Switching to cloud telephony: It’s time to update your phone systems

2020 was no doubt a challenging year for business. But it was also an eye-opener and turning point for many organizations. As the COVID-19 outbreak indiscriminately disrupted normal trade operations, entrepreneurs had to think outside the box to cope with the harsh reality. This ultimately led to rapid digitization across all industries.

According to McKinsey & Company, increased remote collaborations, growing customer demands for online purchases, and the need for advanced technologies in business operations were the main drivers for the drastic digital transformation. Although these changes were only meant as temporary business survival tactics, they’re likely to stick for the long haul. But digitization is always a good thing; it helps businesses cultivate agility and strengthen continuity – handy strategies in the face of uncertainty.

Communication is one of the critical areas that have experienced radical changes during the pandemic. Since most employees are working from home, office phone systems are now completely redundant. 

Organizations are shifting to more robust communications solutions capable of catering to new telecommuting challenges. Remote work is here to stay. So, let’s talk about why you should ditch on-prem phones for a cloud-based solution.

Cloud-based vs. on-premise phone systems

Unlike on-prem PBX phone systems that run on copper wires, a cloud-based phone is delivered through the internet. All you need are specialized, VoIP-enabled handsets; the service provider or host takes care of call switching, routing, and network maintenance. Cloud-based systems do not even require actual desk phones at all; you could instead use virtual phone apps on your smartphone, laptop, or tablet.

Here is a list of the main benefits of switching to a cloud-based phone system.

Saves you money

Switching to cloud communications results in a meaningful reduction in communication expenses. The cost savings typically range between 30–50 percent, depending on the organization. Cloud telephony is so much cheaper to install and run compared to traditional phones. Plus, it’s a subscription-based service, meaning you only pay for the features and scope you need.

Additionally, cloud-based phone systems help streamline collaboration and unify communications. This efficiency saves you money indirectly by boosting productivity and eliminating contact gaps. A survey found that poor communication accounts for heavy financial losses – up to $420,000 per year for a company with 100 employees.

Unlocks versatility and portability

Cloud telephony allows you to do so much more than just make phone calls. You get a robust platform with advanced business phone capabilities, such as conferencing, instant messaging, automated answering, voicemail-to-text/email, automatic forwarding, and sophisticated call management and analytics features.

On top of that, users can make and receive calls from anywhere through any supported device. Remote teams distributed across the globe can seamlessly stay connected and even collaborate on shared tasks.

Improves call quality

Say goodbye to dropped calls, jitter, poor voice quality, and latency by migrating to cloud phones. VoIP technology, which is the cornerstone of cloud telephony, presents superior call quality and reliability than traditional landline phone systems and even cellular networks.

Simplifies scaling

As your organization grows, its communication demands increase. So, what you need is a phone system that can scale side by side with the business. 

Luckily, cloud phone platforms are highly flexible and quickly customizable to match every institution’s unique and dynamic communication needs. For instance, you only have to make a few clicks to adjust the number of users or move to a higher subscription tier for a massive service upgrade.

Reports show that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly accelerated cloud adoption and utilization. In fact, many organizations are pushing cloud-first strategies when it comes to digital workloads. The cloud gives you better leverage over IT operations and more reliable, powerful, and secure computing resources than on-prem infrastructures.

Ready to update your phone systems? (or something to that effect)

If you’re looking to utilize the cloud through cloud-based telephony, IT virtualization, data backup, and more, CTSI has got your back. Contact us to learn more about moving to cloud services.