When the pandemic hit and employees were sent to work from home, business owners were left in a panic. Trying to find new solutions just to be able to keep operations running somewhat smoothly. 

Now that most businesses are opening back up, many have moved to a more permanent work from home model or some type of hybrid working model. And so, the need for a more adaptable, virtual phone system is more evident than ever before. The answer to this is without a doubt - A PABX Cloud-Based Phone System.

These virtual phone systems have revolutionized the way many businesses communicate and allowed for them to keep their operations running - despite the hardships that the pandemic has brought about.

What is a Virtual PABX Phone System?

A Cloud PBX (also known as Virtual or Hosted PBX) is a type of IP (Internet Protocol) phone system, hosted on a single or multiple safe (off-site) data centers.

These virtual phone systems make use of an internet connection to a VoIP service provider instead of traditional copper wires. The service provider takes care of everything from installations and training to day to day procedures like the routing of all incoming and outgoing calls. 

The Benefits of PABX for Businesses During the Pandemic:

From their significant cost savings, the numerous features they offer and most notably - the fact that they allow for efficient remote working, let’s have a look at how your business can benefit from a virtual PBX phone system…

• Reduced Costs - No up-front costs / No installation fees / Low monthly service fees
• Low-Cost International Calling
• Quick Set Up and Activations
• Remote Working & Flexibility
• Unified Communications
• Remote Support
• Keep Existing Business Numbers
• Excellent Voice Clarity
• Rich in Features

Reduced Costs of PABX in Businesses:

The pandemic has had a heavy financial impact on businesses and individuals across the globe. That being said, budgeting and saving on costs wherever possible has become more apparent now than ever before. 

Communications make up a large part of any business’s expenses. And so, switching to a phone system that is going to save on costs is pretty much a no brainer. PABX phone systems have proven to save businesses who make the switch up to 55% on their overall and monthly telecom bills.

Now let’s have a look at how these Cloud-Based Phone Systems can Reduce Your Telecom Costs:

• 
  Switching to a modern PBX system eliminates the need to pay upfront for expensive installations while saving on other expenses in the form of repairs, downtimes and maintenance.
• You will be charged on a usage basis (paying only for the hostage space and bandwidth that your business actually needs). 
• You will no longer need to pay any additional physical hardware, software, maintenance or upgrade costs as virtual PBX systems make use of an internet connection.

Remote Working & Flexibility With PABX: 

Flexible communications have always been important, and the COVID-19 pandemic has put even more of an emphasis on this. Ongoing communication is important for those who work from home as they need to be as productive and engaged as traditional employees.

Virtual phone systems are able to provide employees with phone numbers that can be used anywhere (and on any device) as long as they’re connected to the internet. Employees can answer calls on their laptops, VOIP phone handsets, or through apps installed on their smartphones, all while using the same number they would use when in the office. 

Unified Communications:

PABX systems offer a single platform that is able to support multiple forms of communication. They allow for better employee collaboration as well as simplify the way that businesses connect with their customers (whether employees are working from home, on the go or at their office desks).

These applications allow employees and team members to easily send in-meeting messages, initiate video calls with colleagues, quickly capture urgent information by initiating call recordings, or make telephone calls directly from CRM dashboards. 

Remote Support & Fewer Downtimes

Downtimes can be disastrous in any business environment. When a traditional phone line or on-premise PBX goes down, on-site technicians are needed in order to repair any issues. This can waste valuable time and lead to a halt in your practice’ communications. And not to mention - mean for unnecessary contact with technicians.

Making use of a modern business phone system will allow for your support requests to be handled remotely and resolved within minutes. With the ongoing pressure to limit contact during this pandemic, remote support can mean safer and far more efficient operations.

PABX Features For Businesses Facing The Pandemic:

Virtual phone systems come with many advanced features, some being standard and some being additional ‘add-on’ features. These features have been designed to optimize and ease communications and workflow, with many of them dedicated to simplifying remote working situations which is increasingly important in times like these.

• Automated Attendants

The auto attendant feature allows each business to set up their own ‘virtual secretary’ according to their company's brand image. This advanced feature will ensure that no call ends up being left in the dark and will be able to automatically connect each caller to the right department or person whether they are working from home or in the office next door.

• Conference Calling

In times like these, with more and more employees working from home and travel becoming increasingly difficult, the ability to conduct reliable conference calls is becoming a necessity. Conference calling allows users to add multiple callers to the conference and callers to ‘call in’ and join the conference. This feature eliminates the need for travel (which in many cases, the pandemic has proven impossible) and allows people to collaborate effortlessly.

• Find me/Follow me

This feature is ideal for remote working situations, from sales reps working ‘on the go’ to employees working from home. In order to keep your business’ operations running, you may need to optimize your mobile work possibilities. And your employees will need to be contactable, no matter where they are. This is what the Find me/Follow me feature of a hosted PABX system has been designed for, enabling calls (with just one number) to be routed to any number or device. And so, whether an employee is using a mobile device, landline or desktop, working from home or still regularly coming into the office, they can always be reached.

• Call Transfers

With employees and team members no longer being ‘fixed’ to their desks, Hosted PABX systems will allow for calls to be transferred quickly and effortlessly to the correct people within your organization (whether they’re in the same office, another building, at home or in another country)..

• Call Forwarding

The call forwarding feature of a virtual phone system allows for fluent ‘remote working’ by making it possible for employees to be ‘on call’ anywhere and at any time by giving them the ability to forward calls directly to their mobile devices. If the original extension is ‘busy’ or left to ring for a certain amount of time, the call will be forwarded, ensuring quality customer care and eliminating the risk of missing important calls unnecessarily.

In Conclusion:

Gone are the days of the traditional 8-5 office working model. The pandemic has brought about a change in the way businesses operate and in order to keep up with the times (and keep operating), business owners are being forced to innovate. 

Business telecoms are vital in any organization and let’s face it, traditional copper lines are just no longer cutting it. Virtual phone systems are becoming essential and equipping businesses with the features they need to thrive in times like these when we don’t actually know (from one day to the next) what the pandemic will bring.

Looking for a PBX Phone System for your business? Contact us at X Corp for further assistance or feel free to try our Quick Quote Wizard to get your own custom PABX pricing today.