Switching to hosted: what’s holding you back?

As a business, it is sometimes hard to adopt the newest trends as it can have an impact on your stability. When it comes down to your company it may be more about minimizing risk than implementing the newest technology.

A few years ago this may have been the reason for staying with a traditional system such as an on-site PBX. However, hosted VoIP has come a long way. 2015 saw the highest growth of VoIP seats in the UK and is expected to continue rising.

Why change?

It can feel like a daunting step changing your phone system and having to search through all the providers to find the right solution for your business. However, when you find a telephony system that is suitable for your businesses, it makes sure that you can get the job done without having to worry about it.

Cloud telephony comes with a mass of features to enhance your business productivity. Not only that, but having your calls routed through the Internet allows your business to save on call costs and also be available whenever and wherever you are in the world. Here are a few examples of how hosted VoIP could make you switch to the cloud:

Mobility

If your provider offers a system with mobile integration your staff will be able to make calls from anywhere with an Internet connection. This is a perfect solution if your staff need to work from home or on the go.

Availability

Systems such as Universe offer one number for all your devices so you can stay connected wherever you are. When using this system on your mobile you can use your personal phone and display your work number so you can always look professional.

Scalability

As well as accommodating for flexible and remote working, a cloud system adjusts to your business. It is completely scalable so if you need to add new users to the system you do not need to buy any additional hardware, which you are likely to need to do with a traditional system. A hosted solution grows with your business, so you can add and remove users at your leisure with ease.

Flexibility

Another benefit of the cloud is that you are not restricted to geographical location like you would be with traditional telephony. If you have offices abroad or in different locations your staff can stay seamlessly connected through call transfers.

Control

One of the best things about having a hosted telephony system for your business is that you control the system. You do not need to have any previous experience with programming a system or any need to employ a technician, they are made to be simple to use.

Reliability

Most customers find a higher level of reliability with a hosted system than their on premise PBX. If something goes wrong such as an Internet outage, calls can be re-routed by the provider. Your calls can also be diverted to external mobile numbers or landlines.

Price

The main reason more businesses are choosing to move their telephone systems to the cloud is cost. With a hosted solutions providers offer manageable billing on a monthly per user basis. If you opt for an on-site PBX it can be a very expensive one off payment and you could still need to pump in extra costs for maintenance for external hardware. With a hosted system there is no hardware to maintain, which cuts costs.

So, what’s stopping you from making the change?