In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, flexibility and scalability are essential for success, and for many customers, this means turning to cloud-based solutions. As businesses seek to enhance efficiency and reduce costs, transitioning from on-premises systems to cloud-based alternatives has become a strategic imperative in many areas — including phone systems. By offering cloud phone solutions to your clients, you can empower them to streamline communications, optimize operations, and achieve substantial cost savings.
Cost savings
For customers, on-premises phone systems often come with hidden costs. These can include maintenance, hardware upgrades, and the eventual need for complete system replacements. On the other hand, cloud phone systems offer substantial cost savings by eliminating the need for physical infrastructure. Instead of incurring the ongoing costs associated with maintaining an on-premises system, cloud solutions provide a predictable, often lower monthly expense.
And it’s not just the cost of hardware that can drive costs upward. Often on-premises phone systems require add-ons and extras to keep them up to date with modern communications expectations. Adding web and video conferencing tools, chat and instant messaging solutions, and even file storage and backup can add to the cost — if they’re available at all. Cloud phone solutions come with built-in capabilities like video conferencing, instant messaging, and text messaging, all integrated into one platform. This means teams can communicate more effectively and efficiently, without relying on multiple disjointed tools. Enabling your customers to save on an all-inclusive system means they have more money to allocate to other areas — like printing solutions, managed services or other solutions you have to offer.
Enhanced mobility
Don’t let all the talk about “return to the office” fool you — today’s workforce has settled solidly into a hybrid model, and even those who are stuck in the office aren’t really stuck in the office. Workers are mobile, but on-premises phone systems tether employees to their desks, limiting their ability to work remotely or on the go. Cloud phone systems break these chains by enabling employees to take their business communications anywhere. Whether they’re working from home, on the road, or from another city, cloud phone systems ensure they stay connected seamlessly.
Cloud phones also eliminate the need to provide company-issued cell phones, which should be a welcome relief for most companies. Providing phones can be expensive, and it gives sales leaders limited insight into communications since they generally don’t operate in conjunction with other business systems. This leads to an added time burden, as sales reps must spend time logging information into a CRM following a call. The other option, letting employees use their own phones and paying a stipend opens the doors to all kinds of security and IP leaks.
Future-proof technology
On-premises phone systems are depreciating assets. They are only as good as the day they are purchased, and require costly software upgrades and new hardware to keep up with technology advancements. Eventually, they will need to be completely replaced, leading to additional expenses and downtime for the customer.
Conversely, cloud phone systems are future-proof. They continuously evolve with the latest innovations, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the customer doesn’t need to manage software upgrades, maintenance, or replacements. This ensures they have a communication system that is always up-to-date and equipped with cutting-edge features.
A better solution for dealer and customer
Sure, moving to cloud phone systems may be better for the customer, but what about the dealer? Don’t worry, there are plenty of advantages there, too. The flexibility offered by the cloud makes it easy to provide customized services for your many different types of customers. And when you work with a partner, you can take advantage of tailored revenue models as well, letting you choose your level of interaction on a billing and support level. The service itself is a fairly low-barrier-to-entry recurring revenue stream, as today’s everything-as-a-service world means customers already expect to pay monthly for bundled services.
Let’s face it: it’s 2024. Landlines in homes are rare and consumer services are increasingly cloud-based. Millennials and Gen Z make up a good chunk of the workplace. On-premises phone systems are a thing of the past. In an always-connected world where workers want connectivity and simplicity, now is the time for cloud.
Noel O’Dwyer
Noel O’Dwyer
Noel O’Dwyer is Strategic Alliances Manager at Intermedia. He has over 20 years of experience in promoting solutions to the copier channel market and he has held senior executive positions with eCopy, Equitrac and PrinterLogic. Noel is focused on building the Intermedia brand in the copier channel.