5 real-life problems solved by a cloud-based phone system

Day-to-day issues with a business’s telephone system can affect both efficiency of operations and overall profits.

These problems can vary, from spending thousands on outdated telephone systems and technicians, to losing business as customers and potential clients are left feeling unsatisfied with the service they received.

Here are five common problems business owners face, and how the cloud can be the solution for each.

1. The problem: Losing business through unsatisfied customers

According to research, UK companies are losing £11 billion a year due to poor customer service.

If your business is sales-focused, and it depends on your communications to enhance buyer experience, then your system needs to be top spec. Cloud-based systems offer call management software, such as icall suite, to give you invaluable customer call data.

This solution offers seamless integration, allowing for partnering incoming calls with contacts in your database, displaying their details before the call has even started. This information could include their name, dialled number, notes, image, email or company name. Your agents will be able to professionally and personally greet the caller.

The cloud brings your business the features needed to offer a personalised service which will never leave your customers feeling unsatisfied again.

2. The problem: Expensive international call forwarding

If you have a call forwarded to you from an international location, or are away in another country yourself, an expensive forwarded call may concern you.

Through virtual numbers, business owners can avoid the price of expensive forwarded international calls. This can be set up with a fully integrated international call-forwarding system. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) also uses broadband and internet to keep you connected, so the cost of a call per minute is significantly less than when using traditional phone lines.

If using your mobile, there are also plans which include lower international call prices for employees.

Alternatively, another feature offered by a cloud-based phone system is auto-geo-routing. This means that the call can be directed to the closest employee.

There are many solutions to your call-forwarding problems.

3. The problem: Expensive technicians and expansion

Managing both growth and costs of your business can be the most difficult challenge. Some businesses can also spend around £9,300 on maintaining and changing their telephone system annually.

Companies go through many changes as they grow. They need to add new employees to the system, upgrade their phone system, keep up with its maintenance and fixing any issues which may arise. These expenses can be enough to put owners out of business.

This issue can be solved by moving to the cloud, as it offers scalability to businesses which want to expand in the future. Cloud-based systems are maintained by the supplier remotely, so owners don’t need to worry about expensive call-outs. Also, users can be easily added to the system as the business grows.

Moving to the cloud is the cost-effective solution for business owners who want to grow their company.

4. The problem: Unused and outdated desk phones

Does your small business end up spending a fortune on forwarding calls from your landline to mobile devices?

With a cloud-based telephone system, it’s possible to direct calls automatically to your employee’s smartphones. You can then eliminate the need for costly unneeded phones in the office.

If you do prefer handsets on each desk in the office, then simply upgrading to a web-enabled handset will be more cost-efficient than the traditional models that you already have.

5. The problem: Losing business through missed calls

Small-to-medium businesses in the UK lose on average £90 million per year due to missed calls during busy periods of the working day.

Cloud-based telephone systems offer missed call reporting as a feature. The missed call report provided by icall suite provides a list of missed calls by extension number, flagged as unreturned and giving the opportunity to call the customer back. This call-management application could save your business hundreds of pounds a year.

Interested in improving your business’s daily communications by moving to the cloud? Contact us to find out more.