Traditional phone lines or telephone systems have become less important since the day the telephony system was introduced. In fact, cloud communications have become a saviour in improving business communication. One of the most prominent cloud phone systems is the PBX (acronym of Private Branch Exchange) system. A PBX phone system is a business-grade telephone system where various communication channels, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), are used.
PBX offers valuable features such as call transfers or an IVR menu which allows employees to communicate both internally and externally. PBX phone systems include:
- Android mobile phone: It can be used with mobile data as well. You may also use this as your desk phone anywhere and anytime.
- A mobile app that works with a cloud-based PBX system.
- “Using forward” feature, which transfers phone calls to your existing cell phone number.
On-site IP PBX, Digital PBX, Cloud-based PBX, and Hybrid PBX Systems are the types of PBX systems. In this blog, we will discuss more cloud PBX solutions.
What is Cloud Hosted PBX?
A cloud-hosted PBX, otherwise known as a cloud phone system/cloud PBX/virtual PBX and hosted phone system, is a VoIP phone system accessible over a cloud-based IP network. Cloud PBX is distributed over the Internet and operated remotely. A hosted PBX is a phone system, whereas VoIP is a technology that allows you to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection. Also, hosted PBX makes IP phone calls using VoIP. Another great thing is that hosted PBX system providers are often VoIP providers who can offer a variety of cloud-based communications for organisations, including business VoIP phone systems.
Features of cloud-hosted PBX
It is reported that hosted virtual PBX features more than 40 jaw-dropping features. Furthermore, PBX features include Video Conferencing, SMS/MMS Texting, Unlimited Calling, Call Routing, Call Recording, Call Queue (waiting), Local Phone Numbers, Direct Numbers & Toll-Free Options, etc. In addition, hosted PBX offers an online conference call management portal that will help you decide which extensions will be able to host and attend conferences, check the security clearance and monitor any ongoing conference calls in real time.
To set up a cloud PBX, broadband access, a router and compatible handsets are required. In addition, your PBX provider takes care of equipment, and the system is in the cloud. You must determine the number of phone extensions you’ll need. If this number changes, your provider will add and remove it as necessary. Also, you can upgrade your internet so that the number of calls you need. Must make an upgrade to better, faster speeds and higher bandwidth.
Hosted PBX Vs On-premise PBX
A Virtual or cloud PBX system uses the Internet to work, while traditional PBX uses on-premises hardware and landlines. In terms of cost, cloud-based PBX phone systems are more cost effective than traditional on-premises PBX systems.
Why should you choose cloud PBX for your business?
There are numerous reasons to have cloud PBX for your business. Let’s look at some of them in detail.
1. Cloud PBX system is easy and fast to set up
One of the best solutions for your business is cloud PBX because it is easy to set up. When easy to set up and manage, call flows to get better. New users can be added in no time. Overall, cloud phone systems offer up time of 99.99%, which does not leave room or opportunity to lose valuable operational time. Also, there are no setup costs because the cloud PBX doesn’t require any hardware setup. Furthermore, in most conditions, the Cloud PBX system can easily connect with the current phone system.
2. Almost Nil maintenance costs
Traditional on-premise PBX system demands you to be responsible for maintaining the uptime of the Cloud PBX system; in fact, maintenance personnel must be called frequently to fix any issues. But the scenario is different with Cloud PBX, as you won’t need manual labour to resolve your issues. Further, using cloud PBX, businesses that make a lot of calls or have complex call routing requirements. The bottom line is that a cloud-based PBX system is much cheaper to operate than an on-premises system.
3. Hosted PBX system is smooth and highly flexible
Usually, a virtual phone system connects with the CRM system; this offers businesses better visibility on how marketing is affecting caller behaviour. Cloud PBX, which has advanced features including multi-device pickup, voicemail to email transcription, and automatic call recording, helps business operations to go smoothly, unifies communication and improves company workflows.
4. PBX provider is there to handle back-end work for you
PBX Cloud is a solution that helps businesses in handling detailed back-end work for businesses. Your PBX Cloud service provider ensures your software runs smoothly, and if anything goes wrong, they will fix the issue immediately without any cost to you. Further, the service provider’s support team helps you set up a campaign or request a new feature within minutes.
