With smaller budgets and fewer IT employees, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) have often had trouble keeping pace with larger companies when it comes to communications. Fortunately, that’s beginning to change with the increase in third-party, cloud-based providers offering hosted IP telephony and unified communications services.
Consulting firm Frost & Sullivan recently revealed that as of 2014, the number of installed users for the hosted private branch exchange (PBX) market had hit 8 million. They further predicted that by 2021, this number should increase to 41.9 million. Most of these users are SMBs outsourcing their communications infrastructure in order to boost productivity, save money, and increase scalability.
Increasing Productivity
Real-time communication tools — like videoconferencing and instant messaging — allow employees to connect to each other and to the business quickly and easily. With the use of virtual web-based meetings, employees no longer have to be in the same room to meet face-to-face, and a hosted system allows staff to connect even if they’re traveling.
A hosted PBX that offers a mobile client can also allow businesses to take advantage of the rising trend of bring your own device (BYOD), meaning an employee can use their own mobile device and connect from wherever they are.
Reducing Costs
One of the most important things to consider about a hosted PBX system is the money that can be saved. In a traditional telephony system hosted on-premises, businesses are paying for equipment rental plus extra fees such as long distance. With a hosted telephony system, all calls are made via the Internet — meaning the cost is the same whether it’s in the same neighborhood or halfway across the world. An IP phone line also offers more flexibility and can be combined with other communications tools to offer businesses an efficient and unique system targeted to their specific needs.
Scalability
Scalability is a crucial aspect of a hosted PBX, especially for SMBs. A traditional system requires physical wiring and the cost of labor. With a hosted system, new phone lines are not only easily added through the Internet, but existing phone lines can be quickly and easily transferred. And if the business is looking to expand outside of its local area, a hosted system allows for the same support and connections through just one interface, no matter where an individual branch is located.
A hosted PBX system allows businesses more agility in the market, while decreasing costs and increasing productivity. This enables SMBs to keep up with larger competitors without sacrificing their relationships with employees and customers.