The Underlying Benefits of Using a Business Phone System

A business phone system can be defined as “a system where businesses use multiple telephones in an interconnected fashion that allows for features like call handling and transferring, conference calling, call metering and accounting, private and shared voice message boxes, etc.”

Business phones or VoIP phones are a great tool to facilitate your business communication needs. Business phone systems help manage large call volumes. With a business phone in place, you can route all the incoming, outgoing, and internal calls through a unified platform.

Read more: 7 Reasons for a Small Business to Adopt Cloud Business Phone System

Modern business phone systems come with multiple features to simplify communication management for the organization. From call recording, forwarding, and rerouting multiple calls to voicemail, IVR messaging, and automated call functions, you can benefit a lot from a reliable business phone system. Here’s everything you need to know about business telephone systems to help you make an informed decision.

Different Types of Business Phone Systems

A business phone system can make call management incredibly convenient for your employees. At the same time, it helps the caller connect to the relevant department immediately to address their concerns. You can make and receive calls from your PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone by using the business phone system, using a dedicated phone number for your company. The business phone system is a vital part of customer management today. Here are some of the examples of business phone systems. 

1. PBX Phone Systems

PBX or Private Branch Exchange phone systems allow you to make and receive calls over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) via circuit-switched telephony. In other words, PBX phone systems use physical copper wire networks to transmit voice communication as analog signals. In general, PBX phone systems are classified into two categories: on-premise and cloud-based PBX systems.

On-premise PBX phone systems employ bulky hardware that includes physical wires, PBX servers, and specialized phones. The system uses a trunk line with internal telephones, enabling the user to communicate within the network without using any external lines. This makes on-premise PBX phone systems an excellent choice for external as well as internal communication. However, many businesses choose cloud-based PBX phones instead of on-premise systems due to their infrastructure and maintenance expenses.

Cloud PBX phone systems employ a web-based cloud telephony platform to give you all the features you can expect from an on-premise PBX system. However, they do not require any specialized hardware, as seen in the latter. You can route the calls to your employees’ cell phones or the usual business line to facilitate communication. Apart from that, cloud-based PBX phones also offer additional features like call switching, access control, and better flexibility and visibility into the platform.

Read more: 5 Ways an Integrated Cloud Platform is Beneficial for Your Small Business

2. VoIP Phone Systems

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system enables you to make and receive calls using the IP network. VoIP phones transmit voice communication and other types of multimedia communication over the internet using packet-switched telephony. Thus, it helps avoid the usual problems of a traditional business phone like voice breaking and call drops. A VoIP phone system will also be interfaced with PSTN using specialized adapters to route calls via PSTN if required.

Just like PBX phones, VoIP phone systems are also classified into two types: on-premise and cloud-based VoIP systems. 

On-premise VoIP phone systems, also known as IP-PBX phones, are very similar to on-premise PBX phone systems in terms of architecture. The main difference between them is that a VoIP phone system uses a VoIP server to route all the incoming and outgoing communication instead of using a private branch exchange. In addition, it requires VoIP-enabled phones to make and receive calls instead of usual phones.

As all the communication is sent and received over the internet, a VoIP phone system is much more cost-effective than an on-premise PBX phone system. Moreover, you can also use VoIP phones to transmit multimedia communication, which is impossible with PBX phones. Still, as on-premise VoIP systems require investing in infrastructure similar to PBX systems, most businesses prefer cloud-based VoIP phones rather than having an on-premise system.

Cloud VoIP phone systems function just like on-premise VoIP phones but without needing any specialized and bulky hardware. There is no hefty cost of installation involved, as the VoIP provider will be responsible for managing the infrastructure on the cloud. You only need VoIP-enabled devices to make and receive calls. There are also options to pay as per usage when you go for cloud VoIP phone services, which further help keep the expenses in check.

Read more: 8 Ways Cloud Automation Significantly Improves Your Legacy IT Operations

Benefits of InfinCE Business Phone System

With the InfinCE business phone system, you can have a dedicated phone number for your company to protect your privacy and keep work and personal phone numbers separate. When you make a call, the receiver will see the caller ID of your organization instead of a private number, which is a valuable asset to affirm the reputation of your business in the industry. Besides, you can also choose from local phone numbers and toll-free numbers to suit your needs with the InfinCE business phone system.

Read more: Introduction to InfinCE Business Phone System

InfinCE business phone allows you to have a virtual phone number for your company and make and receive calls on the go, from anywhere in the world. As a result, you are not confined to your desk and can access your InfinCE account anytime, anywhere, using your preferred device. In addition, InfinCE allows you to buy additional phone numbers and add unlimited extensions. With plans starting at $1 per phone number or user per month, the InfinCE business phone system also helps you enjoy incredible cost savings.

