9 Reasons Cloud / Virtual PBX is the Choice for Business + How to Switch [2020 Guide]

Cloud PBX is a telephone exchange system that is entirely built on an internet connection and uses a cloud structure to provide server access. As a result, companies that use cloud or hosted PBX systems won’t have to have a dedicated server to have internet-based telephony in their offices. Hosted PBX is an excellent way for companies to save money and space because traditional servers for a private branch exchange are expensive and will take up a lot of space.
It’s important to note that traditional PBX has gained a reputation for being complicated and clunky, which is why cloud-based systems are gaining popularity. Modern virtual PBX solutions are reliable and provide a stable business phone system via the internet.

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Cloud PBX stands out thanks to the fact that the servers are globally distributed. With this sort of geographical redundancy, disasters cause far less trouble, and when one server location goes down, there are others to support the load. Many providers guarantee 99.999% uptime for their services. Reliability is vital for companies converting from a traditional telephone system to using a cloud PBX phone system but afraid of outages.

This type of system is also very convenient when unifying the communications of a global enterprise. With a cloud phone system, all offices can use the same communications system, even when they are hundreds of miles apart. Despite this versatility and functionality, hosted PBX systems still maintain all of the conveniences that can be found with standard PBX systems. For example, organizations will be able to use enterprise-quality IP phones, virtual phones, smartphones, and conference phones on hosted PBX services. Cloud-based PBX has some excellent scalability as well.

Here are a few features that are standard for cloud PBX providers:

As you know from our published piece on call queuing, customers prefer direct attention. Cloud PBX solutions can place incoming phone calls from customers in a queue so that your agents can take the calls with ease.

With software solutions that utilize cloud-based PBX, web conferencing is becoming very easy. Usually, with just the click of a button, you’ll be able to add calls so that a more collaborative, team-based environment is created. With software like the Streams platform by PanTerra, you can even change individual calls into full-on video conferences.

Some providers provide IVR functionality, which uses software to guide customers through the system. Cloud-based PBX providers like Dialpad and Nextiva are using AI-based solutions that integrate with their PBX systems to better serve inbound callers.

For contact center managers, some oversight may be required for compliance and agent coaching. Some cloud PBX providers provide this functionality, which adds to the versatility of their services. Here are a few features for in-call management:

Cloud PBX is a telephone exchange system that is entirely built on an internet connection and uses a cloud structure to provide server access. As a result, companies that use cloud or hosted PBX systems won’t have to have a dedicated server to have internet-based telephony in their offices. Hosted PBX is an excellent way for companies to save money and space because traditional servers for a private branch exchange are expensive and will take up a lot of space.
It’s important to note that traditional PBX has gained a reputation for being complicated and clunky, which is why cloud-based systems are gaining popularity. Modern virtual PBX solutions are reliable and provide a stable business phone system via the internet.

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The benefits of cloud PBX include the ways it grows with your company.

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It’s Flexible: With virtual PBX, it’s straightforward to add or remove users and integrate existing traditional phone system hardware into a virtual PBX system.
It’s Upgradeable: When there are new software updates for a cloud PBX system, these are easy to roll out without the need for a subscriber to make server changes. This is because the servers are managed by the provider, so if there is going to be an upgrade, the provider will perform the update.

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It’s Scalable: If you’re scaling up with a traditional PBX system, you’ll be adding servers and moving equipment. With cloud-based PBX, the heavy lifting and effort are, once again, managed by the provider. The most a business will have to move around is the handset and cables for any new employees that they take on.

Call Barging: This allows supervisors to enter the conference bridge while agents are talking to leads. This extra support can help push leads through the funnel to become conversions.
Call Recording: Call recording is great for record-keeping, and it’s also useful for those call centers that want to review calls for compliance or training. This can help agents self-coach and work on pitches or helping the agent get better at solving queries from callers.
Call Monitoring: Some virtual PBX solutions also allow for call monitoring, which is used in conjunction with call barging to ensure quality and power conversions. Call monitoring is also a great way for managers and supervisors to verify that agents are performing.  

