Cloud–Based Phone Systems – Changing Office Communication Culture

Businesses are still very confused about using cloud-based business phone solutions. They have many questions in mind regarding what they are and how they are better than traditional business phone systems. We dedicate this post to understanding cloud-based phone solutions and some top benefits businesses can avail. Let us start with the definition.

What Is A Cloud-Based Business Phone Solution?

Cloud-based phone systems are a service that allows you to make calls over the Internet and store data in the cloud. This arrangement is highly cost-effective and reliable, but you will need a strong Internet connection to use them. Cloud-based telephone systems are getting increasingly popular among all phone systems available for small businesses. The reason is that they offer reliable, low cost and efficient services with a vast range of business-friendly features.

Cloud-based telephone systems – Aria Technologies

They work entirely differently from traditional analogue phones, and a very impressive feature is that they can be implemented via many devices, such as conventional phones with adaptors, smartphones with apps, computers with calling software or VoIP-enabled phones.

What Are The Pros Of Cloud-Based Office Phone Systems?

Cost–Saving

Studies say that businesses that switch to cloud-based telephone systems can save more than 50% of their expenditure on these business phone solutions. Cloud-business phone solutions and service providers charge less per minute for international calls than traditional PSTN phone connections.

Business cloud-based Telephone systems

Because the Internet powers cloud-based phones, you do not incur long-distance charges for international calls. In fact, long-distance and international calls are included as a ‘free’ feature in most cloud office phone systems packages.

Unified Communication

Another feature of cloud-based telephone systems is that you get a unified communication solution to consolidate your business phone system and several other services needed at your office. You can enjoy benefits like –

•          Voicemail

•          Instant Messaging

•          Chat

•          Video Conferencing

•          Fax

•          Email

•          Social Media

•          Several CRM Tools

Video Conferencing Becomes Very Smooth

With cloud-based telephone systems, video conferencing has become the most used communication method. Remote working culture has gained more power in the last couple of years, and in this situation, cloud-based business phone solutions allow teams working remotely to collaborate and communicate efficiently.

Video conferencing phone solutions – Aria Technologies

Features, Features and Features

Cloud-based phone systems have many features for businesses to use in their day-to-day operations.

The most used are –

•          Call Forwarding

•          Call Routing

•          Auto Attendant

•          IVR

•          Call Analytics

•          CRM Integration

•          Voicemail To Email

•          Video Conferencing

•          Number Porting

•          Click To Call And Many More

What Office Telephone Systems Are Available For Aussie Businesses?

Smarter gadgets and cool software are insufficient to run a business successfully and communicate with clients, contractors and service providers. You will require business phone services, and in their absence, you will surely struggle to compete with your competitors. Business phones are of different types, and a major challenge is of picking the best one for your business. Here is a guide with information on phone system types, their features, pros, cons, etc.

Business phones are of different types – Ariatech

What Types Of Phone Systems Are Available For Business Owners?

Businesses can rely upon six different types of office phone systems for day-to-day usage.

•          Landline Phone Systems

•          Mobile Networks

•          Virtual Phone Services

•          Self-Hosted VoIP

•          Cloud-Based VoIP

•          Hybrid Phone Systems

Let us get a brief overview below.

What Are Landline Telephone Systems?

This is a tried and tested option and has been in use for decades. This version of telephone systems is ideal if this is just the early stage of your business. The top features are quality and reliability, but the problem is that there are no such features like document sharing, image sharing, large data file sharing and so on.

Business Phone top features and quality – Ariatech

How Are Mobile Networks Used In Business Phone Services?

This is one level above traditional cable-based landline telephone systems and uses smartphones and similar mobile devices. According to the vendors of business phone services, this system is also ideal for smaller enterprises where the number of employees is not too high. It involves getting a cellular service provider subscription, and the charges are applicable for international calls, long-distance calls, data plans, international roaming and so on.

What Are Virtual Phone Services?

This version of office phone systems is hugely popular among small and micro-sized enterprises. With the concept of virtual business phone services, the existing landlines can be diverted to designated phone numbers, and this extends business phones available to remote and mobile workers as well. They can be connected to the designated office site, and based on your requirements, some service providers can also provide virtual receptionist services.

Concept of virtual business phone services – Ariatech

What Is Self-Hosted Voip?

VOIP stands for voice over Internet protocol, and it is a telecommunication technology based on digital data transfer. It allows for easier integration of desk-based and mobile phone equipment. These software-based telephone systems are considerably more cost-effective than those discussed above. The concept of self-hosted VOIP involves having an IP-PBX system installed at the office. An experienced IT department will be needed to handle installation, maintenance, upgrading, etc.

What Is Cloud-Based Voip?

According to the vendors of business phone services, this is the most advanced and popular version of office phone systems. This VOIP system is hosted and managed by third-party service providers, and the biggest benefit is the reduction in expenses. You will not have to install hardware or all other services, and maintenance-related costs will also get eliminated. Depending on the business’s requirements, systems can be scaled up and down easily and just like the VOIP system, this one is also a very cost-effective deal.

Advanced and popular version of office phone systems

How VoIP and CRM Integration Helps Generate Better Business Revenue?

The growth of a business comes with a multitude of challenges and responsibilities. One of these challenges is simplifying a business’s internal and external communication using high-profile business phone services. To cut down the expenses, there is an option of relying upon VoIP or voice-over-internet protocol. In recent years, VoIP-CRM integration has helped businesses streamline business processes and achieve improved communication at the same time. 

This integration has other benefits as well, like smoother data collection and faster information sharing. In this article, we discuss what VoIP-CRM integration is and how it becomes advantageous for any business belonging to any industry.

Smoother data collection and faster information

What Is Voip-Crm Integration?

VoIP-CRM integration ensures that businesses have a powerful tool in hand to use for boosting business’s efficiency. They can also reduce spending on office phone systems by integrating these two technologies. CRM was created as a database to monitor customers and their behaviour and habits, but it has now evolved into a mobile tool that collects a wide range of data and information about the customer. Then, there is VoIP, which stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, and it is a cloud-based phone system. A remarkable feature is that there is no need for any additional hardware, and just with a high-speed Internet connection and a phone handset, anyone can receive and make calls efficiently.

Created as a database to monitor customers – Aria Technologies

Integrating these two technologies works wonders, such as shorter lead response time, improved customer retention and, most importantly, boosted business sales. These telephone systems can become a synergy for businesses and allow them to retrieve customer data before every call. This makes business owners handle calls with particular attention to deliver better customer satisfaction. The data related to the interactions made using office phone systems is recorded in this CRM, and this includes phone calls, SMSs and even voice recordings.

What Are The Benefits Of Voip-Crm Integration?

According to those offering business phone services, the integration of these two technologies comes with so many benefits and the best ones are discussed below.

Real-Time Call Data

As mentioned above, VoIP-CRM integration eliminates the need to enter customer data into the CRM database. A good amount of time is saved that staff can use to boost their efficiency and productivity. This integration also provides a streamlined way to manage customer data.

Streamlined way to manage customer data – Aria Technologies

Better Customer Satisfaction

VoIP feature working in sync with CRM technology provides personalised experiences to the customers and ensures higher customer satisfaction. This integration allows businesses to create better rapport and build better customer relationships to increase customer retention rates. Finally, the lower usage cost makes CRM and VoIP integration a highly demanded technology in different industries and businesses.