As small businesses come to the end of their contracts for traditional phone systems, they’re considering a move that could create significant savings and level the playing field with affordable advanced features. Migrating to cloud communications gives small businesses access to tools that, just a few years ago, were only available to big corporations.
In general, cloud technology is giving small businesses the ability to tap into innovation as it’s emerging, an important change that allows them to compete with larger enterprises with bigger IT budgets. When it comes to migrating to cloud communications, the move can give small businesses the boost they need to compete:
Lower installation costs: The lower cost of cloud communications is often the first reason it’s considered as an option. There’s no need to pull together a large capital investment to switch to a cloud communications solution. With no hardware to purchase and the option to use existing desk phones for voice calls, there’s little spending at the beginning.
The only area where a small business may need to invest is in the strengthening of the network. Because cloud communications rely heavily on internet connectivity, it’s a good idea to run a test on your network for speed and performance to determine if it is ready for the additional traffic.
In addition to lower installation costs, you’ll appreciate the lower monthly costs, with cloud communications billed on a monthly subscription basis. You’ll also eliminate any maintenance and troubleshooting, and the provider will handle all updates.
Scalability: Whether you have plans for your business to grow in the future or there’s a seasonal element to your business, migrating to cloud communications allows you to add or remove users as necessary. You are only billed for the number of users that accessed the system, and they can be added in a matter of minutes.
Advanced features: Cloud communications can be as simple as a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), which routes voice calls over the internet, or you can choose a more advanced solution through unified communications, which provides a wide variety of features like video conferencing, shared workspaces and access to all communication formats through a single application.
These features allow small businesses to offer a consistent experience to customers and present a professional image to the public. Tools like digital receptionist and call forwarding ensure your customers always receive attention.
The more extensive features of unified communications may offer your small business disruptive technology that streamlines decision-making and project management and invites innovation. Video conferencing empowers virtual teams, allowing you to hire the best talent regardless of geographic considerations, and shared workspaces expedite decision-making with real-time access to data.
If you’re a small business contemplating the benefits of migrating to cloud communications, contact us at Xceptional. We can guide you through a worry-free transition while you concentrate on running your business.