An Introduction to Cloud-Based Phone Systems
The Cloud: The all-encompassing, omnipresent storage solution that (mostly) no one seems to fully comprehend how it works.
Whether or not you understand its origins or functionality is arbitrary. The fact of the matter is, more industries are reaping the benefits of cloud-based solutions, especially when it comes to upgrading their business phone system.
Cloud-based phone systems have revolutionized the way small businesses communicate internally with coworkers and externally with clients. With their simple installation process, cost-effective scalability, and renowned reliability, cloud-based phone systems offer businesses of all sizes more opportunities to maximize their telecommunications performance.
So what exactly are cloud-based phone systems? How do they work? How do they benefit your business?
Let’s tackle all of these questions and more with a general introduction to cloud-based phone systems and their telecommunications benefits.
What Is a Cloud-Based Phone System?
Cloud-based phone systems are a type of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone system that channels voice communication through a hosted internet system, as opposed to a traditional ISDN or PSTN network associated with landline phone systems.
Because cloud-based phone systems only require an internet connection to use, installation, setup, and maintenance is extremely easier to perform in comparison to more traditional, premise-based phone systems.
It’s easy to think of cloud-hosted phone systems as a more modern, internet version of your typical business phone system, granting you access to making calls over the internet rather than depending on copper wires or optical fibers to connect via phone.
What Features Do Cloud-Based Phone Systems Have?
Taking a cloud-based phone system at face value may have you wondering what exactly an “internet phone” can bring to the table as far as your business communication goes. But once you start to add up all the features that come standard with most cloud-based phone systems, you can truly realize how advantageous this network of communication is for commercial environments.
Here are a few of the more common features of a cloud-based phone system.
Video Conferencing
Since the pandemic took hold in 2020, video conferencing has become a staple in commercial communications all over the world. Cloud-based video conferencing is a standard feature in essentially every cloud-based phone system package, offering dependable, high-performance video phone call performance, allowing for more accessible in-house and external communicative performance.
Integrated Communications
Cloud-based phone systems offer a more comprehensive integration of mobile communication services for workplace environments. Instant messaging features, voice-controlled calls, remote and mobile access, email and social media correspondence, data sharing; installing a cloud-based phone system essentially serves as a one-stop-shop for all aspects of your daily communications needs.
International Calling
Companies that need to make international calls will certainly benefit from the flexibility cloud-based phone systems provide. Since this platform is internet-based, your business won’t rack up any long-distance charges when performing or receiving any international calls, allowing you to free up costs on unlimited international calls.
Accessible Infrastructure
Because your business phone system isn’t tied up to any wires, fibers, or other premise-based network infrastructure, you’re not strictly bound to your working environment to utilize all the features of your cloud-based phone system.
Plus, you can save, manage, or share any telecommunications-related data onto your cloud-based server, meaning you won’t have to deal with any physical hardware-related obstacles ever again!
Why Should Your Business Use a Cloud-Based Phone System?
Answering this question all comes down to assessing your company’s communicative needs.
If your business is interested in reaping any of the following telecommunications benefits, then it’s probably in your best interest to convert over to cloud-based phone systems:
- Improving communication performance and capacity
- Decreasing overall operational costs
- Consolidating all of your business phone system features (voicemail, instant message, video conferencing, email or social media integration, etc.) into one place
- Promoting flexibility via mobile or remote-based communications
- Accessing automated call management capabilities (AI customer service options, automated directories, etc.)
- Enhance collaborative communications with coworkers and clients
Scalable, flexible, cost-effective; if any of those primary telecommunication benefits stand out to you, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more accommodating business phone system than utilizing a cloud-based phone system.
Cloud-Based Telecommunications Courtesy of Telecom Technologies
Knowing what specific features or packages of a cloud-based phone system will help unlock your company’s true communicative potential. At Telecom Technologies, we work directly with businesses of all industries to ensure their telecommunications needs are met by providing them with custom cloud-based solutions.
If you’re interested in learning more about converting over to a cloud-based phone system, contact us today to get in touch with our business phone system specialists!