Today’s modern business world is completely reliant on communication technology. From new businesses beginning in the office down to existing firms of all sizes and from region to region, companies now have access to more high-speed internet connections, more mobile devices and more powerful desktop computers than ever before. This has created one of two situations: Either a business needs to find an affordable business phone solution or get rid of its old telephone system altogether and install a high-tech business phone systems & ITC Cloud. While both solutions have their advantages, they also have their disadvantages. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type of business phone systems.
Traditional PBX: Limited administrative & maintenance costs Businesses using traditional PBX systems have to regularly upgrade, train or otherwise designate an individual or several employees to handle and manage a PBX telephone system. Because of the need to assign staff to handle the phones, businesses often incur significant costs in training, certifications and support. It can also be very difficult to find quality resources to help you troubleshoot common problems such as no signal, busy signal or tardiness. Some providers charge for these services, but there are many low-cost alternatives available.
ITC Cloud: Reduced Operational Costs Many businesses that have already adopted ITC Cloud computing services have reported substantial cost savings over traditional PBX solutions. ITC (Internet Telephone Service) Cloud enables callers to simply make a call using their Internet browser and access a toll free number where they can connect directly to a hosted VoIP service, such as T1 or voice over ip. The benefits of ITC Cloud include reduced equipment costs, less IT support and maintenance, automatic billing and instant connection to the carrier of choice. These services have made many businesses more cost-effective by offering solutions with limited operational costs and reduced IT support. ITC Cloud services may be the next step for small businesses.
Icinga For larger companies with complex office phone systems, integration with ITC Cloud can be especially useful. Icinga can offer your hosted VoIP service the same functionality as traditional PBX equipment, including call forwarding, voicemail and automatic call distribution. This allows you to save money on long distance charges, which is particularly relevant if your employees are located in a different city or state from your business location. Icinga can also be used as a centralized communication tool between different departments, as it provides integrated access to all department’s unified communications infrastructure. By integrating your business phone systems with Icinga, you can reduce costs and boost productivity.
Switching to IP From a wired perspective, switching to IP from a landline was once a complicated process involving difficult contract negotiations, long meetings and lengthy approval processes. Fortunately, businesses have become increasingly easier to deal with as the popularity of high speed internet connection has grown. Business phone systems can now be configured to take advantage of any internet connection and to automatically route calls through voice over IP. This means that when your employees need to speak to each other or to you, their calls are automatically routed over an internet connection instead of through a landline, which can be much more time-efficient. Business phone systems have become less necessary in this day and age, as many businesses have already installed high speed internet connections.
Internet Protocol is also useful for VoIP-based business phone systems. When clients cannot make themselves available to you or to your customers, you can still make use of your business phone systems to communicate with them. The internet protocol simply allows you to make use of your own internet protocol address whenever you require to talk to a client, rather than using their business phone number. This makes it very easy for you to keep in touch, even when you aren’t in the office. VoIP-based systems usually come with an automated attendant that makes it easy for you to get through to your clients and customers.