Let’s look at some fundamental questions about what a Cloud PBX is and what functions and benefits it can have for your business. We’ll cover:
- What is a Cloud PBX?
- Digital vs. a Cloud PBX
- How a Cloud PBX can improve your business
- Top 5 Reasons to Consider a Cloud PBX for your company
The Private Branch Exchange or PBX is nothing new. It has been a widespread technology for over 40 years as an on-premise internal phone network for business. The PBX traditionally is an analog phone system used in companies to communicate with departments via internal lines and make, screen, and receive external calls. These PBX phone systems help businesses deliver telephone features such as auto-screening, call transferring, call forwarding, call queuing, auto-attending, and voicemail. However, now thanks to the Cloud-PBX, some useful new features have widened the market for PBX systems, helping benefit more businesses and smaller companies that previously could not afford legacy on-premise PBX systems.
What is Cloud PBX?
A Cloud PBX delivers the same functionality as the on-premise analog system but through the internet, eliminating the need for equipment and associated line costs. You connect your IP desk phone to a router, and any calls, routing, and features are managed through a cloud-based server. With a Cloud PBX, you can plug your landline IP phone directly into the router, take all calls, and set up all features online from a browser. The advantage of a cloud-based PBX over a traditional landline system is the ease at which the Cloud PBX is configured and the access to high-value features for every user. The quality and stability of the connection are directly related to the quality of the internet the call is carried across, and most hosted VoIP providers have Quality of Service (QOS) enabled in their Cloud PBX.
In recent years, Cloud-based PBX phone systems have become hugely popular, especially with the switch to remote working. Small to medium businesses are looking for a low-cost phone system with all the traditional tools and features they need, but without needing to install or maintain any equipment. Although the cloud-based approach has many numerous advantages, it may not be suitable for every business, especially those in areas where internet connection is not stable. Before you decide on adopting a Cloud PBX system at your company, here are a few of the pros and cons to consider.
Digital vs. Cloud-Based PBX
The cloud-based PBX allows you to access all the features of the traditional digital system but moves the hosting to an online space, helping to reduce the cost and removing the need for hardware and installation. All your numbers, lines, features, and calling records are hosted in the Cloud, ensuring you can maintain your system during your timeframe – 24×7. The main difference with the Digital-based PBX is that it is an on-premise service that uses physical equipment stored on-site. Changes to the on-premise solution require a telecommunications technician to attend the site and program any moves, adds, and changes. This engineering resource is not only expensive but time-consuming and not always done in the timeframe the business requires.
With a Cloud PBX, however, because everything required to make this system work is in the Cloud, it is a much more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective option for most small and even large businesses.
In addition, another significant benefit of the Cloud PBX is that there are now softphone and desktop applications available to make and receive calls instead of requiring the use of an IP phone. That is a further reduction in costs!
How a Cloud-Based PBX can help improve your business.
Home-based and nomadic workers are among the most important new groups that need to be catered for in the non-traditional working environment. A Cloud-based PBX system offers significant benefits in terms of features and flexibility. One of the advantages of a Cloud-based PBX is its low cost and greater control over how much you spend- because you are only using the lines and features you need. Additionally, many of the hosted VoIP and Cloud PBX systems also allow for unlimited domestic calling as it is through the internet, so there are no hidden fees or fluctuating monthly bills.
A hosted VoIP and Cloud PBX service let your team collaborate and host business calls via your smartphone or computer regardless of where you are in the world. You and your team can tailor the number and call-flow settings to meet each person’s individual needs and location. This online configuration includes forwarding calls to their computer or mobile phone or diverting calls to other departments out of hours, when unavailable, or when workload or call volumes increase.
Here are a few of the features of a Cloud PBX that can help your business:
- Ring groups (organized by department, for example)
- Voicemail-to-email (so you can send audio files or messages)
- Call Queue (helping manage your influx of calls)
- Auto-attendant (virtual receptionists that will list options to help manage call transfers)
- Call Recording (not only for training purposes – but also great for audio acceptance of terms and agreements)
- Extension dialing (helping you connect with co-workers quickly)
- Advanced Media settings
- Audio Conference calling (you can host calls with hundreds of people)
The Top Five Reasons to Consider Cloud PBX for Your Company
- Reduced Cost: No equipment or maintenance cost helps to reduce the overall cost of running the service and eliminate delivery and installation, helping to make the whole process faster, easier, and cheaper.
- Flexible Interaction: Cloud-based PBX provides the options to make business calls/ messages via your smartphone or even computers even when not in the office, helping employees stay connected at all times.
- Scalable to Every Budget: A Cloud PBX ensures you have complete control over your system’s cost, helping scale up and down to your company’s changing requirements. You can adopt a flexible plan and only pay for the lines and features you need and use.
- Multi-Connected Communications: Thanks to its online hosting, you can connect everyone in your team, whether they work in different offices or at home. Many companies love the valuable features such as Auto Attendant, Call Queues, and Simultaneous Ring.
- Great for Growing Businesses: Thousands of SMB customers have adopted online Cloud PBX solutions for the above reasons. Keeping in touch with customers is just one of the main reasons for any company to deploy its telephone system. A flexible Cloud PBX solution, implemented at a lower cost than an on-premise solution, simply makes sense.
About 2talk’s Cloud PBX and Hosted VoIP
Our customers are reverting to the telephone to communicate with their customers more than ever. They’re not only improving customer satisfaction by implementing 2talk’s advanced call-flow features; they’re lowering their communication costs as well.
Let’s look at some of 2talk’s Cloud PBX features:
- Welcome greetings – to greet callers and promote information on your company or the call flow they’re about to enter.
- Auto Attendant – lets the caller immediately select the option to be directed to a specific department or person.
- Call Queue – puts the caller into a queue for a set amount of time when there is a higher volume of calls and keeps letting them know when their call will be connected.
- Time of Day Routing – this is great when used in conjunction with Time Schedules, as calls can route to different teams or departments without delay.
Let’s talk about implementing 2talk’s Cloud PBX.
Our specialist team is available on 800 283 1332. Or chat with us right here on our website! Hey, you can send us an email at sales@2talk.com.
We’re here to help you get your Cloud PBX experience underway for as little as $12.50 per month!