You get to benefit from many more features when you choose the InfinCE business phone system. You can create as many IVR greeting messages as you want, assign extensions to different departments, get dedicated phone numbers for key personnel, and do a lot more to fit your needs for business communication. With multiple extensions in place, none of your customers will have to wait in a queue to get connected to the relevant department when there are simultaneous calls. That will give you a competitive advantage over others in the industry by boosting customer satisfaction rates.

Set up your business phone system with InfinCE and start enjoying smart call management features. Sign up now!  

Everything You Need to Know About Digital Workplace

The term “digital workplace” has seen too many interpretations over the past decade. As companies worldwide started looking for proactive ways to move ahead with their digital transformation strategies, one thing that gained the most attention is managing a digital workforce. However, adopting a digital workplace approach is much more than having a remote team. While that is a part of the digital workforce, it is not limited to the generic definition of managing employees digitally.

In the modern era, a workplace has evolved beyond physical spaces. It has become an always-connected environment where your team can instantly access everything they need to get their job done. A digital workplace makes this more practical by being a virtual workplace setting.

Read More: Key Predictions on How Workplace Technology and Culture Will Evolve in 2020 & Beyond

What is a digital workplace?

According to Deloitte, “The digital workplace comprises all the technologies people use to get work done in today’s workplace – both the ones in operation and the ones yet to be implemented. It ranges from your HR applications and core business applications to email, instant messaging, and enterprise social media tools and virtual meeting tools.”

Gartner observes that the “digital workplace facilitates new and effective ways of working; increases employee engagement and agility; and exploits consumer-oriented styles and technologies.” 

A digital workplace is a connecting hub where your employees get all the tools needed to deliver their best output. 

Different explanations tag a digital workplace to using specific software applications. It is more about employing digital transformation at work that drives superior employee productivity and operational efficiency. Upgrading traditional business processes and workflows with modern digital technology is a crucial part of a digital workplace.

What are the key elements of a digital workplace?

The recent developments in technology have simplified communication and collaboration between teams, irrespective of their physical locations. With cutting-edge all-in-one team management platforms like InfinCE, it has become much easier for businesses to tap into the entire ecosystem of digital applications to connect and collaborate on a project. Here are some of the crucial elements that make up a digital workplace.

A reliable communication and collaboration platform

A reliable communication and collaboration platform is a must in your digital workplace. 

Instant messaging solutions help your team to communicate in real-time. But you need an instant messaging platform that offers add-on features like file sharing and document management. InfinCE has it all!

We ensure that everyone in your team has easy access to everything they need in one place to perform their job roles. Our digital workplace orchestration platform also includes video meetings, one-on-one audio/video calls, multiple screen-sharing, file sharing, etc., to ensure effective communication.

Read More: A Guide to Improving Workplace Collaboration for the Modern Enterprise

Data sharing

Data sharing is another important aspect of having an efficient digital workplace. While many communication platforms these days allow file sharing, it is vital to check the privacy features and ensure optimal security of the data shared over the channel. InfinCE comes with end-to-end data encryption and added security features like single sign-on, versatile storage management controls, secure file sharing, and more. We help you safely manage your sensitive business data. InfinCE seamlessly integrates with your existing applications so that you can rest assured that your projects run without any glitches or downtime.

Read More: How Successful Leaders Engage Employees Using Modern Business Communication Tools like InfinCE

What a digital workplace is not

While using different digital tools and technologies is a core part of a digital workplace, it is not limited to that alone. For instance, a team collaboration platform will only be efficient if the employees using it are well-versed in making the most of it. InfinCE digital workplace focuses on building a work culture that employs different applications and solutions to work hand-in-hand with the digital transformation strategy of your company. InfinCE is user-friendly, intuitive, and requires minimum training for enterprise-wide adaptability. 

A digital workplace is not merely the following:

1. Digital workplace is not just an intranet 

Even though enterprises rely on intranets to share company information, they have limited scope and do not allow any room for active project discussions. Building a successful digital workplace will not need an intranet if all the information can be stored in the integrated database of the all-in-one collaboration platform. Besides, moving the internal data from the intranet to the digital communication channel to handle remote teams can also be very time-consuming and expensive.

Download White Paper: Reinventing the Corporate Intranet with Employee Experience at the Center 

2. Digital workplace is not an amalgamation of applications

Using multiple applications for managing different things like communication, file and data sharing, web conferencing, document processing and management, employee performance tracking, and the like can be pretty hectic. It will also increase your third-party license and subscription costs. Having multiple applications can create a fragmented and disoriented work environment, affecting the company’s overall productivity.

Download White Paper: How A Digital Workplace Streamlines Business Performance 

3. Digital workplace is not only meant for large enterprises

Having a digital workplace is all about figuring out the needs of a business and adopting the right tools and technologies to ensure smooth execution of operations. Companies can build an efficient digital workplace regardless of their size and industry type. Finding the right solution matters the most in a digital workplace that can facilitate automation and execution of business processes and manage teams and projects.

