Hosted voice solutions are becoming increasingly more accessible and are changing the shape of business telephony, particularly in the SME market. This is largely due to an increasing demand for additional call features and users expecting a seamless connection between the many devices that are used in the workplace.
Although traditional on-premise PBX solutions offer much of the same functionality as hosted solutions, the need for physical hardware typically makes it more expensive to add new features and difficult to scale quickly. It also involves additional maintenance responsibilities and costs.
In contrast, a hosted voice solution is flexible, easy to scale and typically more cost-effective.
Let’s look at a few of these benefits in a little more detail.
1. A cheaper solution
A hosted solution means that there’s no need to invest in expensive hardware to get your phone system installed as everything is stored in the cloud. All you need is a strong internet connection and you’re good to go. Your supplier will handle software upgrades and general maintenance is included in your monthly fee.2. Security
In the past, some people have taken comfort in having an on-premise solution because it is something that they can physically see. However cloud-based technology is not only space saving but also highly resilient and secure. As your provider will be responsible for the security of your network, they will have highly specialised protection software in place.3. Disaster recovery
The worry of potential office floods, short circuits and technical accidents are a thing of the past with a hosted solution. Because everything is stored in the cloud, even when something goes wrong in the office, disaster recovery is guaranteed.4. Easy call management on the move
Simply transfer your incoming calls to any device with a few clicks of the mouse and you’ll never miss a call again. Time zones and locations become a problem of the past and your calls will always be answered, no matter where in the world you are.5. Bring your own device
It’s easy to integrate any device to your hosted telephony system simply through a few clicks and downloading the mobile app. This avoids the need for employees to have different home and work mobile phones as they can easily manage call settings directly from their device.6. Advanced features
Without the need for physical on-premise hardware, a hosted solution makes it far easier to add new features that are simply wrapped into your monthly package. As everything is managed through a central online portal that’s hosted in the cloud, adding features such as voicemail access, remote call management and auto attendant are only a few clicks away.7. High quality calls
In the past it’s been difficult to guarantee the quality of VoIP calls, however the Quality of Service (QoS) functionality within hosted voice solutions makes this a thing of the past. Designed to prioritise voice traffic and minimise the impact of busy bandwidth, you can ensure quality VoIP calls regardless of what else is going over the network.8. Easy to scale
Hosted voice can easily grow with your business. Assigning licenses and adding or removing features can all be handled through the central online portal. This means that you only pay for what you need when you need it.9. Monitoring
Access real-time analytics to easily monitor your consumption and adjust your package. All your calls are logged and you can easily customise your reporting.10. Number retention
Just because you’re implementing a new system it doesn’t have to mean that you need a completely new number set. Instead you can request that your previous numbers are ported across to your new supplier, ensuring a seamless transition between providers.
To find out more about how hosted voice works, you can read more here.
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