Recently, a 40-person property development company contacted our offices looking for business phone solutions. The Melbourne property developer was looking to partner with a trusted technology partner like Steadfast Solutions to help with the day-to-day management and administration of key technical areas, allowing it to focus on core business needs.
Is This the Right Time to Be Looking at New Hosted Telephone Services?
There may not be a better time to consider hosted telephone services for your business. With the national broadband network (NBN) initiative now underway, it makes sense for businesses to consider modernising their business phone systems.
The NBN will roll out new high-speed internet connections across the country, providing faster, less expensive and reliable connectivity. Existing technical solutions will be discontinued, meaning residential and business customers will need to select a new telephone solution.
For most businesses, that will likely mean a shift to voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) hosted telephone services.
Integrating new phone systems along with other NBN-related upgrades is a complex undertaking.
“Connecting business premises is often not just a matter of walking in and flicking on the connection,” noted Martina McConigley, general manager for business service delivery with NBN Australia. “Businesses are trading from a range of complex environments, and we need to be conscious of, and plan for, each of those scenarios.”
What Will Hosted Telephone Services Mean for My Business?
With business VoIP hosted telephone services, your business can leverage technology solutions that change the way employees interact with customers and each other. VoIP phone service works using Internet connections, not outdated circuit switches, to transmit telephone calls. Business VoIP offers all the family PBX (private branch exchange) capabilities, along with new features that include:
- Conference calling
- Video conferencing
- Instant messaging
- Desk-to-desk calling
- Music on hold
- Automated attendants
What Are the Advantages of Using Hosted Telephone Services?
With hosted telephone services, your business will gain added functionality and reliability far beyond existing line-based PBX solutions. Among the most significant benefits to your company:
- High-speed internet connections that provide more clarity and faster connections without reliance on telephone lines
- Availability and functionality when phone lines are down
- Reduced calling costs. Your business will pay a flat fee each month, meaning no unexpected surprises for long-distance calls or other phone services
- The ability to make and receive calls and retrieve voice mail messages from anywhere in the world where you have an internet connection
- Scalability that allows your company to grow or contract the number of users quickly, without the need to purchase additional equipment or infrastructure
- Better bandwidth utilization, less network congestion, improved performance and excellent experiences for end users
How Do Hosted Telephone Services Save Me Money?
In addition to the per-call savings that hosted telephone services provide, there are other considerations that will save money for your business. Users, both those onsite and working remotely, can see who is available and determine how best to contact them. There’s less “phone tag” and more efficiency in business communications.
Your monthly costs are the same no matter how many calls you make or where people are calling from or to (including international calls). You’ll also no longer have to pay for the purchase and maintenance of soon-to-be-obsolete telephone equipment.
Steadfast Solutions provides business telephone solutions and an array of cloud and managed IT services. To learn more about how Steadfast Solutions can help your business communicate more effectively, contact us today for an initial consultation.