In the market
If you’re in the market for a new business phone system as you approach 2020, should you consider a solution on premises or hosted in the cloud?
Communication needs
There is no right or wrong answer to that question as every business has its own internal and external communication needs, depending on its focus, goals, size and growth.
Tech inventory
Before you start with your research, it is a good idea to start conducting an internal tech inventory to identify what your future communication needs will be.
The inventory could look at your current phone system, its age and capacity, how many mobiles your team has, your cabling infrastructure, data network, why you’re interested in a new business phone system, what you want it to do that your current one can’t (and why) – and what your budget is.
Clear objectives
There are clear objectives your business can weigh up when determining whether your business phone system should be on premises or hosted in the cloud as each has its benefits and limitations.
On-premises business phone system
The on-premises business phone system considerations include:
- It will probably come as no surprise that traditional on-premises business phone systems do well in an environment where the majority of calls are internal ones. Some companies like this because everything is under one roof: they control voice and data and they have an internal IT department that is in charge of its maintenance and upkeep.
- It may be that you can tweak or upgrade your existing on-premises business phone system to boost its functionality, which will save costs. However many businesses do find that if their business phone system is more than 10 years old it would be to their advantage to consider a new one.
- Plan carefully for what your forecasted needs will be (new lines, for example) so you can expand when needed down the track
It is a great way to ensure high levels of security against external threats.
Cloud hosted business phone system
The cloud hosted business phone system considerations include:
- Generally speaking, this would suit businesses that have both internal and external calls and operate using either a shared or dedicated internet connection for one central location, or several locations.
- Many businesses like the flexibility that comes with a cloud hosted business phone system because hefty telecommunications overheads are greatly reduced as well as on-site IT resource costs.
- A cloud hosted business phone system also allows you to add to it as your company grows or changes. If you want to add certain features, remote and contract workers, multiple offices and so on – you can.
An important question to ask is if you decide to go for a cloud hosted business phone system, do you want to go public, private or hybrid when it comes to your cloud provider?
Here is a brief explanation of all three and which would best suit your business needs.
- PUBLIC
A public cloud hosted business phone system is the most popular, this is where your provider looks after and manages all the hardware and software. This is a worthy choice for small to medium sized companies with fewer than 500 staff. - PRIVATE
If your organisation is larger and deals with potentially sensitive data such as in the financial, educational or healthcare industries, you might want to consider a private cloud hosted business phone system as it offers greater data security. - HYBRID
Another option is to consider a hybrid cloud hosted business phone system. This combines both an on-premises and cloud phone system, so you could use your existing infrastructure while still offering a range of features to enhance your communication options. A hybrid system means you can use both traditional phone lines for local calls and the cloud for long-distance and international calls.
To find out more about business phone systems for your business, speak with one of our ICT consultants today.