Is your business still using old analog phone technology? Many businesses are getting every last bit of value out of their phone switch in their equipment room. They paid thousands for it many years ago, and even though it lacks the features to elevate their business, they still remember the pain of writing that large check years ago, and will keep it alive as long as possible for that sole reason.
We run into this situation all of the time. These businesses continue to sink money into the
old technology even while facing difficulty securing parts or getting service. When they realize that they can receive the most current phone features and there's no need to ever purchase another phone switch on the wall, hosted VoIP becomes a real solution.
For businesses in this situation, the following items are worth consideration when deciding on whether or not to choose Hosted VoIP technology. Aside from spending on maintenance and the lost opportunity of an old analog phone system, there’s also this to consider:
- Low Up-front Investment - With Hosted VoIP, all you need to purchase are the VoIP handsets for your business. There are a variety of options of VoIP phones, most at a very reasonable cost. Typically, businesses capture a return on investment in a very short time frame as they will see lower administrative and maintenance costs and, many times, lower phone service costs as well through the hosted provider. This makes the solution a fit for any cost-conscious business, including the non-profit community.
- No Obsolescence - Because you are now connecting to your phone system over the internet, your hosted provider bears the financial and managerial responsibility of keeping the phone system current and state-of-the-art. Thus, you will always have access to new features and technologies through your provider without reinvesting in a new phone switch. Wouldn't you have loved to know this ten years ago? From the handset perspective, depending upon the manufacturer and general wear and tear, they should last a long time. Down the road, you may choose to upgrade a few handsets to newer models, but that is a choice you would make. It wouldn't be forced upon you.
- Easy Scaling and Sizing - One of the challenges when purchasing a phone system is sizing it to meet your future needs. You run the risk of overspending and may still miss the mark, or under spending and need a full replacement in the future. Hosted VoIP removes all of those risks, as you only need to purchase the number of handsets you need today. As you grow, you simply add a handset. If you downsize, your provider can take those phones out of service. Thus, your phone system will always be sized to your business. VoIP is a natural fit for any small business for this very reason. Additionally, as time goes on, your hosted provider should be introducing new handsets and features to the platform, keeping your system on the cutting edge of technology.
- A Phone System that Goes Where You Go - As your business grows, you may see the need to move to a larger location. Because your system is with your hosted provider, all you need to do is move your handsets to the new location and you're good to go. Of course the new location would have the internet and internal network set up, but that's it! It also will allow for tremendous flexibility in these situations, as you can defer the expense of moving right away by deploying a virtual workforce or a smaller, secondary location. Associates could have phones at the other location or at their homes, and they will be connected to the "system" just as if they were at the headquarters!
- Features Than Can Aid Your Business - If you haven't upgraded your phone system in a while, there are numerous advancements that can improve your internal and external communications. Most Hosted VoIP systems offer the latest features, and most providers include them as a part of the standard package. From customized call flows to find-me/follow-me features for sales and service associates, a good provider can cover the various features and discuss which ones can elevate your business communications!
There's never been a better time to see just how affordable and advantageous choosing hosted VoIP service can be for your business. Contact sipVine today to begin a consultation.
About the author: Mark Greim is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at sipVine, a provider of a variety of VoIP phone solutions and services. Mark has extensive experience working for start-up or entrepreneurial organizations and has a passion for affordable, reliable, and purposeful technology solutions in those environments.
