Imagine relying daily on a mobile phone with a broken screen, exposed circuitry and an outdated operating system. You might ultimately get by, but you'd be a lot less efficient than someone with a newer device. Unfortunately, many of today's PBX systems are basically that first ramshackle smartphone writ large: Inefficient, expensive to maintain and in need of replacement yesterday by hosted VoIP solutions.
These warning signs do not always register, though. Plus, moving on from something as integral to your business as your phone infrastructure might seem like too big a decision to make without a thorough consideration of all the pros and cons. Let's make life simpler for you. Here's what to zero-in on and ask yourself when deciding about a hosted VoIP upgrade:
Is my PBX becoming too costly to support?
The average useful life of a traditional PBX setup is approximately 8 to 9 years, according to The VoIP Report. That seems decent on the surface, but it obscures the numerous costs and complications that can pile up over its lifespan:
- PBX equipment requires upfront investment, and it depreciates quickly. Eight-plus years is also an eternity in the fast-moving world of IP telephony and unified communications. Hosted VoIP providers will introduce numerous improvements to their product lines, none with a rigid CAPEX-heavy cost structure, in the lifecycle of a typical PBX system, creating substantial opportunity costs.
- You have to worry about ongoing support, too. Once the original PBX vendor introduces newer alternatives (or is acquired, goes out of business, etc.), you may be forced to upgrade your systems. These costs come on top of the more routine ones of replacing phones and lines and performing maintenance and updates on your own dime.
- Sticking with aging PBX can also increase costs throughout your organization, since it requires you to foot separate expenses. You'll keep paying for phone and data lines, long distance calling, conferencing software and more, instead of consolidating functionality to trim expenses. Hosted VoIP can generate thousands monthly in savings.
According to Software Advice, more than one-third (36 percent) of small businesses were using VoIP in 2015. Cloud PBX was a much more popular option among these organizations than legacy systems; mobile device controls and voicemail were among the top priorities for the adopters of hosted VoIP.
Am I losing employee productivity because of my phone system?
These specific features hint at what any worthwhile hosted VoIP implementation should do - boost employee productivity. Old-fashioned PBX often doesn't come close to getting the job done here.
For starters, it usually requires workers to be at their desks to use any phone services or forward calls to other devices. Accordingly, they have minimal flexibility in handling any work-related voice communications, at a time when multiple-device reliance has become the norm. GlobalWebIndex has estimated the average digital consumer owns 3.64 internet-connected devices.
Modern hosted VoIP delivers the flexibility and convenience that everyone has come to expect from internet-enabled and cloud-based services. They allow end users to never miss a call, thanks to easy forwarding of inbound calls from office numbers to any other number. Compatibility with soft clients and mobile hardware is a key addition to standard support for traditional and VoIP phones.
Is it an ordeal every time I have to modify, add or change my PBX services?
Just as you must update a smartphone every so often to ensure its security and ability to run key apps, you'll inevitably need to tweak your PBX as your business evolves. This process is much easier with cloud PBX from a hosted VoIP provider.
With on-prem PBX, you might have to clear a bunch of hurdles every time you make even a minor adjustment. If you have been through some combo of pricey on-site vendors visits, complex maintenance contracts and/or manual phone/router updates, you know the time and money that can be lost to an outmoded phone system.
Hosted VoIP greatly simplifies your system's evolution:
- All infrastructure is hosted in a secure provider-managed data center.
- The hosted VoIP provider takes care of maintenance and updates for you.
- It's easy to add and remove lines and individual features as needed.
Hosted VoIP: Your ticket to a more reliable, scalable and economical phone system
Breaking up is hard to do. But with a phone system that generates a constant stream of unnecessary costs and logistical problems, it's time to think about something better - namely, hosted VoIP.
Telesystem offers the Quality of Service and value that you need for making the transition to sustainable cloud PBX. Learn more about our competitive voice solutions by visiting our products page. You can also contact us directly or request a quote for additional details.
