Businesses of all sizes are making the transition to cloud communication.
There has been an extraordinary rate of adoption of cloud services, with estimates that the UK will have more than 7 million cloud users by 2020 and the market doubling to reach $97,415 million globally in five years.
Here are six key considerations when choosing a voice solution.
1. Onsite vs Hosted Solutions
Both onsite and hosted solutions utilise PBX (Private Branch Exchange) but offer different advantages.
A hosted solution suits businesses that have an ageing or no PBX, where your service provider will also provide upgrades and maintenance for the PBX. This solution also allows businesses to easily and quickly scale as required and access new features immediately.
An onsite system will require the purchase of equipment and is more expensive, especially if you require additional features.
2. Cost
It is wise to evaluate the complete cost of ownership for every system, but a hosted telephone system demands no monthly maintenance bills and has a low initial investment cost.
An onsite system will require ongoing maintenance costs and a higher initial investment.
3. Quality of Service
VoIP technology operates over an internet connection and does not require a huge quantity of bandwidth.
Slow internet connections are the primary cause of dropped calls and poor voice quality, which can create serious implications for business communications. Great connectivity means a great communication experience with customers where calls are not hindered.
4. Scalability
New and growing businesses must choose technology that can be scaled up or down easily, with flexibility that does not come with a large price tag.
Onsite PBX will often mean an upfront costly investment to add further services.
5. Security
Cloud communication offers excellent security features, such as centralising administration, restricting call types permitted on the network, and controlling voice access using passwords and usernames.
These systems also include 24/7 proactive remote monitoring, which detects unusual user behaviour and calling patterns in order to protect costs and your business. This is not standard with onsite solutions.
6. Good Customer Service
Look for a wholesale VoIP termination provider who offers excellent fix times, limited downtime, great reliability and hassle-free deployment, such as https://www.idtexpress.com/.
Check customer support options to ensure you can easily contact your provider should you have any issues.