5. Scalable service, which also helps your business focus on core aspects
Hosted PBX is a cloud phone solution that is great for businesses that are stressed about phone system scalability. With a virtual PBX, you can easily make an addition or remove any phone number. Moreover, your PBX provider maintains the ins and outs of your phone system and hence offers you ample time to focus on your core business. This means you can stay focused on achieving your true business goals than being distracted by the thought of managing and maintaining calls. Overall, the scalability and provider’s maintenance role helps the company’s growth.
6. Simpler to move than hardware PBX
On-site PBX has numerous advantages, but it has limitations when it comes to unparalleled security and powerful features like that of Cloud PBX. Moreover, if you want to relocate your business, your PBX provider can easily relocate without any complicated hardware installations. With Cloud PBX, you can make and receive calls (mostly business calls) from anywhere in the world. This is hence a great option for businesses with employees who travel frequently or work remotely. In fact, companies that constantly hire new employees can find Cloud PBX as the most cost-efficient and realistic solution.
7. Advanced Features that facilitate your business
Cloud PBX has some features like traditional PBX systems, but its advanced features are just wow. The advanced features include multi-device pickup, voicemail-to-email transcription, automatic call recording, and many more. These new features can contribute to offering unified communication. Moreover, the cloud PBX has its features constantly updated.
8. Emphasis on disaster recovery
A business must have plans for business continuity, disaster recovery, and other unforeseen circumstances. Since cloud PBX doesn’t depend on local internet or power to function, you can easily reroute the calls and faxes to your mobile devices. Cloud Hosted PBX, unlike traditional phones, is not susceptible to damage, theft, local hardware failures or power outages, but it depends on the internet and is usually managed by your service provider. This means data and documents stay in a safe place even when any unfortunate disaster occurs.
9. High Security, Real-time monitoring and Report Analysis
Cloud Hosted PBX solutions are secure as your service provider handles all the software upgrades, firewalls and security patches. They have a highly specialised team working to ensure VoIP service is fully safe and protected. Along with security, your business can enjoy real-time genuine monitoring and analysis. Cloud PBX keeps track of ongoing or missed calls, active or available agents, call rates, subscription costs through a web portal accessible on a desktop or mobile. Employees’ work can be evaluated by performance, their call recordings and many more. Further, the reporting tool uses statistical tools like averages, pie charts, bar charts, and other graphs, making usage analysis easy to comprehend.
10. A complete solution business phone system needs
Businesses really want to stay away from issues with phone numbers, and for that cloud, PBX is there. With PBX cloud, you can call forwarding, conference calls, voicemail, email messaging, and so much more. You don’t have to choose all your features; just go for custom services.
Overall, cloud PBX contributes to leveraging the proven reliability of multiple data centres. Also, with a hosted PBX, businesses can have increased visibility across the company, enjoy unified communication solutions for their business sizes, improve their communication capabilities, and provide real-time reporting to make more informed decisions about their business. Smoother business operations and improved company workflows provided by cloud PBX can certainly set the path of continuous growth.
How does a cloud PBX work?
At first, cloud PBX routes incoming and outgoing calls as digital data packets over a business’s current network. The system then stores and directs company data to the cloud, and at the same time, data packets are sent to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). When the data makes its way to the recipient, the PBX system makes the call. Also, system administrators can easily enable instant communication with the same phone lines across a single network.
What Businesses Can Find a Cloud PBX System Useful?
There are some businesses that can use cloud PBX and get their business to run smoothly.
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Tourism and Hospitality
Tourism and hospitality business needs to make sure they attend to and respond to the customers during peak season. When using a cloud PBX system, these sorts of businesses can save time and make a manual response to frequent inquiries. Furthermore, a PBX system allows you to divert calls to your mobile phone to stay in touch even when you’re not at your station.
