Learn How an Outdated Phone System is Hurting Your Business

This blog is our first blog post in a series of four posts called about the top four reasons to switch to a modern voice and data network.

Through our work over the past few years, we have encountered many customers who struggle to keep up with current business technology trends.

Our conversations about purchasing new phone systems often move into a more strategic discussion about how to prepare for the future.

A future – which for most forward-thinking businesses – has already arrived. 

What the Future of Business Communication Looks Like

Here is what a business gains when it leaves behind legacy voice and data technology for a modern voice and data network: A reliable and nimble platform that makes the most out of VoIP and cloud technology. And now for the best part, this new platform often costs less, (up to 40% less) than the legacy system cost per month.

In this four-part series, we’ll examine four specific technology challenges that many small businesses face.We’ll also take a look at how small businesses can address all four of these challenges together and gain a fast and smooth entrance to the future of business communication systems.

The Four Challenges

Here are the four top technology challenges faced by today’s small businesses:

  1.       Business phone system
  2.       Monthly costs for voice and data services
  3.       Reliability and redundancy of voice and data services
  4.       The need for a cloud-enabled network

When these four challenges are addressed with one, simple business communication solution, small businesses can gain real business value and efficiency.

The Challenge of Legacy Business Phone Systems

In the span of just a few years, the way that businesses communicate has undergone an almost complete transformation. Yet, many of the legacy phone systems that were purchased a decade or more ago are still in use.

The problem with these old systems is that they were built with technology that has become completely obsolete. When a phone stops working, companies quickly learn that parts are difficult to find because they are no longer supported by their manufacturers.

Also, these systems  were not designed to support mobile and remote workers, who now make up a significant portion of today’s workforce.

In other words, the entire landscape of business communication has changed – and legacy phone systems have been left behind. What this means for you, the small business owner, is that the way you consume voice and data services to meet the needs of your business has undergone a total revolution.

What can you expect from a modern business phone system?

Current Communications Equipment Costs Less

Around 10 or 15 years ago, it was not uncommon for a brand-new phone system to be the most expensive capital acquisition for that fiscal year. The most expensive part of the phone system was the PBX. Now, instead of purchasing expensive hardware, customers have the option of choosing a Virtual PBX.

With a Virtual PBX, the only thing the customer needs to buy are the phones, which means the up-front cost is a mere fraction of what it used to be.

In addition to the substantial cost savings, businesses decrease the chance of a catastrophic communications failure when they switch to a Virtual PBX. Lastly, you have no longer have a PBX that you must maintain.

Everything is Connected

Today’s communication solutions break down geographic barriers and provide connectivity. Remote or mobile phones can’t be connected to legacy phone systems. Most modern businesses have employees working from home or in the field.

To work around these limitations, mobile or remote workers could have up to three different phone numbers or voice mailboxes. This can lead to missed messages, confusion, and organizational inefficiencies. With a modern, cloud-enabled phone system, you can eliminate all of the communications chaos and control everything from one, fully-integrated system.

What Does this Mean for My Business?

A business owner who understands how technology changed the way we communicate and do business in the past decade will also know how modern technology can provide much greater communications capabilities and efficiency.

What many business owners may not realize is how modern technology can also deliver these amazing benefits at a significant cost-savings, as we will explain in more detail in our series.

Be sure to tune it for our next blog post, “Reason 2: Your Monthly Phone Bill.”

We offer business-class communication solutions with responsive local support

To learn more, call us today at (510) 785-2480