Case Study: How Fingent Achieved Breakthroughs in Collaboration with InfinCE Digital Workplace

The necessity of a digital workplace

The digital transformation wave is sweeping every industry today. It is the right time to adopt digital systems and build a sustainable digital workplace that aligns with your company’s vision. A dynamic digital workplace contributes to business strategy development. It helps manage your company’s operations as your business grows and expands. It is a significant decision that covers choosing the right digital solutions to ensure that no communication lags or information gaps affect work management.

Using a standalone collaboration tool may not effectively create an efficient digital workplace environment, as it can be limited to communication purposes or data sharing only. 

Read More: 5 Ways to Ensure that Digital Workplace Complexity Doesn’t Bog Down Workforce Productivity

InfinCE digital workplace orchestration platform avoids the need for switching between apps to perform a task. Your team can rapidly make informed decisions through InfinCE’s unified digital work environment. Our goal is to help you build a robust work culture where everyone thrives to their best potential.

Get in touch with us to learn more about InfinCE. 

Why should small businesses invest in a cloud business phone system

In the past, a business phone system was not a small business priority. But did you know that nearly 65% of consumers prefer to interact with a business over a phone call rather than utilizing a web contact form? As companies rush to find more ways to engage their loyal customers, keeping their contact options flexible and open to customer demands is a critical area that they cannot ignore. In this context, having a business phone number is essential as customers may want to get in touch with you directly for various reasons. Traditional telephonic communication systems have transitioned into their digital avatars. Today VOIP based telecommunication is the backbone of every small business phone system out there.

The latest and most trending internet-enabled telephonic communication infrastructure for today’s digital-savvy small businesses is a cloud business phone system. The trend is attributed to the ROI that cloud business phone systems can provide to small businesses. Cloud business phone systems help companies deliver a seamless experience for customers to get in touch with them. 

Let us explore the top 7 benefits that a small business can enjoy if they switch over to a cloud business phone system:

1. Global access

A telephone system managed in a cloud environment enables businesses to globalize their communication infrastructure. It allows the staff to utilize the business phone for communication from anywhere in the world in just a few clicks. All it takes is a few configuration steps to be done on your cloud phone system. In a matter of minutes, your business phone system will be ready for use in any country you may shift your operating base to or open up new offices. All data related to your contacts, workflow mappings of different departments, or executives can be seamlessly moved to your new work location without any effort.

Read more: 5 Ways an Integrated Cloud Platform is Beneficial for Your Small Business

2. Cost-efficient

As we all know, cloud business phone systems rely on VOIP technology to make phone calls from the internet. Voice is transferred as data packets and not as analog signals found in traditional line-based telephonic infrastructure. Voice services over the internet are relatively inexpensive irrespective of the geographies connected through the line for customer interactions. Availing a cloud business phone system also allows small businesses to avoid hefty license fees as they can opt for economic subscription plans that best suit their needs.

3. Simplified infrastructure

A cloud business phone system doesn’t require enterprises to have physical telecommunication infrastructure components like a PBX box, telephones, and operational lines. Also, they do not require office premises to be modified to lay cables and wires to support a large user base of executives accessing different official phone numbers. The cloud system offers all employees a simple one-click call from their smartphones, and the cloud service provider handles all call routing, network optimization, and traffic management.

Read more: 8 Ways Cloud Automation Significantly Improves Your Legacy IT Operations

4. Flexibility of scale

Small businesses always need technology that can flexibly align with their growth prospects. Cloud telephone systems allow enterprises to seamlessly scale up the number of people who can access the business phone system with just a few clicks and no physical infrastructure additions. They can increase the number of subscribers in their monthly or yearly billing contract signed with a service provider. The same applies if they want to scale down operations as well.

5. Device independence

With a cloud-based business phone system, employees can make calls from any of their devices such as smartphones or laptops or any other work gear and have the recipient receive the call from the official business correspondence number. All call features such as recording, analytics, reporting, etc., can be done on the cloud. Companies can even route incoming calls to an employee’s number to another employee easily in the event of leave or absence.

6. Limitless geographical extension

One of the highlights of using a cloud-based VOIP business phone system is that it gives businesses the freedom to establish a local presence in a country with a business phone system tagged to a local number. They can do it remotely from anywhere globally, thereby empowering businesses to expand their reach to international customers seamlessly.

7. Recovery and security

With a cloud-based business phone system, your business’s entire telephone system has a virtual infrastructure hosted and secured in a cloud environment. In the wake of a natural calamity or a sudden migration of office space to a new city or locality, your business phone system can be up and running from the new area in a matter of seconds.

Download White Paper: The Business Value of InfinCE for Business Owners and Employees

As the world is increasingly transitioning to digital-first interactions, keeping your telecommunication system agile and flexible is vital for sustainable business growth. This is where investing in a cloud business phone system can make a tangible return on your investment. Get in touch with us to see how InfinCE can help create the perfect digital backbone for your small business by bringing all your enterprise applications, telecommunication, and collaboration capabilities under one roof on a SaaS model.