How To Save Money On Voice And Data For Your Business

Transcription

1 5 Ways Your Company is Wasting Money on Voice and Data

2 5 Ways Your Company is Wasting Money on Voice and Data By Scott Wells INTRODUCTION When was the last time you really took a cold, hard look at your company s communication costs? We re not just talking about your phone bill although, that s a good place to start. We re talking about all of the costs associated with your voice and data. That includes equipment costs, expenditures on IT resources, maintenance fees, voice and data contracts, and losses due to an inefficient phone system (i.e. paying for lines you don t need), to name just a few things. The unfortunate reality is that most businesses are grossly wasting money on voice and data. Their phone systems, which are supposed to be the backbone of their business, are actually leaving their companies hamstrung, cutting into profits and preventing growth. The reason for this is that many companies have phone systems that are either severely outdated or poorly configured. Old phone systems lack flexibility, hamper productivity, and create a strain on the company budget. Since you re reading this right now, there s a good chance that your company has been wasting money on voice and data for years. There s no telling just how much money you ve lost because of your costly, inefficient phone system. But there s hope, because you re about to discover the 5 biggest ways you re wasting money on voice and data and what you can do to put an end to these financial losses once and for all. 1. Maintenance Fees & Service Contracts Take a look at what you re spending on your phone bill each month. Really take a moment to look at it. Pay attention to all of the different fees that are listed out. The typical commercial voice and data plan is loaded with hidden fees and surprise charges for various services. You ll be shocked at just how expensive your phone bill is each month.

3 You re probably getting slapped with monthly maintenance fees, and maybe you re stuck in a service contract that costs you more than it should for the level of service you re getting. Up until recently, you didn t really have a choice, but now you do. By taking advantage of cloud technology, you can wave goodbye to maintenance fees and lengthy, high-cost service contracts. Many companies that switch to the cloud cut their phone bills in half. We ll discuss cloud communications in depth later on in this report. 2. Equipment Costs Take a look around your office. Look at all of the communications equipment that you re paying for. You have phone and data lines, boxes, outdated handsets, a dedicated phone room, and a host of other equipment. The total cost of ownership is astronomical. All of this equipment has to be installed and maintained, costing you time, money, space, and resources. This equipment is constantly depreciating in value, and it s just not a sound long-term investment for your company. Dumping a bunch of money into voice and data equipment isn t the way you get a communications system that meets your needs. The more equipment you have, the more money you re wasting. And let s not forget about all of the space this equipment takes up. What else could you be using that precious space for? 3. IT Efficiency & Productivity Outdated telephony systems are infamous for creating a major drag on IT resources. Does your IT staff spend most of its time and energy maintaining and managing your phone system and hardware? This further increases the operating costs of your phone system, meaning that s more money you re wasting. Furthermore, using an outdated phone system prevents your IT staff from focusing on other key areas of your business. In other words, all of your IT resources are tied up in maintaining your voice and data equipment, so other important business objectives get ignored. What if you could get a phone system that s more efficient, more flexible, and requires less IT management? Cloud-based telephony greatly reduces the need for employee resources dedicated to system administration and technical support. This frees staff up to focus on other parts of the business, and gives you the option to reduce the size of your IT department or focus their attention on strategic initiatives within your businesses core competencies.

4 4. Long Distance Calls How much money does your business spend on long distance calls each month? Small to mid-sized businesses can spend anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per month on long distance calls. While the rates for domestic long distance calls have dropped considerably over the years, international calls still remain incredibly expensive. If your business is making any international phone calls, chances are that you re spending more on long distance than you have to. In fact, many companies have slashed their long distance spending in half (or even more) by making one simple change to their phone systems. That change? Harnessing the power of cloud communications. By using cloud technology for voice and data, companies can eliminate costly voice lines with high long distance charges. You ll learn more about cloud communications in just a bit, so keep reading. 5. Unnecessary Phone Lines A lot of businesses waste money every single month on phone lines they don t need and don t use. Phone lines for businesses have a high price associated with them. Each phone has its own line that you have to pay for. That s a high price that you have to pay every single month, no matter what level of usage you re getting out of each line. But what s the alternative? Your employees need to have phones so they can communicate. The solution is to turn to the cloud for your communications needs. When you re communicating in the cloud, you only pay for your usage (i.e. how many people are using the phone at one time) rather than paying for a line for every single phone in your offices. Ready to find out more about cloud communications? Everything you need to know is about to be discussed. How You Can Put an End to Wasteful Spending with Cloud Communications Cloud technology is changing the entire face of the technology industry. In the cloud, there is no more need for software to be installed at each computer, or phone lines to be used for every single phone in your office. Everything you need is hosted on a web-based service, decreasing your spending on hardware and software.

5 Cloud telephony systems replace expensive legacy phone systems with hosted services delivered to handsets via high-speed internet connections. All of the telecommunications applications, switching, and storage are hosted online and accessed over the internet. The benefits of cloud communications are numerous. Here are just some of the ways your business can prosper by switching to a cloud-based phone system: Reduce equipment costs A phone system that uses cloud-based technology allows you to take advantage of the latest technologies without having to spend a lot of money upfront on hardware. All you need are handsets no costly boxes or systems are necessary. You don t have to spend money on large servers either. There is a minimal to no upfront investment and minimal depreciating assets to deal with over time. This means you start saving money from the very first day you make the switch to cloud communications. Slash your phone bill Still in pain after taking some time earlier to really look at your phone bill? The good news is that you don t have to stand for outrageous voice and data spending any longer. With cloud communications, you can possibly cut your phone bill in half (or even more!). You don t have to deal with high monthly service fees or maintenance fees, and long distance charges are a fraction of what they are for traditional phone systems. In many cases domestic long distance is included free of charge! Pay only for what you use Tired of paying for phone lines you don t need and don t use? When you re in the cloud, you only pay for the things you need and are actually using. When you re communicating in the cloud, you only pay for your usage (i.e. how many people are using the phone at one time) rather than paying for a line for every single phone in your offices. This can add up to huge savings on voice and data spending Reduce the need for IT support Cloud-based telephony systems require very little IT support. That s because they use a simple web interface that allows you to manage all of your voice features from your computer. IT staff doesn t have to spend time working on every single handset to get each phone working the way it should. It s simple and intuitive, and it allows you to take the burden of managing your phone system off the shoulders of your IT department. This means a reduced need for in-house IT staff and a more productive IT department that can focus their time and energy on other important business initiatives. Stay connected wherever you go With traditional phone systems, all communication from your business must be handled in your office, but when you re in the cloud, your business can stay connected with customers and employees from anywhere in the world. That s because you re using a web-based portal that allows you to forward calls to cell phones or other phones away from the office. In other words, you can finally break free of the chains tying you down to your desk phone. Cloud communications provides you with connectivity and productivity anywhere you go. It s the best way to stay connected and keep your business moving forward no matter where you go.

6 Scalability In this time of economic instability it is difficult to predict what your company s telecom needs will be 6 months to a year down the road. With Cloud Communications you can have peace of mind with this dilemma. If resources become scarce you can simply scale back. On the other hand, if business is booming and it is time to ramp up or open a new branch office it is quick and easy to scale up without any disruption to your business. Want to Learn More about Cloud Communications? If you re interested in learning more about how cloud technology can save your business money and increase your productivity, you can us at [email protected] or call for a free consultation.