More and more businesses are opting to use hosted telephony services. But, why has there been a surge towards cloud-based communications technology?
Businesses are increasingly switching their telecommunications systems to those hosted in the cloud through a broadband connection because this delivers a whole raft of benefits, especially when compared to traditional telecommunication systems. As this technology continues to advance, these benefits are only likely to become even greater.
Favoured by SMEs
While businesses of every shape and size are recognising the potential gains from using hosted telephony, it’s SMEs that are especially in favour of this new technology. Studies show that around 80% of SMEs are embracing cloud technology in some form or other. This proves that VoIP technology is accessible to even fledgling firms that may not necessarily have the same budgets or resources as their larger counterparts.
Unified communications
Many businesses are switching to hosted telephony as it helps to unify the communication process within an organisation. This can encourage collaboration and increased efficiency, helping to make a business more productive. For businesses which communicate with clients or colleagues at many locations, this approach to communication and its versatile features makes collaboration easier and of a better quality. Call management features mean you can customise solutions to suit your requirements so that you never a miss a call, which you won’t find on traditional communication methods.
Suits remote working
Increasing numbers of businesses are making use of hosted telephony as it caters for remote working arrangements. Staff who work off premises can still make use of telecommunications systems by connecting to mobile devices, without needing to be on-site. As more people adopt flexible working arrangements that include working from home or external locations, hosted telephony enables employees to still remain in contact with each other, wherever they may be. This also means less reliance on having a centralised switchboard in the office.
Supports BYOD
Smarter businesses recognise that flexibility in using devices to communicate offers many advantages and so those firms that adopt a bring your own device (BYOD) philosophy will appreciate using hosted telephony services. This technology makes it easy and convenient to communicate on a wide range of devices, whether they’re part of a company’s infrastructure or owned by employees.
Scalable services
As business flexibility is becoming more important, firms require services and systems that are fluid and can easily adapt to meet their changing needs. This is where VoIP technology really comes in to help, as it offers enormous scalability. As businesses change or grow, VoIP technology can change or grow with them, without causing inconvenience, disruption or the need for purchasing costly infrastructure.
Continuity of business operations
Hosted telephony is on the rise as many firms appreciate the fact that this technology offers a decent level of security and protection recovery in the event of an on-site disaster. Since telecommunications are hosted off-site, this means systems can still run by diverting calls to mobile devices or other off-site technology, without causing any disruption. By assisting with the smooth delivery of a disaster recovery plan, hosted telephony services can, therefore, ensure business continuity. This security is appealing for businesses which need to safeguard their operations and reputation in the event of any unexpected communications downtime.
Cost savings for business VoIP providers
Many businesses are switching to VoIP services as they come with increased cost savings. Without the need to purchase expensive hardware or infrastructure, using cloud-based communications technology makes good financial sense. The set-up costs and other on-going costs are generally competitive and call costs are also significantly lower compared with traditional methods. If you communicate with overseas clients, this technology can certainly help to keep costs down. By allowing you to operate more efficiently and never missing a call, this might even result in an upturn in your profits.
Safe and secure
Although many people might be wary about the security aspects of using telecommunications systems hosted through the cloud, in more recent times, mature VoIP providers such as IDT have increased their security measures to make this a safe way to manage communications. With layers of security encryption and anti-fraud measures, those looking for a safe way to communicate without the worry of data breaches can increasingly rely on hosted telephony. The versatile nature of VoIP also means that you can put a limit on the number of outbound calls made and receive alerts if these thresholds are met. You can also monitor and track calls and receive notifications for any unusual activity.
As more businesses turn to hosted telephony for telecommunications, this will instil confidence in others to follow suit. As cloud-based technology gains greater acceptance all round, it’s only a matter of time before VoIP will take over from traditional telecommunications methods, as the cost-savings and other benefits become more widely recognised.
