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CLOUD-BASED SERVICES

Introduction to
cloud-based telephony

Over the past decade or so, more and more business systems have migrated to the cloud. Numerous benefits, including cost, scalability, and flexibility, have made doing so a no-brainer. But we’ve come a long way from the earliest cloud applications, which largely centred on data storage. Today, we can do almost everything in the cloud, including business telephony

Cloud-based telephony, sometimes called cloud-calling, essentially allows a company to move all of its voice communication needs to a third-party provider. Doing so allows companies to have a standardised telephony platform, while eliminating the need for expensive on-site infrastructure, like a physical allows companies to provide this platform to employees nomatter private branch exchange (PBX).

What is a
VoIP cloud-based PBX?

Almost all cloud-telephony systems use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology of some sort.

Most of us are already familiar with this technology in our personal lives. Simply put, it’s what allows us to make calls over the internet, as opposed to the plain old telephone system (POTS).

Not all VoIP systems, however, are cloud-based. Many companies already use VoIP systems, but house the PBX infrastructure internally. With a cloud-based PBX, the VoIP application is provided by a third-party and doesn’t require the company using it to own any physical telephonic infrastructure

Why should I
consider cloud-based telephony?

AlToday’s business environment requires companies to be as flexible as possible. This is true both for where employees work from and when it comes to being able to rapidly scale up and down when necessary

Cloud-based telephony enables both of these requirements. Should the business need to rapidly scale up staffing, it can do so without needing to buy any additional PBX infrastructure. And if employees need to work remotely, either by design or circumstance, they can continue to make and receive calls, as long as they have an internet connection.

If you want to set your business up for rapid growth, while remaining flexible and adaptable, cloud-based telephony should form part of your thinking

How do cloud-based
PBX solutions enable remote working?

Already a growing trend, remote work will rapidly become the new normal in the coming months and years.

In fact, research shows that 52% of workers union around the globe work remotely at least one day a week. There are clear benefits to remote work too. Companies that allow remote work have 25% lower employee turnover than those that don’t. Those employees are also more relaxed and more productive. Whether employees work remotely all of the time or on set days, it makes sense for them to have access to all the same tools they would in an office.

Cloud-based PBX solutions can be an essential part of this mix. Not only do they enable conferencing, they also mean that companies don’t have to shift landline costs onto their employees..

A good cloud-based PBX will also make it easier to manage teams and your time. This is particularly useful for any organisation that’s had to adapt to running a remote contact centre.
Remember, your customers don’t care where the people they’re talking to are setting and it doesn’t matter, as long as their quiries are attended to quickly and professionally. A cloudbased PBX makes it possible for your contact centre agents to do just that no matter where they happen to be. Importantly, it also allows you to monitor and evaluate their performance without being in the same room, building, or even city as them

7 business benefits of using cloud-based telephony solutions

There are numerous benefits to using cloud-based telephony, but here are seven of the most important of them:

1. Cost

Physical, on-site telephony systems are expensive, with numbers quickly racking up as a business grows and adds more staff. That’s to say nothing of the cost of making calls on traditional phone lines. Cloud-based telephony systems can be far more cost effective whether the majority of your calls are local or international Because cloud-based telephony is so efficient at enabling remote working, it can also help remove the need for physical offers, further reducing business costs. If your business has multiple branches, a single system is also more efficient and effective further lowering capital and operational expenditure.

2. Flexibility and freedom

WWith cloud-based telephony, you aren’t tied to a non-scalable contract the way you are with physical PBX infrastructure. Instead, you get a month to month service that constantly evolves and is always relevant. Say goodbye to aging equipment, deteriorating service and long waits between upgrades

3. Scalability

Cloud-based telephony offers much easier scalability than traditional PBX systems, especially when you need to scale up quickly Rather than having to wait for extra infrastructure to be installed, you can simply contact your cloud-telephony provider and add as many extra extensions as you need.

4. Improved management and data

Another major benefit of cloud-based telephony is that you have more precise access to both the connected devices and to valuable data. A good cloud-telephony platform will allow you to view the number of calls received versus calls answered, as well as average call lengths and total call times. Additionally, you can get detailed reports, real-time monitoring, call tracking, and trend data. As such, your cloud-telephony system goes beyond just enabling communication and becomes a useful tool for guiding important business decisions

5. Easier administration of extensions

When it comes to the administration of extensions, traditional PBX comes with a lot of pain points. Once it becomes clear that you need a technician on site, you can lose valuable time waiting for them and also have to bear the cost of a callout fee. Cloud systems free businesses from all that, allowing them to administer themselves and make changes instantly

