With the ISDN switch off fast approaching, if they haven’t already, businesses are having to consider making the move to a digital phone system. These include on-premise phone systems, cloud phone systems, software-based phone systems, and even mobile phones.

In this article, we’re focusing on cloud phone systems.

How upgrading could save your business money

One question we are asked when businesses are looking at upgrading is – quite justifiably – centred around the cost of moving to a cloud phone. Most businesses are used to their traditional PBX system, and the idea of changing their whole telephone system (particularly while it still works) to a new digital phone system can be a difficult concept to get on board with.

In this article we’ll cover the true costs of moving your business over to cloud telephony – including the surprising ways in which it might even save you money.

Upfront costs

With a traditional analogue system, initial costs are high, with a big proportion of that upfront cost comprising of the necessary hardware required. In comparison, with cloud phone there is no hardware system to buy. The upfront costs will depend on which handsets you decide to use, although there is an option of using a softphone on existing devices to avoid this cost. Cloud phone systems commonly operate via a license model, whereby costs are charged monthly on a ‘per-user’ basis.

Another cost relating to telephone systems is the installation process. Installation of a traditional analogue system requires a skilled technician’s time, including travel, and time spent at your business premises. Cloud phone systems such as BeamRing are set up remotely and handsets are pre-configured to allow users to ‘plug and play’, so all that is required of you is to connect it to a power source when it arrives, and the system is ready to use. The saving is able to be passed on to your business with less hassle and lower costs.

Maintenance and update costs

In the same vein, because the system is hosted in the cloud, any maintenance and software updates are carried out remotely, and will be done by your system provider. This means that not only can maintenance and updates be carried out faster than traditional PBX systems, they can also be done without the added expense of technician visits, plus you will know it is always up-to-date.

Scalability savings

Cloud telephony systems are easily scalable. As they’re charged on a per-user basis, there’s no need to pay for packages that are larger than you currently require to account for growth plans, as you can add on additional licences quickly at the time you need it. In the event that your business needs to size down, it’s just as easy to remove users, so you’re never paying for more than you need.

Mobility savings

With 40% of workers now working remotely at least some of the time, cloud phone systems can offer a cost saving in this area too. Instead of requiring a second handset for each worker, BeamRing Plus users can download an app on their mobile phone, laptop or PC, which allows them to work from anywhere, while still displaying their office phone number (and use all the other features they’re familiar with on their office phone).

If your employees have a more permanent home office set up, they can also plug in their handset at home and again, enjoy all the same features as your office-based workers. This solution can boost morale (and therefore productivity) while also saving on expensive office space.

Storage and operating savings

Being hosted in the cloud means that cloud phone systems don’t require the same amount of space for all the associated hardware, unlike traditional PBX systems. This means not only will you save space in your premises, but your energy bills will also decrease as there will no longer be PBX hardware constantly running and requiring power.