Are you looking for software for your PBX or do you already have one? We suggest you read this article and also consider customer experience as well as the usefulness of this tool for your business.
But let's look together at the differences between traditional and cloud PBX.
Traditional telephone switchboard
What it means. That the PBX hardware, software and communication infrastructure are all stored and managed within your business premises. Dedicated communication servers can take different forms such as PBX or IP PBX.
Under this system, the IT team is responsible for installation and maintenance. Everything from phone servers to headsets to software support is controlled in-house.
Traditional PBX has several disadvantages, we have realized especially in this smart working period:
- Implementation can take several months. You have to buy the necessary hardware, licenses, configure the infrastructure, and find compatible software.
- The cost can be prohibitive especially for small and medium-sized businesses. You need to buy hardware (server, headset or phone, computer), licenses and set up physical office space. In addition, recurring operating costs must be considered: on average, traditional installations must be replaced every 5-7 years due to aging hardware and software advances.
- Lack of flexibility. Once installed, the traditional PBX is difficult to manage: adding agents to your team involves buying new phones and changing hardware. These changes create additional short-term costs. If you need to downsize due to seasonality or unpredictable events, the company will be left with a surplus of unnecessary devices. Regarding mobility, desk phones must be connected to the server in the office. Unless Customer Service or sales agents are physically at their desks, they will not be able to complete their tasks.
- WeakReliability. Many companies rely on traditional PBXs to avoid latency or unstable call quality. While voice quality problems can potentially be avoided by using traditional phone service, relying on physical hardware is a weakness in itself. The equipment could break down, be phased out by your phone carrier, or, in the case of IP PBX, become incompatible with software. Cloud PBX technology in contrast is immune to hardware problems. Moreover, most of the reliability and call quality problems commonly attributed to VoIP are not due to failures of the technology itself, but rather to a weak Internet connection.
- Itis possible to integrate traditional PBX software with other services, but between licensing and installation, it becomes a nightmare for even the most experienced IT professionals. In addition, implementation requires valuable time that could be better spent.
Cloud-based PBX software
Let's come to cloud PBX hosted offsite in the cloud by a business phone service provider such as Aircall. Users access the phone service through an app installed on their computers or mobile devices.
- Setting up a cloud PBX is as simple as installing an app-it works immediately!
- No need to buy hardware, just Internet connection and devices with Internet access that most companies already have.
- The cloud is cheaper: shorter billing cycle and reduced costs. Users are billed on a monthly or annual basis. Cloud PBX software is much easier to scale, manage and customize. Adding or removing users is as simple as managing a Netflix subscription.
- Call monitoring is easy to implement compared to a traditional environment and also easier to execute. Calls are recorded, archived and analyzed , and supervisors can access business insights from anywhere to make better data-driven decisions. In addition, calls can be transferred seamlessly.
- Smart IVR allows calls to be precisely filtered and routed. VoIP enhances this by adding features such as speech recognition to increase IVR accessibility. This makes better use of your agents' time and increases first call resolution.
- Click to call: a button allows customers also equipped with a VoIP system to call your company without having to dial a phone. This reduces effort on the part of customers by increasing customer satisfaction.
- Easy integrations. Those like Aircall who offer a cloud-based PBX design their products to integrate with other services such as HubSpot or Zendesk to improve customer support. You can easily integrate your CRM system, helpdesk tickets, survey templates and more with your phone software. This ensures an intuitive, seamless experience for your agents and a higher quality of support for your customers.
- Server and hardware maintenance by the cloudprovider eliminates many concerns for your business, especially your IT team.
- Security and privacy. If you think traditional PBX is more secure than cloud technologies, you are wrong. Surprisingly, a large amount of data breaches are due to human or intentional error. Because of the volume of data they handle, cloud service providers constantly test the system by employing thousands of security experts. These providers are able to be more vigilant and efficient than a small IT team to stay ahead of security threats.
- Green approach. Accumulating, replacing, and disposing of hardware is not environmentally friendly. Without your own infrastructure or equipment, your business uses cloud resources by going greener.