The Biggest Advantage of IP-Based Small Business Phone Systems
Getting a small business VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) PBX for your small business is a wise move. Traditional small-business phone systems are extremely expensive and take too much installing and maintaining complicated equipment in place. But small-business VoIP services are entirely cloud-based. They’re simply hosted off site so all you need is a broadband Internet connection to make calls. This can save companies thousands on installation costs, equipment costs and possible future phone line rental payments.
But what if your company isn’t quite ready to deal with cloud-based telephony? There’s an easy solution for companies that are working out of their home office or simply aren’t comfortable with any sort of Internet-based computer system. Hosted telephony service is available through a hosted VoIP provider. And since small business VoIP pbx systems are typically hosted by companies with which they do business, you won’t have to worry about the hassle of the Internet. Your phone will always work, even if you don’t.
You might be wondering why hosted VOIP pbx systems for small businesses would be necessary. The answer is simple: when you use a hosted system, all of the routine maintenance tasks such as adding extensions, setting up new numbers, and handling the answering of calls fall on the shoulders of the hosted service provider. This means that the company offering you small business voip pbx systems doesn’t have to spend hours every week handling these sorts of mundane tasks. Instead, they just pay someone else to do it for them.
Another reason that many small businesses find themselves compelled to switch to a VOIP PBX system over an on-premise one is the sheer volume of features that are available. With an on-premise phone system, you might be able to receive phone calls using an interactive voice response system, but the ability to make phone calls with caller ID is only available with many small businesses. When you switch to a hosted pbx solution, you gain access to features like call waiting, three-way conferencing, call forwarding, and more. Some hosts also provide the option of allowing users to use voicemail as an alternative to email for a low monthly charge. The sky’s the limit!
A third reason that switching to a VOIP PBX has such great appeal is that switching only takes minutes rather than hours or days. This is because all of the work is done on the phone side, so you just need to be ready to accept the new number. For most companies, it’s enough to simply disconnect the existing phones, turn off the VoIP equipment, and transfer the phones over to the service provider. Then all you need to do is indicate which numbers you’d like to transfer to the new system. The rest is taken care of by the phone company.
Another advantage of switching to a hosted system is that many providers offer additional features at no extra cost, such as video calling and text messaging. With some providers, all of these features can be included free of charge with your initial set-up. On the other hand, most providers of hosted voip pbx services will charge you for these extra services once you’ve already purchased your VOIP phone system. So it’s really up to you to decide whether or not these benefits are worth the additional cost.
As was stated above, the biggest advantage of VOIP pbx is that calls between your phones are identical no matter which device you’re using. This is the main advantage of a managed system, because you don’t have to deal with different phone lines. If you’re a small business owner, this can mean huge savings. Imagine, just for one call, you’ll no longer need to pay for 2 separate lines just to talk to each of your employees. This also applies to long-distance calls. Because everyone has the same connection, there’s no more waiting on busy phone lines.
In summary, small businesses have a choice between IP-based managed IP business phone systems and hosted VOIP pbx. You should strongly consider the former, because it offers the greatest benefits. Switching your phone service is a big decision, and you want to make sure to do it right. Hopefully, this information has helped you understand the differences between the two options so that you can make an informed decision.
