The Cloud phone system is steadily and quietly revolutionising how business is done worldwide. It has been estimated that at least three-quarters of businesses in the world have already transitioned from their traditional phone systems to Cloud-based services.
In the UK alone, according to the latest data from Insight UK — see Infographic at the end of this post — 70 percent of businesses surveyed expect to increase their adoption of Cloud services over the next 12 months, and 12 percent of those not already using the Cloud expect to do within a year.
With Cloud service providers offering telephony systems for businesses of all sizes and kinds of operation, and features that will help them to excel in the modern era, the reasons for moving your firm’s phone systems to the Cloud are becoming ever more compelling.
7 Cloud Phone System Business Benefits
HERE are 7 fundamental reasons why the majority of businesses have already made the leap, and so many are preparing to migrate to the Cloud.
1. Lower Costs & Efficiency
COST-savings are probably the most immediately attractive inducement to go for a Cloud phone system. There is no need to invest in bulky physical on-site equipment, nor to fork out regularly for its maintenance. The outlay for IT resources is significantly reduced, even when you’re taking on new hires. There is no need for an IT specialist to handle this: your new team member’s phone functionality can be set up instantly with only a call to your Cloud system provider.
Payment based on usage is a dream for business owners. It keeps costs low, and more accountable. Hosting space and bandwidth are your only concerns, and the Cloud is an open door to the kinds of sophisticated features that previously would have been all but unimaginable.
2. A Plethora of Features
The Cloud is a gateway to a plethora of unified features in voice-mail, email, and automatic attendants. A number of providers also offer privately-managed network functionality on the cloud, meaning your communications never travels on the public internet.
3. Flexibility
IMPROVEMENTS to the voice features of a Cloud phone system require no hardware updates, meaning that you’re constantly connected to the best services, for you and your clients. And whether you a business in growth or in downside mode, there are benefits for your transition. Moving premises can be a costly, cumbersome business. A Cloud phone system requires only the cables and handsets to be moved—job done, back to business.
4. Mobility & Uniformity
IN THE modern business environment, no-one wants physical, bulky or static equipment to inhibit their ability to communicate and interface with their clients. This is an era of personnel on the move and a much less static customer base than ever before. A Cloud phone service provides the necessary fluidity to enable businesses to communicate with all its personnel, co-workers and clients.
Cloud systems are also a great means of ensuring uniformity and consistency in the event of a reconfiguration of your business operations, allowing for the efficient provision of phone systems for a diversity of remote operations. The same call quality and features will be available to all users.
5. Reliability
NOT only are Cloud-based phone systems less prone to ‘going down’ than traditional phone systems—ensuring that your business communications are open 24/7—but it also provides great peace of mind in the event of a disaster. In any event, the Cloud is a great safeguard for continual ‘business voice’ presence even in those unforeseen circumstances.
6. Fewer IT Difficulties
WITH Cloud phones, your system will be managed by the provider, off-site, meaning that your business’s IT personnel or specialist will be able to delete ‘phone system maintenance’ from their to-do list and concentrate on business goal-related IT issues.
7. Enhanced Data Security
The prospect of putting company data outside the business’s firewall can be daunting, but the Cloud removes such concerns. In fact, data protection is reinforced by the Cloud, due to the rigorous ISO security standards that service providers abide by.