectivity
Since this phone system is placed in the cloud, it is obvious that it needs an internet connection to use it. Additionally, this connection needs to be stable and of high quality, if you do not want to suffer from insufficient sound issues that may hinder proper communication procedures. For enterprises who perform much of their correspondence on mobile devices, this is less of a concern, but it is also worth bearing in mind.
Upgrade and Usage Cost
For companies that do not have headsets or a separate internet line for business telephony, the switch to cloud-based telephony means new costs. However, these devices are quite inexpensive and will be thankfully paid back in the long run to lower your call spending. For multinational firms that have loads of customers or staff members abroad, user fees are often troublesome, such as organizations that merge U.S.-based account, distribution, and executive teams with back-end production or manufacturing teams based on cheaper production markets.
