Cloud phone systems allow businesses to make calls and interact without dealing with the traditional phone systems. Because of the pandemic, there have been global restrictions that have caused companies to work remotely. For SMBs, cloud systems have presented a solution.
This post details how these cloud phone solutions have helped SMBs get through the pandemic.
Role of Cloud Phone Solutions During the Pandemic
The pandemic caused businesses and employers to shut down and disallow in-person work. Thus, organizations have been compelled to use other means of communication to stay active. Cloud-based phone solutions have allowed employees to complete their tasks from home uninterrupted.
The cloud phone solutions have allowed them the following features:
- Hold virtual meetings
- Field calls from customers
- Share files
- Remain in communication with co-workers
Cloud solutions ensure that businesses manage their supply chains, perform report analysis, collaborate, provide report analysis and customer service.
Even though some companies were already using the Cloud for some business operations, the pandemic influenced a complete transition. Companies have had to move from on-premise to cloud-based communications to bring it everything together.
In the pandemic, it allows for the companies to work from just anywhere.
How Cloud Communications Helped SMBs During the Pandemic
Here are the benefits of cloud solutions during the pandemic:
Remote Work Tools
With cloud phone solutions, SMBs can allow employees to work from home through the following features:
- Virtual Assistant: The auto-attendant feature allows you to welcome the menu and then routes the call to the appropriate channel.
- Follow-Me/Find-Me: The find-me feature allows SMBs to route calls to a specified location. Follow me routes calls to a designated phone which could ring either in a specific order or simultaneously.
- Customized Caller ID: SMBs can use this to promote their brand as it shows the company’s number instead of that of employees.
- Call Queuing: SMBs can now queue up calls when there are numerous calls simultaneously. The feature keeps the customers engaged while they wait.
- Call Recording: For future employee ratings and documentation, calls can be recorded even when made from home.
- Voicemail Access & Forwarding: Team members can assign tasks by recording a voice message. The voicemails can also be translated to voice or email.
Better Flexibility
Cloud solutions have offered SMBs the opportunity to switch from an on-premise working condition to a work-from-home situation. The traditional PBX that SMBs have subscribed initially to does not allow for the latitude caused by the pandemic’s restrictions.
Thus, cloud solutions for SMBs have allowed businesses to quickly adapt to the changes necessitated by the pandemic. All this while, the business continues to grow even without on-premise operations.
Cost-Efficient
Compared to traditional phone solutions, the cloud system does not require hardware. There is also no need to hire maintenance officers for the physical servers, or direct software management. Using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, calls are done over the Internet.
The VoIP systems don’t require SMBs to pay for phone lines or more when international or long-distance calls are made. Resultantly, this helps the SMBs manage their resources that may already be affected by the pandemic. The only cost may be switching to cloud phone solutions.
Controlled Security
The cloud phone solutions companies are responsible for hosting the software, including security. This includes off-site servers, physical data center security, and online security protection from phishers.
Ordinarily, SMBs are expected to figure out several aspects of their business but this cloud option reduces the stress. All that is required is to choose a provider with an encompassing protection system in cases of cyber-attacks. New companies can also normalize their daily operations because of the pandemic.
Optimized Scaling
Cloud solutions allow for easy scaling which has been critical since the pandemic-triggered lockdown. Depending on the industry where the SMB is focused, cutting back on the workforce has become necessary since the pandemic to manage resources.
Also, as the economy faces a rebound, some of these new businesses have found an opportunity to expand. Cloud systems make it easy for you to scale your workforce just as easily as adding or removing a user from a communication system.
Collaborative Efforts
Cloud solutions have allowed for more collaborative communications between members of SMBs. In the development of sales strategy, negotiations, etc., phone solutions allow for sharing of information in real-time.
This helps save time used ordinarily in physical interactions between team members. Decisions can be effected at an instance now without breaking the lockdown restriction.
How Businesses Changed Because of Cloud Phone Solutions
Since the introduction of cloud-based solutions, SMBs have experienced saving costs and to better communicate. Yet, the restrictions from the pandemic have begun to ease out and face-to-face interactions have become a bit regularized. However, there is no going back when it comes to cloud-based solutions.
Employees also do not want to return to the office after spending a long time in lockdown because of the pandemic. Currently, up to 74% of workers would prefer to work remotely and are less likely not to leave a company that allows them to work remotely.
Consequently, employers have created more remote roles to accommodate the new norm. They have also made efforts to merge the features of remote jobs with working out of the office. Thus, businesses now allow for employees to work from home and then come on-premise on days that are necessary alone.
Bottom Line
Small business phone systems can now be cloud-based, allowing them to survive during the pandemic. Employees can now work from home, have uninterrupted communications and provide customer support. Even after the restrictions have eased out, they have stuck with cloud phone solutions.
