More and more businesses are considering cloud-based answering pros and cons. At a time like now, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing so much disruption to typical business operations, there are definite advantages to shifting to cloud-based options for remote answering services.
What exactly is meant by a cloud-based system? Well, in broad strokes, cloud computing is when the issues of storage and operations are outsourced to other computers outside of your local network. Google Drive is a fundamental example of cloud storage: you get 15GB of data storage that is accessible from any device with your account credentials and access to the Internet. Cloud phone systems use VoIP technology, short for Voice over Internet Protocol, which bypasses the need for analogue phone lines or any specialist on-site hardware. You can literally run cloud phone systems with standard office computers and headsets. No need for desk phones!
Pros to cloud-based phone systems include:
- Centralized communication— with a single interface responsible for your company’s communications, it’s much easier to manage. It also facilitates easy communication between remote workers and in-office workers, since everyone will have access to the communication channels they need for collaboration.
- Cheaper communication— there’s no need for on-premises phone systems with cloud-based options. Internet phone services can easily halve your phone bill without sacrificing any functionality.
- Versatility— VoIP phone services come with a medley of features that will improve both your employees’ and customers’ experiences. Any cloud-based answering service should be able to offer you these features.
- Voicemail to email/text
- Call queues with on-hold music
- Automatic call recording
- Call analytics and logs
- Advanced call forwarding
- Custom caller ID
- Scalable— cloud-based phone solutions are much more flexible in terms of scaling. For infrastructure, expansion of remote working, establishing offices in new cities, and so on, VoIP solutions are much more straightforward than traditional analogue approaches.
- Reliability— cloud-based phone systems, particularly cloud-based answering services, offer levels of reliability that can’t be matched by other systems. Cloud systems generally feature geographical redundancy, meaning that if one server goes down owing to natural disaster, mechanical failure, or another calamity, the system will be able to compensate. So long as your service has access to an internet connection, the show can go on.
Cons to cloud-based phone systems include:
- Networking equipment— small businesses may need to improve their network infrastructure to provide quality bandwidth suitable for VoIP calls. This is less of an issue for businesses where people are working from home, as the majority of people already have adequate home networks set up for this purpose.
- Internet connection— if your business’ internet connection goes down, that means no more phone calls, right? Perhaps momentarily. An easy workaround is the advanced call forwarding that premium answering services like Answering Services Care offer. We can reroute incoming calls to your employees’ personal phone numbers in case of an emergency.
- Call disruption— there are two main types of disruption to a call: latency, and jitter. Latency is when there is a delay between what is said in a call and when it is transmitted. This can happen at times of network congestion. Jitter is when call data is transmitted out of order in the process of rushing through servers and data centers between the two or more people on the call.
Should You Get a Cloud-Based Phone System?
Given the current condition of the economy and the timescale for things returning to a semblance of ‘normal’, it is a good idea to at the very least consider how a cloud-based answering service might offer value to your company, especially over call centers and other large, on-site operations.
Answering Service Care boasts significant investment in cloud technologies, and decades of experience in delivering top-quality customer support for a variety of industries, including medical answering services, legal answering services, even real estate answering services. Enquire as to how our experienced, professional answering service can benefit your business through our website.
