If you’re reading this in your pajamas, you know a shift in workplace culture is happening. According to a Gallup survey, 40 percent of remote-capable employees have shifted to either hybrid or exclusively remote work between 2019 and 2023. It’s not just home or office; hybrid work is the fastest-growing work style. That means employees want to move seamlessly between the office, their home, and everywhere in between.    

How can they tap into the same communication tools they use at work when working away from the office? The answer is cloud-based phone systems.   

Cloud-based phone systems provide flexibility that can adapt to your business needs, whether you’re expanding your team, working remotely, or maintaining a tight budget. Today’s office is everywhere, and flexibility, scalability, mobility, cost-effectiveness, and security are essential. How do cloud-based phone systems help you achieve those qualities?  

Flexibility  

Cloud-based phone systems offer several features that give businesses the flexibility to remain adaptive. Remote access capabilities are a significant benefit. Avoiding the need for robust, professionally installed hardware means an employee or the entire office can move without disrupting communication. 

There’s also the benefit of customization. Cloud-based phone systems offer customization options, including the ability to create custom call routing rules, voicemail greetings, and hold music. These options allow businesses and even individual employees to tailor their phone systems to their specific needs, providing a tailor-made customer experience. 

Scalability  

Any business that has grown quickly knows that even good problems can come with frustrations. Unlike traditional phone systems, which require physical installations, upkeep, and upgrades, a cloud-based system can quickly adapt to your growing business needs. 

Whenever you need to, you are able to quickly and easily add or remove phone lines, extensions, and features without investing in expensive hardware or software upgrades. With a cloud-based phone system, you are able to scale phone services according to your business requirements and budget.   

Plus, a cloud-based phone system can provide helpful features, including call forwarding, automated attendants, and voicemail to email, which can help your business run more efficiently. 

Mobility  

For many employees, flexible work environments increase productivity, job satisfaction, and employee retention. With high rates of turnover and quits in 2023, it’s important for many businesses to offer flexible work environments to attract and retain quality employees. 

A cloud-based phone system allows users to access their phone system remotely from any device with an internet connection. Remote access means that employees can make and receive calls from their business phone number on their personal mobile devices, laptops, or desktop computers, which lets them to work from anywhere while staying connected to colleagues and clients even when they are out of the office.  

But what about collaboration and social connection? 

That’s a big concern for companies that value the culture they’ve fostered in their teams. A cloud-based phone system can provide features such as voicemail-to-email, call forwarding, and video conferencing that facilitate collaboration in highly mobile or remote teams. 

Cost-Effectiveness  

Adapting to a new method of communication is only viable if it’s cost-effective. What does a cloud-based system mean for the bottom line?

A cloud-based phone system can be a cost-effective solution in many ways. First, businesses don’t have to invest in expensive hardware or software since everything is hosted in the cloud.

Secondly, providers often take care of the maintenance and upgrades remotely, eliminating the need for on-site IT teams that can service your phone system. Thirdly, the flexibility and scalability mentioned previously allow businesses to easily add or remove users whenever needed, eliminating the costs of adapting a hard-wired phone system to a growing team. 

Finally, some indirect benefits can affect the return on investment. A highly customizable phone system can help you tailor your phone system to the needs of your callers and clients, providing a better customer experience. Reaching out to your company is a pleasant experience that can set you apart from your competitors, translating to sales and customer retention. Likewise, flexible and easy-to-use phone systems can create a more pleasant work environment for employees, reducing turnover rates. 

Security  

The shift in how and where people work has raised some security concerns. Are cloud-based phone systems secure? The good news is that they are secure and may also increase your business’s overall security health. 

Cloud-based phone systems use encryption to secure communication between endpoints, ensuring private conversations. Most cloud-based phone system providers offer robust security features, such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention, and advanced authentication to protect customer and company data.

Still, it’s important to choose a reputable provider and ensure that your team is up to date on best practices for data security to minimize the risks of data breaches or other security issues.

Learn How You Can Implement a Cloud-Based Phone System  

Taking your phone system to the cloud offers a ton of convenience and cost savings, and the transition is easy to make. If you’re ready to upgrade your business communication today, contact Statewide Communications to learn more.