This isn’t to say that Cloud PBX is a perfect solution. It does have a few weaknesses that you should consider before making a purchase: 

It Can be Less Secure: For those that need compliant communications systems, it’s critical to find a company that has robust security features. While a virtual PBX provider may provide encryption for your calls, when recording data is sent, there may be a reduced level of security. This means that those seeking this form of unified communications have to be very careful about the provider’s security practices.
It’s Internet-Based: If a company’s internet is experiencing issues, then no amount of redundancy is going to prevent the calls from losing quality or being dropped altogether. If a network drop occurs, that will result in missed calls.

Let’s take a look at 9 reasons to consider upgrading your current system to a virtual phone solution.

1. Quick and Inexpensive Set-up
If you’re going to be going with a traditional solution, you can expect a higher cost since you’ll be paying for costly hardware installation and upkeep. With a cloud PBX solution, all of the hardware is hosted by the provider, so it’s a simple matter of getting headsets aligned with the service.
Many companies, like PanTerra and Avoxi, state that setting up their cloud PBX services only will take a single business day, which means that your team will be up and running very quickly.
With a traditional PBX provider, you’ll have to pay for the service as well as the upfront cost of renting and maintaining the hardware and desk phones. With a cloud service, you’ll be spending around R250 per month, per user, making it more cost-effective. Cloud PBX can save you up to 60% as compared to traditional PBX, especially if your provider bundles in international calls.

2. Cloud PBX is Scalable 
When organizations consider cloud PBX as a solution, scalability is a significant reason to switch to the cloud. Providers charge their customers for the amount of bandwidth that they use. This is an ideal situation for companies that are in flux because adding users or subtracting users is an easy process that ensures you only pay for what you use.
Costs increase as you scale as a result of a higher number of seats or phone lines, but you’ll never end up paying for more than you use.

3. Integration is Easy with Cloud PBX
Marketing automation and CRM software like Hubspot and Salesforce provide value when it comes to master data management. Since the cloud PBX provides an internet-based communications solution, it’s effortless to incorporate data from in-platform dashboards into these third-party solutions.
 
4. Call Center Features with Cloud PBX
Unified communications truly shines when your provider delivers extra value, and some extra features like call queuing, IVR, reporting, and in-call management features can deliver a better experience for organizations.
 
5. Hosted PBX is Mobile-Friendly
These days, salespeople and execs have a tendency to spend a lot of their time on the run, which is why many meetings end up happening with at least a few attendees listening in via their smartphones. As a result, many providers have smartphone apps for both iOS and Android that allow for cloud PBX features, even on smartphones that have private numbers.
Many mobile apps allow attendees to gain access to the full suite of features from their mobile devices. This is a perfect way for in-transit attendees to feel fully prepared, even when they don’t have their computers. Since this is internet-based, attendees can also sidestep call charges by using local internet to attend meetings and calls.
This is even usable in non-meeting situations. For example, if a salesperson has a babysitting emergency, they can easily go home, hook up to the internet, and use the cloud PBX software to continue reaching out to leads while keeping an eye on things at home.
 
6. Unified Communications with Cloud PBX
Providers offer an all-in-one experience that lets PBX users throughout a company’s network seamlessly switch from a call to a video conference or even send files while on a voice call.
These desktop apps include full functionality in a single place, which adds convenience and productivity for teams.
 
7. Reliable Uptime with Cloud PBX Services
With multiple global servers hosting the communications for various organizations, the incidence of downtime is reduced significantly. This is especially true for those hosted PBX solutions that have redundant network architecture or automatic failover routing. These will ensure that any downtime that happens as a result of hardware failure is immediately corrected at the managed data center.
This is particularly useful when natural disasters or other types of events happen at a server location. The software from the provider will automatically route calls to another server so that users will not experience downtime or notice that there was a problem at all.
 
8. HIPAA/HITECH Compliance
For some organizations, especially those in healthcare, a higher level of compliance is required so that necessary caller data isn’t lost to hardware malfunction or hacks. An increasingly high number of cloud-based companies are providing this compliance to their clients, and these companies must protect data when it is at rest as well as when it’s in transit.
Several cloud PBX providers have features that allow administrators specific access control, audit controls, workstation security, and transmission security. Heightened security comes as a standard feature for several providers like 8×8.
 
9. No Need for Physical Hardware
If you’re going to go with standard PBX, then you’re going to need to purchase or rent PBX cabinets that hold the server architecture that you’ll need to make internet-based calls. Cloud PBX negates the need for this by having the server system be dispersed in several geographic locations (managed by service providers).

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