As a small business owner, you know that communication is key to success. It’s crucial to be able to connect with customers, clients and colleagues easily and efficiently. You need the right tech to be able to do so, and that’s doubly true in the age of remote and hybrid work.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, cloud phone systems are becoming the go-to choice for the best business communication, and for good reason. Today we’re looking at some of the benefits a cloud phone system can bring to your business.

 

What’s a cloud phone system?

First off, the basics. To understand how cloud systems work, it’s helpful to start with the alternative. A traditional “on-premise” phone system, or PBX, is hosted on your site. That means you’re responsible for maintaining the hardware, and eventually replacing it.

Now, to cloud systems. What makes them different is that they’re hosted in the cloud – which means they’re based in data centres away from your site. You access them over the internet, using VoIP (voice over internet protocol) technology. There’s no hardware at all except the devices you use to call.

 

Unified communications

It’s not just voice calls either. Our cloud phone system offers unified communications. This means voice calls, video calls, instant messaging and Outlook integration, all in one place. And you can use it with a traditional desk phone, web app or even mobile app.

Now, let’s look at the benefits of this approach.

 

Perfect for hybrid work

We’ve explained that cloud systems are accessed over the internet. The benefit of this is that you can sign in from anywhere. This is ideal for hybrid workplaces, because remote, mobile and office-based workers all have the same access to business communication.

This ensures smooth, seamless workflow for teams who are working in different locations. You can collaborate remotely with the whole team using instant messaging or videoconferencing. You can confidently transfer calls to anyone working from home or on the go. And when you call out from home or the road, you can present your business number.

This ensures a professional image as well as the efficiency you need to maintain when working remotely.

 

Cost-effective and scalable phones for small business

Cloud phone systems are highly scalable, making them an ideal solution for small businesses that need technology that can grow with their business. Let’s say you add a second regional office and recruit new people for it.

With an on-premise system, you might have to install (and pay for) a new PBX server. You might need new lines, with all the time and cost that process will add.

With cloud, there’s no need for a “new” system. Provided you have an internet connection, all you need to do is add new licences for the new users. That’s pretty much instant, and you only pay for the number of users you have. This makes it rapidly scalable, and quick to install.

 

Resilience, business continuity and disaster recovery

Whatever technology your business uses, reliability is essential. Your customers expect you to be there for them when they call. Cloud is great for this in all sorts of ways. First, a cloud phone system from us will be hosted in high-quality data centres with automatic failover.

Cloud-based phone systems can also be a crucial part of any business continuity and disaster recovery plan. Let’s say your office is out of action for some reason. With a cloud phone system, everyone can stay in touch with each other and with your customers from home.

The pandemic was a classic example of this. When people had to work from home, businesses with cloud phone systems got a massive headstart. Why? With cloud, you can even run an enterprise-level contact centre remotely at a moment’s notice.

 

More efficiency

Every workplace needs to maximise efficiency. That’s a given, and the technology you use can make a huge difference. A cloud phone system from CityTalk offers all kinds of productivity-boosting features.

One great example is the softphone function. Softphones are simply phones, delivered as software. So in other words, you can handle calls via your computer, instead of switching between computer and deskphone as you navigate calls.

We can also integrate your system with your CRM. This enables screen-popping, where callers’ details appear on screen when they call in, saving you the trouble of finding them on your system during the call. For outbound calls, you can also click to dial.

These little touches may just shave seconds off every call. But if you’re handling a large volume, those seconds add up!

 

Why Choose CityTalk business phones?

Our team of specialists have experience in deploying cloud phone systems to businesses of all shapes and sizes.

As a fully managed service, we don’t just do transactions. We’ll work closely with your team to ensure that you’re getting a phone system that fits your business like a glove. We’ll do all the heavy lifting so that you can focus on other pressing areas of your business.

Looking to upgrade to a state-of-the-art IP phone system? Head to our contact page to speak to a member of the CityTalk team.