In the last few years, there has been a significant change in the way we communicate, thanks to advances in technology. Instead of relying solely on traditional phone systems, companies are transitioning to ones that are hosted, cloud-based, and data-driven. These changes have made business communication more streamlined, effective, and efficient.
In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of unified communications and hosted telecommunications services, how these telephone services work, and why organizations should consider utilizing a hosted phone system over traditional telephone services.
What is Unified Communications?
Unified communications is a communication system that integrates all channels of communication across a business. It is a collection of communication technologies that combine data, voice, video, and mobility.
This integration into a single system empowers employees with a communication system that can be accessed from anywhere, through any device. As a result, businesses can streamline their communication systems by routing incoming calls to the right person quickly and easily on a network that can be more effective as a hosted solution.
Cloud-based or unified communications systems come with a wide range of features that can help businesses optimize their communication and phone systems. Unified communications services typically include features such as:
- 24/7 customer support
- Call forwarding and voicemail
- Conference calling capabilities
- Customizable call routing rules
- Detailed reporting and analytics
- Multiple extensions for each user
- Text messaging and persistent chat
- Automated attendant for incoming calls
- Ability to integrate with third-party applications
What is a Hosted Phone System?
A Hosted Phone System is a flexible communications system that operates “on-premises” through VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and runs in the cloud, leveraging your internet connection so employees can work in the office or virtually. Compared to traditional systems that use traditional phone lines, like POTs or PRIs to communicate, a hosted phone system uses the internet to transmit communications. Thus, users are provided with enhanced scalability, cost-effectiveness, and increased flexibility. Companies that could benefit from a hosted phone system include those that need to quickly adjust their infrastructure, are looking to streamline communication, or have a remote workforce.
Why Organizations Should Consider a Hosted Phone System
Businesses that need to quickly adjust their infrastructure, seek to streamline communication, or have a remote workforce may want to consider a Hosted Phone System and take advantage of the increased efficiency and productivity that comes with seamless communication. These systems enable companies to choose the exact features they need like integration of applications, while reducing the cost of services compared to traditional phone lines. This reduction in costs also comes with increased scalability, allowing businesses to add more users and services as needed. And, as an approach to unified communications, organizations can easily share data across multiple devices and locations without the need for complicated hardware or software setups. This also enables organizations to improve customer service by providing faster responses and better collaboration between teams. It also allows employees to be more productive, as they have all the tools and resources readily available to them.
Benefits of Leveraging Hosted Phone System Communications
Using a hosted phone system provides businesses with many benefits that can help improve communication and connectivity. Here are some of the top advantages:
Cost Savings: Using a hosted phone system allows businesses to save money on telephone bills and long-distance charges by focusing on using existing data connectivity. A company’s phone system is no longer housed in one central location, rather it is stored in the cloud with increased redundancy.
Increased Productivity and Improved Communications:
Businesses can transform communications with their clients, customers, and employees by utilizing a suite of features like voicemail-to-email transcription, automated call distribution, web-based administration, and more. And for businesses that have employees who travel or work remotely, they can enable phone calls to ring simultaneously to both desk and mobile phones and can enable mobile failover in the rare case your internet goes down.
Scalability: Hosted communication systems are highly scalable, meaning businesses can easily add or remove users and services. Businesses do not need to purchase additional hardware to expand the number of lines, as these systems are all hosted virtually in the cloud. This allows companies to scale their operations up in busy times and cut back when needed without disrupting communications or their current operations.
When is it Time to Update your Phone System?
Updating your phone system should not be taken lightly by businesses as it is a strategic decision that can help you optimize business processes. Before making the plunge to streamlining your communications you want to consider several factors, such as:
- Are you experiencing frequently dropped calls or poor quality?
- Is your existing system not meeting your communication needs?
- Are you struggling with integrating business applications and telephony?
- Is your system expensive to maintain or outdated?
There are many great reasons to consider a hosted phone communications solution, and in most cases, the agility and features will bring measurable benefits. Contact us at Proper Connections and let’s discuss the best next step for your communications technology.