With modern advancements in Internet and telecommunications technology, the way we make and receive calls is changing rapidly. These days’ businesses are expected to provide far more from their telephone system than simple voice calls. Video calls, 24-hour access, seamless mobile integration and voice-to-email are just some of the features that modern Hosted PBX systems can provide. In the past, these features were available only to large corporations with expensive equipment, but nowadays; 3rd-party outsourcing means any small business can enjoy the benefits of them.
Cost Efficiency
Without the need for expensive on-site telephony equipment, hosted PBX removes a large amount of the initial installation cost. Furthermore, with all technical maintenance and upgrades managed by the external provider, costs are reduced even more. A good hosted PBX solution will also experience little-to-no downtime, which can be costly to a company. Since calls can be made over the Internet, you no longer need to worry about expensive international call costs.
Customer Experience
International customers from anywhere in the world can be supported outside of normal office hours. Calls can be rerouted to a 24-hour Support Centre or to a staff member’s mobile device, without any interruption to the customer. Furthermore, staff can contact customers via their personal mobiles with the appearance of the call coming from within the office.
Scalability
Hosted systems provide virtual phone numbers, meaning there is no physical limitation to the number of extensions provided. Extra extensions and additional services, such as voicemail and call forwarding, can be added with very little effort as your business expands.
Outsourced Maintenance
As maintenance is managed by the third-party provider, there is no need to hire technical staff at an additional cost to look after the system. Uptime is also improved as no onsite repairs are required that may bring the system down.
Call Logging
Hosted PBX provides a wealth of information in the form of call logging and cost allocation. Real-time fraud detection, misused asset analysis, trend reporting and performance indicators are all available in detailed monthly reports. Mobile spends management and data provided in multiple different currencies are also additional features that are often available.
Reliability
With modern advancements in VoIP, hosted PBX systems are now often more reliable and of a higher quality than traditional PBX systems. Calls can be trusted to connect without drops or delays.
Disaster Recovery
In the event of power outages or loss of comms at your local office, the hosted PBX system can continue to receive calls. Calls can be recorded to voicemail or forwarded to mobile phones or other sites. For certain industries such as healthcare or financial trading, the redundancy provided by Hosted PBX is vital to business continuity.
Advanced Features
The full unified communications packages provided by a Hosted PBX often include features which are considered critical to modern-day business. Email transcriptions, voicemail to email, video calls, auto attendants and remote call management are just some of the advanced features a Hosted PBX solution can provide.