6. Continuous updating

Over time, physical PBX infrastructure becomes outdated, meaning that you either have to face updating it (at considerable expense) or being left behind.By contrast , the online nature of cloud based telephony systems means that everyone in an organisation can receive the That means you never have to be out of date and can always be on top of the latest innovations

7. Employee flexibility

Workplace flexibility is something that top employee talent has increasingly come to expect as standard. Even if your company isn’t fully remote, your employees should be able to work from anywhere. and whether that your office , or a cafe on the other side of the world, they should be able to access the same tools. Cloud-based telephony allows for precisely that kind of flexibility. And, if circumstances demand that everyone suddenly work remotely, a company with a cloud-based telephony solution will

Is my business ready to move to cloud-based business telephony?

As we’ve shown, the business case for moving to cloud-based telephony is clear. In a dynamic business environment, there are few reason not to embrace it, as a result , getting your business ready to move over to cloud-based telephony is as much about mindset as anything else.

As a first step, business owners and managers need to realise that they’re not just changing the way their employees make and receive calls, but are making a decision to guide their company through an evolutionary leap forward.

Ideally, owners and managers should always be working on the business rather than in it. They should be working to automate, streamline and grow the business rather than focusing on the day-to-day details. Adopting cloud-based telephony requires exactly this kind of mindset shift , Whats more once you've made the commitment, focusing on business growth only becomes easier.
Cloud telephony services are month to month and offer a complete, centralised view of costs, activity tracking and often give the business much greater management of its PBX. This gives executives control and means less reliance on inconsistent outside assistance.

Cloud-based telephony in the call centre

Cloud-based telephony offers contact center several major advantages. Importantly, it allows operators to access all the features and benefits of call centre telephony over the web with the affordability of a flexible pay as you go subscription model

In the contact centre, the lack of need for in-house infrastructure is an even bigger advantage than in other areas of the business, saving on maintenance, repairs, and upgrades.

In choosing a cloud-telephony provider for your contact centre, it’s vital that you select a partner whose product is easy for your employees to use, but which also provides ongoing support and assistance. Additionally, you want a platform which is secure, empowers your agents to operate easily and productively, and which gives you the best possible data and insights from both your inbound and outbound calls. Call recording and scripting should also come as standard.

Migrating to cloud-based PBX telephony

So, you understand the benefits of cloud-based telephony and you’re keen to migrate your business over. But where should you start? Well, the fact that you understand the potential benefits puts you in a much stronger position when it comes to finding the right provider. The most important aspects to choosing a cloud-based telephony provider are:

  • The service provider itself
  • The connectivity to the provider
  • The value the cloud-based telephony product adds to your business
  • Your financial relationship with your service provider

Service Provider: In looking for a service provider, it’s important that you establish if they have a trusted track record with their current client list. There are operators who will sell you what looks like a great service, but which isn’t backed by a proper setup or any redundancy. A good way to establish their credibility on that front is to check up on their hosting situation. THE AQUIFON GUIDE TO VOIP, CLOUD-BASED PBX SOLUTIONS Without the right levels of connectivity, you can’t hope to implement a successful cloud telephony solution.

CONNECTIVITY You want a provider which can add value to your business and is clear about their ability to do so. At the very least, you should have a stable connection, with the ability to automatically kick over to a secondary back-up option. Depending on several factors, ADSL (which is being discontinued), leased lines, fibre, and wireless connections may all be acceptable. Value add: Remember the reasons you’ve chosen to migrate over to cloud telephony. It’s a business decision.

If a provider’s primary selling point is that you’ll save money, you should probably look elsewhere. They should be able to tell you how they’ll help advance your business communications and improve your internal workflow, as well as cost management and service to your customers. At the very least, you should get an online management portal for near real-time cost and usage reports and monitoring of the system’s health across all your locations.

Financial relationship: One of the surest signs that a cloud telephony provider is genuinely interested in advancing your business aims is its costing structure. If there’s a big up-front cost, you should probably revisit your decision. Instead, you should look for a provider which has a reasonable monthly fee and is confident enough in its product not to tie you into a long-term contract. It’s also important to remember that choosing a provider is just the beginning. As with a service provider in any other aspect of your business, you shouldn’t be content to get the same product and service a year after signing the contract

You should see evidence that the product is constantly evolving in functionality and sophistication. Importantly, there should be clear communication around how that additional functionality will aid your business.

Cloud-based telephony doesn’t just have the potential to free you from the confines of a physical PBX, and reduce your communication costs. It can dramatically improve your business’ overall functionality and allow you to make smarter, more informed decisions. But it can only do that if you embrace it and choose a solutions provider which understands your goals and is willing to work with you to achieve them.