Should your business consider moving away from a traditional phone system
Though VoIP has gained popularity, many businesses are still on fence, concerned that the VoIP audio quality is substandard and that the technology is difficult or costly to install and implement or even that their phone service will be interrupted if there is a power cut.
The truth is that the benefits of a VoIP solution far outweigh the drawbacks and some of the concerns businesses have are not something to consider due to the evolution of technology.
QUALITY OF VOIP CALLS
The quality of VoIP calls is dependent on the speed and stability of your internet connection, however due to the increased Internet speeds and technology innovation among VoIP providers, this is certainly a concern of the past.
COSTS
Implementing a VoIP Solution, especially a windows-based offering like 3CX is much easier to install and manage than a traditional phone system, therefore reducing the install and ongoing maintenance costs.
It’s also worth noting that the operating costs for VoIP service providers are significantly lower than traditional phone companies, with these reduced costs it means that they can be more competitive and o! er better prices to customers.
POWER OUTAGE
Whilst a traditional phone system can often continue to operate during a power outage, this is not the case with VoIP. However most VoIP providers can automatically route calls to a mobile phone or other backup number in case of this happening.
3CX
As a 3CX partner, we supply, install and support the 3CX server based software PBX. The 3CX system manages calls and uses VoIP to carry voice signals. It runs on a Windows server which can either be located on your premises or hosted in the cloud.
But what makes 3CX stand out from the crowd?
SCALABILITY
Traditional PBX’s or indeed black box appliances are often difficult to scale. If you add more extensions you are subjected to more licensing costs, your hardware becomes underpowered or you run out of ports. This is not the case with 3CX, you can add extensions, lines, features at no additional cost, which means you avoid PBX replacements.
With modern servers having ample processing power, you can utilise existing hardware to install 3CX it can even run on a PC. It also fully supports virtualisation, allowing you to virtualise your PBX which is especially beneficial to larger organisations.
MOBILE CAPABILITIES
Another unique feature and one which is extremely important is 3CX’s mobile capability. With 3CX you have the ability to leverage softphones on the desktop and this is also available via smartphones.
3CX features Android and iOS VoIP apps that members of staff can install on their smartphones. This means that essentially their extension goes with them wherever they go, you can make calls and accept calls whilst on the road at no additional cost. With the detailed presence information that the 3CX softphone provides, colleagues can see whether you are available or not even when you are not in the office.
This feature within 3CX is changing the way that businesses work, and at AME we take advantage of this technology ourselves. With engineers out on the road the majority of the time, it is crucial that we can contact them. With 3CX this is simply done by ringing their extension, this not only reduces call costs, but it saves time as well.
INTEGRATION WITH SOFTWARE PACKAGES
Another great advantage of using 3CX is that it seamlessly integrates with other software packages. You can launch calls directly from your CRM package, Salesforce, Office 365, Outlook, Google contacts and more.
No matter the size of your business 3CX VoIP Solutions are surprising flexible, and extremely affordable and offers the same, sophisticated communication tools that enterprise businesses have.
So much so that even the likes of Carlsberg, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Boeing and more all rely on 3CX.
VoIP technology has advanced to the point that it’s no longer merely an alternative to landlines. A VoIP system can provide businesses with features they were never able to achieve with a landline, while also saving money and improving productivity.