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eCommerce business
Speed is the key to keeping visitors, and customers engaged in an eCommerce business. Basically, when you are a B2C business and make a slow response behaviour, you can push your customers away. But waiting is not a thing to mention when you use a cloud PBX system; customers are always directed to the right team member using an autoresponder. Your PBX system can arrange and connect the business number to the telephone system for businesses that run home eCommerce. Additionally, the PBX system keeps eCommerce businesses’ operational costs low and eventually lifts the margin per sale.
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Family Businesses
Family businesses are more motivated and have longer-term planning as they can go from one generation to another. The most prominent feature of family businesses is that they are small and middle scaled. That means you need a communication system that will grow with you, and for this, the PBX system is the best option. Further, the PBX system allows family businesses to add phones and numbers when additional workers are brought.
Overall, Cloud PBX is hugely beneficial to small businesses and companies with remote teams or distributed offices around the world. The verdict- Having hosted PBX services for your business is a great communication solution for SMEs (Small and Medium-sized enterprises).
How To Choose A Hosted PBX Service Provider?
When opting for the cloud-based business phone system, you must have a checklist so that you invest with the right PBX service provider.
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Available service plan options
Different service providers offer different service plans; sometimes, they can offer customised solutions too. Whatever the service plan you choose, the provider must cover all the features and services that your business needs. Also, when making a cloud PBX service plan, you should pay attention to the details regarding call and extension usage and any additional charges. Moreover, you must try to find a cloud phone system provider who will create an all-inclusive solution. Never forget to ask the hosted PBX service providers to define and explain all the charges made for their services.
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PBX providers’ customer service and communication pattern
In a cloud-hosted PBX system, a business phone system is used for communicating with customers, vendors, and others within the business network. As a business, you should never compromise in terms of customer service and availability of PBX service providers; they must be readily available to assist through multiple avenues of communication, such as remote desktop support. Further, continuous (24/7) availability can be much helpful in addressing non-critical queries and routine communications.
Don’t forget to look for your PBX provider’s social proof via online reviews or testimonials. If you don’t have to feel happy about the provider’s reliability on business-critical communications services, then you should drop that potential provider and look for a better option.
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Do they have services for integration into CRM and ERP Systems?
Hosted PBX solutions are designed to be integrated within applications like CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software. By integrating these two, you can track and manage all communication and customer service needs. So, see if your chosen cloud PBX service provider can seamlessly integrate business-critical software such as CRM or ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), and your business can make maximum productivity. Further, PBX providers that integrate voice services with CRM software and other technology can be the best fit for enterprise-level businesses.
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Available Technology for Disaster Recovery and Updates
When providing their services, cloud-hosted voice service providers always stay transparent about the technology and hardware. However, you must ensure how often these PBX providers provide software and hardware updates and to what extremes they go due the security concerns and procedures. Make sure to have a thorough inquiry about their technology and on-site safeguards of the potential cloud PBX provider to aid your company with disaster recovery.
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Get the Precise Cost Quote
As a business that wants to make better results with less investment, you must ensure that the available resources are at best and that your cloud PBX service provider offers what you need- nothing less or more. You should get the services for which you have paid. So, when choosing a hosted service provider, you must get a quote with a detailed explanation of the charges- basic charges, additional charges, cancellation fees, call rates, setup fees, etc.
How much does a cloud-hosted PBX system cost?
The cost depends on various aspects, such as:
a) Business size: small, mid-size, and enterprise,
b) Use of Hosted PBX Basic and Advanced Features, etc.
However, the cost depends on the pricing models of PBX system providers. Moreover, if you are in a dilemma -whether to opt for virtual PBX or not, you can opt for a 30-day free trial. This sort of trial can help you decide on making a firm decision to transition your business with a hosted cloud PBX or not.
Looking for a reliable Telecom Service Provider in Sydney?
NSW IT Support is a leading IT Company in Australia offering VOIP services, unified communication services, and business internet plans. We are a certified Silver Microsoft Partner offering a private IP network to promote unified communication in every sizeable corporate house. With us, you can expect a comprehensive consulting and maintenance package. With us, you will get the best IT Experience. Feel free to contact us to know more about our telecom pricing model.
