Before high speed internet, businesses made do with unreliable analogue phone systems. And guess what? Some still do. Perhaps you’re one of them? These days, if you’re not using a VoIP system you might as well have two cups and a long piece of string.
With BT switching off ISDN services, there’s no excuse not to have a modern, intuitive and reliable VoIP phone system such as 3CX.
Read on for our Telephony expert Joe Hall’s insights and why SMEs who want to offer excellent customer service can’t afford to use anything less than 3CX.
First things first – internet connection
VoIP has been around for some time but not all businesses have benefited due to poor internet connections. Thanks to more affordable leased line connections and FTTC (Fibre-to-the-Cabinet) availability, we’re 99% sure internet connection won’t be a problem. The UK Government’s Gigabit voucher scheme also subsidises costs so anyone can benefit from high quality, reliable internet, that’s good enough for VoIP!
VoIP features that analogue can’t even dream of
VoIP systems do so much more than analogue because you can tailor them specifically to your business. There are endless time-saving functions you can activate to help your operations run smoothly. We use 3CX as our flagship VoIP system as it continues to build on traditional features. Each extension can have a desk phone, mobile or desktop application and access to a web portal. Users can use hardware-based phones or go entirely software-based and save on hardware costs.
It’s perfect for customer service and sales calls
You can customise the phone system to help you handle orders efficiently, reducing time and overheads. For our own systems at Microbyte, we devised a system that prompts callers for their support case ID. They type it in and they’re directly transferred to the right engineer. No two VoIP solutions are the same – they’re like a blank canvas you can turn into a unique and tailor-made system. With CRM integration, it lets you pull information from contact lists to put names to telephone numbers. Incoming calls can show the name of the person or business calling. You can search for contacts can by name and dial with a single click of the mouse.
All you need is a web browser
The 3CX web client is perfect for remote teams who interact a lot but are in different locations. You can access your 3CX dashboard anywhere through a web browser. With the weblink and your details, you get instant visibility of colleague statuses as well as visual voicemail (including transcription), web chat, call history and web conferences. This is ideal for headset wearers who just want one interface. Click-to-call lets you start a phone call simply by clicking the telephone number on the screen. This saves a few seconds sure, but more importantly it prevents user error and typing in the wrong number.
You can take your extension number wherever you go
Due to the nature of a fixed line connection, analogue phone systems require at least some on-site hardware. VoIP is unique in that systems can be installed onto pre-existing server hardware, or better yet, hosted in the Cloud. More businesses are using Hosted VoIP systems due to simplicity and affordability. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) removes the need for hardware too, so there are no upkeep or maintenance costs. Hosted VoIP systems are sold as all-in-one packages providing hosting, calls and service charges for one monthly cost.
With Hosted VoIP you can take your extension number wherever you go. High speed internet connections including mobile connections over 3G or 4G mean that mobile users such as sales staff can be reached at any time. Multiple offices? No problem – one system will handle all offices, providing inter-site connectivity. Hosted VoIP makes it possible to connect users not just in the next town, but anywhere in the world.
How secure is it?
Like anything over the internet, security procedures and policies are paramount to keep fraudsters at bay. Rest assured that we implement the latest safeguarding features and always advise you on best practice. Complex usernames and passwords, IP blocking and credit limits will be in place to ensure that a system isn’t compromised. It’s also important to make sure your pre-existing VoIP system is kept up to date and is still current. We’ve found that many systems, although VoIP, are no longer supportable and create increased risk when not managed correctly.
Of course, if we’re managing your phone systems, we’ll have every check in place and make sure you’re getting up-to-the-minute advice and updates.
Interested in 3CX? From just £10 a seat, you’ll get an up-to-date phone system that saves you time, money and keeps your business from falling behind.
Contact us to find out more.
-Joe Hall-
