Unified Communications. What are the Key Benefits of Replacing PBX with Cloud Based Solutions?

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1 Unified Communications What are the Key Benefits of Replacing PBX with Cloud Based Solutions?

2 The way businesses communicate internally, and customers interact with companies is changing. So, it s hardly surprising that the technology used for business communications is evolving too. Adapting to changing demands will, more often than not, involve businesses updating their outdated technology and deploying new communications systems to remain competitive and at the forefront of innovation within their industry. Outdated systems can be damaging to overall productivity, limit the flexibility of your workforce and repel techdependent millennial employees who have different expectations when it comes to technology and best practice. For many businesses, replacing their old PBX with a cloud-hosted solution is one of the first, and most crucial steps in transforming their businesses into a fully digital workplace. 2 Unified Communications

3 Flexibility One of the most valuable benefits of a cloud-based phone system is that it enables businesses to be fully flexible and available at all times. Employees are empowered to enjoy greater freedom from where they work and collaborate with their colleagues in real time whilst working remotely. With a cloud-based PBX, it is no longer the case that working out of the office hinders productivity as employees are not shackled to their desks to make calls. VoIP enables workers to dial into their desk phones and set up a redirect to their mobile in just a couple of clicks, so they re always available, wherever they are. user-friendly interface. This enables them to work as if they were in the office, from wherever they are without encountering any disruptions or difficulties. Not only is flexible working increasingly popular, but it is also becoming a necessity for many businesses to ensure they attract the top talent in their industry. According to PWC s NextGen: A global generational study 2013, 64% of Millennials would like to occasionally work from home, and 66% of Millennials would like to shift their work hours. Unified Communications empowers employees to do this. ArkadinTotalConnect allows employees to manage all their work applications, including instant messaging, file sharing, video conferencing and across all devices through one Unified Communications 3

4 Scalability Another key benefit of a cloud phone system is the scalability opportunities it offers. Unlike a traditional PBX, there is no upper limit to how many users can be added with a cloud-based phone system. Businesses can add as many extensions as they require, quickly and with ease as they expand without getting tied into rigid phone packages. With a hosted cloud PBX you simply pay for what you use. With a traditional PBX system, adding new extensions often requires expensive hardware add-ons which can be incredibly expensive. This is not the case with a cloud-based phone system which can be integrated with existing hardware and employees personal devices if your company has a BYOD policy. While having your phone hardware and software on premises might seem to offer control, having it in the cloud actually affords a greater element of control that includes easier management. For example, with cloud VoIP, you no longer need to be in the same physical location as the phone system to manage it. When traveling or at home, you can make urgent changes to the system via a simple web interface using your laptop or smartphone. This direct access to the system also means you no longer have to deal with a third party or wait for them to make adds, moves, or changes. A cloud based PBX enables any IT person to add a new number in seconds using the web interface. 4 Unified Communications

5 One tech for all A further advantage of a cloud based PBX is that it can be easily integrated into a wider Unified Communications (UC) strategy such as Arkadin Total Connect Enterprise; transforming your business into a fully digital workplace. Implementing UC across your organisation makes it easier for employees to communicate and share information with each other, increasing collaboration, productivity and reducing silos between departments. With UC, there is one easy-to-use interface for all users. Not only does a cloud phone system benefit your employees, but it also helps to improve the user experience of your customers who are dialing into the business. Often, when companies have different PBXs on different sites, the call experience can vary. A cloud-based PBX provides an improved and consistent experience for every customer. Premises-based phone systems inherently lack direct connectivity to remote and mobile workers, and more advanced systems can charge you separate licensing fees. Office workers at remote locations or home offices are connected in the same way as employees in the main corporate office. Additionally, apps such as the Skype for Business mobile app - which works on any ios or Android device, essentially transforms a mobile phone into a desk phone and a powerful communications device. Reduced costs Implementing a cloud PBX system can significantly reduce your outgoings. The functionality of a traditional in-house PBX is limited, and therefore will require regular updates to keep pace with the latest telephony technology. Unlike with a cloud PBX, the option to add new functionality to an inhouse PBX system is not included by the supplier. Every time a new application or tool is added to improve the functionality of your in-house PBX, a cost will be incurred, which can become exceptionally expensive, and difficult to manage if you use multiple suppliers. Cloud PBX removes the need for clunky and expensive on-site hardware as it is hosted in the cloud and users run an application on their devices to access calling capabilities. As a result, on-site infrastructure becomes obsolete so there is no need for a whole IT team to manage it and install upgrades, as this is all managed by Arkadin. Your cloud PBX provider will also be on hand to provide technical support and assistance to all users which helps to relieve pressure on your IT staff, freeing up their time to work on other projects. Unified Communications 5

6 Increased efficiency Although its primary function is handling call traffic, a cloud phone system offers many more benefits than a traditional PBX system. These features include call forwarding, call routing and simultaneous ringing, which can all help employees to manage their calls more efficiently. A cloud-phone system, using Skype for Business enhanced by Arkadin, enables your employees to manage their incoming calls easily from within the Skype for Business interface. Employees can add new participants to conversations quickly and easily by dragging and dropping them into the call. Another key benefit of investing in a cloud phone system is that it can be integrated with other applications. 6 Unified Communications

7 Unified messaging enables employees to access their voic s from their inbox, which can help to ensure that they never miss an important message. ArkadinTotalConnect also offers integrated Contact Centres to distribute calls to connected agents based on their skills and availability to reduce hold times and increase customer satisfaction. Technology for the future Implementing a cloud PBX system as part of a wider Unified Communications programme can help to future-proof your business, ensuring that it is agile and able to respond to changing demands. ArkadinTotalConnect offers the latest Unified Communications technology, bringing your business right up to date and giving your organisation a competitive advantage. Not only does Unified Communications give your company an edge over its competitors and ensure that your business can remain competitive in the long term, but it also can help you to prepare for future expansion. If you re planning to expand your business in the next few years, Unified Communications can grow with your organisation, meaning you won t need to implement a new system. Key takeaways: There are many benefits of replacing PBX with cloud-based solutions. These include: Empowering employees to work more flexibly and be on-hand at all times, wherever they are working. Enabling businesses to scale up or down whenever they need to and add new users with ease. Providing one communications technology for everyone, unifying employees and reducing silos between departments. Increasing efficiency through a host of useful call-handling features, helping employees to manage their calls easily and provide better customer service. Future-proofing your organisation by providing the latest cutting edge technology that can grow as your business expands, meaning you won t have to replace it. Start your digital transformation today Speak to an expert Unified Communications 7

8 Why Arkadin? Founded in 2001, Arkadin is now the world s fastest growing collaboration services provider - and a proud member of the NTT group, one of the largest communications companies in the world. The cloud continues to transform how business is conducted, with more innovative technologies and services being developed each year. Arkadin not only understands the technologies that make up Unified Communications, but more importantly, appreciates how they can be successfully implemented to transform a business from one saddled with outdated communications to one that uses their Unified Communications as a business asset to become an agile enterprise. build their Unified Communications platforms. The ArkadinTotalConnect solution offers an end-to-end service. A one-vendor approach enables our clients to build the perfect systems for their businesses, knowing they have experts supporting them every step of the way. Contact one of our team today Speak to an expert Placing the user at the centre of all we do has been highly successful for the companies we have helped 8 Unified Communications

9 Building a Business Case for Transitioning to a Cloud-Hosted PBX Despite there being numerous widelyrecognised benefits, the transition from onpremise PBX to a cloud hosted PBX solution must still be well justified. Our free ebook highlights seven compelling factors that support and reinforce the business case for cloud PBX transitioning. Read more Unified Communications 9

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