There’s no doubt about it, the traditional PBX Phone System you have is bullet proof. It’s been in the same spot for 10 years and still works like a charm. Until it literally wears out, it will continue to be the backbone of your voice communications. If you let it, that is.

True, your traditional phone system most likely required a considerable investment, and the preservation and utilization of your investment only makes sense. For this reason, you may not feel a sense of urgency to replace your traditional PBX and upgrade to today’s ever evolving phone system; but at what opportunity cost? Although the age-old adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” may come to mind, you may be passing up opportunities for increased savings and company efficiency by sticking with outdated technology. Here are three main reasons why now may just be the best time to upgrade your old PBX system.

Company Growth & Expansion? No Problem!


Growth is associated with incurred costs in many areas, including investments in new network hardware with a PBX phone system; however, that’s not the case with cloud phone systems. The upfront investments are minimal and you can deploy a cloud system seamlessly and instantaneously. Cloud phones don’t require land lines or hard-wired phone lines, nor do they govern or limit the number of extensions you can access. By putting your phone system in the cloud, it becomes very easy to add new users, new locations, transfer extensions and phone numbers, add phone numbers, add extensions, adjust your settings, enable or disable certain features that would otherwise have to be manually configured.

Now, relate the ease of use, installation and deployment to what it costs. You’ll find the monthly costs for hard-wired phone lines or land lines are much higher. Cloud phone systems, on the other hand, offer an affordable, manageable and predictable retainer on a pay-as-you-go, per user basis.



Get Rid of the Excess Wires – You Don’t Need Them!


Imagine all of that copper, cabling and network hardware simply vanishing from your office. With digital, cloud and web based phone systems all you need is an internet connection and the Ethernet cables running from your network switch to your desk phone or workstation. That’s it!

Keep in mind, getting rid of cabling doesn’t mean you also need to get rid of your current desk phones or even upgrade them. You do this at your discretion – use them if you want to or upgrade to true IP phones, it’s entirely up to you. This is because we can implement network hardware, known as gateways, which offer an affordable option to convert your existing desk phones into IP phones. This means that we configure your network and phones to work on a cloud platform, without the additional investment.



Time is Money & Mobility Effects Both of These… In a Good Way


A hosted or cloud phone system maximizes efficiency and productivity. Softphone features and capabilities can definitely be credited for this, but what about mobile applications? Cloud systems connect to and sync with the majority of mobile devices – tablets, smartphones, etc. This means you can access your business phone system from anywhere with an internet connection. What does that mean for you when it comes to cost reduction and opportunities to increase revenue? Anyone can take their office with them anywhere, anytime.



In Conclusion: Bullet Proof Doesn’t Always Translate to Business Flexibility


While your traditional PBX may be bullet proof, is it really providing the efficiency and cost savings that you could be seeing with a digital phone system?

Can you launch calls from an online portal, add users with the click of a button, transfer calls to your cell phone and send voicemails to your email? These are the kind of features that provide reporting capabilities and data that enable you to leverage the system as a tool, to dial in your business efficiency. And while it may not be ‘broke’, what your older phone system lacks may be preventing you from accessing features and benefits that can make a difference in the way that you do business.

For more information and for any questions, be sure to get in touch with a Layer Seven representative. Call 619-473-5600 or contact us!