Is it time to replace your business phone system?

A business phone system can seem like an outdated piece of equipment compared to internet-based communication mediums, such as email, instant messaging, and social media. But even today, the humble desk phone is an indispensable enterprise tool. According to a recent survey, calls are still a popular mode of interacting with customers of all age groups. Phones are also essential for internal business communications and collaborations.

Rise of advanced telephony

The only reason why enterprise phone systems are still relevant to modern businesses is that they continuously evolve with changing times and technologies. In the early days of PSTN, PBX, and TDM, all phone systems used rudimentary analog systems. Later, thanks to computers, phone systems upgraded to digital, and businesses started using IP-PBX phones.

Today, the business phone system is an entirely different breed powered by the internet, wireless networks, and smart technologies. Voice communication is now more affordable, reliable, and efficient than ever before. And you still get a lot more from modern phone systems, including automated answering, call recording and logging, advanced call forwarding, and conferencing.

Signs you need to upgrade your business phone system

Even amidst rapidly evolving technology, it’s easy to get used to some antiquated ways of doing things. Some companies don’t realize it when their business phone system becomes outdated and can no longer deliver the expected performance and functionality.

Communication is a vital business process, more so now that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the global enterprise environment. With most employees working from home, many businesses have had to reconfigure their communications systems to keep workers and customers connected. If you’re unsure about your phone system’s effectiveness, here are three telltale signs that it needs an upgrade.

Increased call volume

It’s normal to experience spikes and steady growth in call volume during peak seasons and as the business expands. However, your business phone system must match any increase in call volume to maintain satisfactory customer service.

If your phones are ringing off the hook and incoming calls keep going to voicemail, you have clearly outgrown your system’s capacity. Remember that dropped calls hurt your company’s reputation and result in financial losses due to missed opportunities. Switch to a higher-capacity phone system equipped with automated answering functions to handle high call volumes.

You’re paying too much for phone services

Do you feel like you’re paying too much for your phone services and equipment maintenance? Telephony should not cost a fortune; most businesses spend, on average, between $32.50 and $36.50 per month for each line of mobile voice and data. If your telephone bills are significantly higher than those of a similarly-sized company, it may be because your system runs on inefficient old technologies. It’s time to upgrade and start enjoying reduced call rates and affordable voice services.

Too many failure points

Following years of innovations, modern business phones have very little that can go wrong. Every new version of devices adds more reliability, security, and durability. Older phones rely on several services and equipment such as broadband coverage, physical connections, mains electricity, and network availability to work properly. In a heavily interdependent setup, the critical failure of a single component can compromise the entire system.

If your business phone system keeps breaking down or running into device or service compatibility issues, you should seriously consider trading it for a newer, more dependable model. At least then, you’ll be sure of minimal downtime, repairs, and servicing. You also want a phone system that’s robust and secure enough to utilize modern voice utilities and services.

In just a decade or so, business telephony has gone from analog landlines to cloud-hosted systems, VoIP services, and unified communications. If you haven’t updated your communications infrastructure in the last couple of years, an upgrade is well overdue. Don’t wait until the old-fashioned phone system starts holding your business back – upgrade now.