On-Premise or Hosted – In just a few months, the modern workplace has undergone a major transformation. For many in the U.S. and around the world, working from home is the new normal. And the right phone system connects employees working remote or in the office. But what type of phone system makes working from anywhere possible?
Cloud hosted phone systems, also known as hosted VoIP or hosted PBX, are becoming the preferred option for businesses looking to improve efficiency while decreasing costs.
As a NUSO partner, now is the time to reevaluate your customers’ phone systems. Is their on-premise phone network holding them back?
Here are key points:
- The difference between on-premise and hosted phone systems
- Why more businesses are choosing cloud phone systems over on-premise
- Demonstrating the value of hosted phone systems to your customers
The Difference Between On-Premise and Hosted Phone Systems
Let’s take at what hosted and on-premise methods are, as well as how they differ:
Hosted/Cloud Phone
Hosted PBX delivers voice services through a cloud communications provider in an off-site data center. Your customer pays a monthly fee for service and access to a varied feature set. Your customers can use internet desk phones while at the office or use a application on their desktop, laptop, or mobile to make calls from home. There’s less cost of entry with hosted systems compared to an on-premise system which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
On-Premise Phone
As the term implies, on-premise phone systems live on-site at your customer’s office. This method has been the traditional phone system option for decades.
With this phone system, your customers often pay forklift prices for all the equipment and servers. Your customer’s IT employees are responsible for management, maintenance, and updates.
Why More Businesses are Switching to Cloud Phone Systems
On a global scale, businesses and organizations are shifting to hosted phone systems. The VoIP market is estimated to grow from $20 billion in
VoIP connects calls and video meetings along with collaboration tools like screen-sharing, instant messaging, and online whiteboards under one platform. During a health crisis, other emergency, or for greater convenience, cloud phone systems make it easy for employees to work anywhere while using the same communications system. This flexibility protects your business from the unexpected and ensures your business continuity.
Cost-Effective
On-premise systems have expensive, upfront costs as high as six figures. These older systems require constant updates to hardware and equipment. Depending on the age of the system, replacement equipment may not be available.
Cloud-hosted systems are managed and delivered through our secure servers and data centers. New services can beLet’s say your customer’s business hired ten new temporary employees that need their own phone line. With our management portal, you can log-on and assign new phone numbers to each employee all with a few clicks. When the employees’ contracts are over, login and deactivate their phone numbers. Simple!
Feature-Rich
With a Hosted PBX, your customers get access to hundreds of features to improve their business communications. NUSO includes features other providers charge extra for like music on hold, auto-attendant, or voicemail to email . These features are important to businesses wanting to maintain a reputable standing. Have you ever called a business and the call went unanswered endlessly? That experience probably left a bad taste and made you look for other companies to work with.
In today’s hyper competitive market, hosted phone features help your customers provide great customer service even when their business is closed, or their office is busy.
The music on hold feature can play an appropriate soundtrack while customers wait on hold or pre-recorded messages with relevant information like hours of operation or department extensions. Voicemail to email delivers your messages by email, so all your messages are in one place. With many employees in and out of the office, voicemail to email keeps people connected when away from their desk. This helps prevent missed calls.
For more information on hosted phone features, check out 11 Extraordinary VoIP Features That Will Transform Your Business Part 1 & Part 2.
Future-Proof
Technology changes fast. Hosted phone systems defend against constantly evolving demands for businesses. All updates and maintenance are done securely online so your customers don’t have to worry about never-ending upgrades. In addition, hosted solutions are suitable for mobile workforces or managing multiple locations because cloud phone systems are not tied down to a physical location.
Are legacy-phone systems holding your customers back? Here are the main issues with on-premise technology:
- Out-of-date hardware and infrastructure
- Maintenance contracts
- Capacity and size limits
- Slow deployment
- Added cost for equipment
- Lack of manufacturer support
Help your customers look at their long-term business strategy. Their legacy system may work now, but was it built for their future? Cloud-based systems allow for immediate access to new features.
Remote Work Friendly
As organizations are forced to overhaul normal operations, the Work from Home (WFH) movement is gaining speed worldwide. Your customers are feeling anxious about maintaining their employees’ health while keeping business operations moving. With an on-premise phone system, remote and mobile employees are not connected. Hosted systems make telecommuting possible by allowing remote workers to connect with each other in real-time.
Flexibility & Speed
On-premise network expansion is expensive and time-consuming. There are few options for equipment upgrades as previous providers exit the industry, leaving customers without upgrades, support, or means for improvement. For businesses looking to grow quickly, these limitations impede business operations.
Cloud-hosted PBX helps your customers scale quickly. NUSO offers a single sign-on portal with access to administer adds, edits, and changes in real-time.
New numbers can be ordered and ready for service in less than two minutes. Search for available numbers by area, add phone numbers to your cart, and place your order. A host of partner friendly, real-time information is available to make you a champion to your customers.
Hosted phone systems also provide fast deployment for businesses who need an immediate option. Typically, NUSO can get your customers running with service in less than 24 hours. On-premise phone system can take weeks or even months to set-up.
Demonstrating the Value of Hosted Phone Systems to Your Customers
As more businesses move towards expansion, your customer’s office can be anywhere. Unlike on-premise phone systems, hosted phone systems allow employees to work at home and gives decision makers flexibility to scale quickly – without large costs or long project timelines.
For customers ready for a completely hosted solution, here are some best practices you can use:
Ask the Right Questions & Actively Listen
Your customers aren’t looking for just a new phone system, they want easy solutions for real-world problems. To best provide this, ask your customers how they operate now and how they would like to grow. This will illuminate new information allowing you to show the flexibility of a cloud-based system.
Explain the Benefits of Hosted
After listening to your customers, reinforce the benefits of a hosted phone system. Make it personal and address their concerns with examples. Let the decision makers know they can move their entire customer service operation from the office to home with a cloud- based solution. If your customer is a web design company, developers can still work on projects by connecting with customers on the phone.
Visit our partner portal for brochures, videos, and customizable landing pages for your clients. Information is power. Arm your customers with knowledge, and they will make the smart decision.
Be the Trusted Advisor
As a NUSO Partner, you can be your customer’s compass during tough decisions. With the right products and services, organizations can maintain their productivity and stay connected. Now is the time to provide professional support as we go through the “new normal”. Answer your customer’s questions, listen to their concerns, and address their new needs during this extraordinary time. This is your opportunity to shine as a trusted advisor.
Ready to Help Your Customers Transition to a Hosted Phone System?
Now a smart time to review your customers’ phone systems. Businesses need a flexible way to communicate while at home or back in the office, and a hosted phone system may be the right solution.
Partner with NUSO and learn the best practices making our partners successful through this crisis. We will get through this. Make sure you company and your customers are ready.
NUSO Partners – Contact your Channel Account Manager for more information at 844-438-NUSO (6876) or contact@nuso.cloud. Interested in becoming a NUSO Partner? We’d love to work with you! Leave us a note here.
