Cloud-based VoIP phones, landline PBX phones – with so many fancy names for phone systems, which is the best business phone system, and what do all of these phrases mean? While both of these types of phone systems for businesses may have a lot of strange combinations of letters, the fundamental principles aren’t difficult to grasp. A VoIP phone system for businesses is one that is connected to the cloud. Conversely, a PBX phone system is a landline phone, much like the kind many of us grew up with. What phone system is best suited for the needs of my business? Below, we explore the difference between a PBX phone system and a VoIP phone system and analyze the features and drawbacks inherent in both.
What is a PBX Phone System?
A PBX phone system is the technical name used for landline phones. These systems have been implemented globally for businesses of all kinds. As they are fundamentally analog devices, these phones are limited in their capacity for advanced features as they lack versatility. While this may seem more affordable, landline phone expenses can quickly build up. Technicians are required for installation and maintenance; upfront costs are much higher on average. The only real benefit that comes with these phone systems is that they don’t rely on internet connectivity. In our digital age, this problem alone has grown more obsolete with each passing year. Old-school phone systems have grown more expensive and lack the features of more advanced, cloud-based phone systems.
What is a VoIP Phone System?
VoIP phones operate entirely using the internet instead of a landline PBX phone system. This gives them advanced functionality over their analog counterparts. Businesses of all kinds can take advantage of the myriad features included. A restaurant phone system can leverage SMS messaging features that allow for simple pickups and transactions. A retail phone system, particularly those operating across multiple franchise locations, can easily direct calls to the correct location. Other small business types can leverage the endless customization features included with a VoIP phone system to handle multiple types of calls when people aren’t available to pick up the phone. Many don’t know the advantages that a cloud-based VoIP phone system for businesses offers in terms of advantages and pricing. Up-front installation costs are non-existent, as VoIP phones offer plug-and-play features that present almost no disruption. For businesses like restaurants that rely on connectivity, this means that no calls will be missed. VoIP phones are cheaper, more efficient, and more reliable than copper-wire phones and can save you 50-60% on your phone bill each month. They are more reliable overall, and in the case of an outage, they can be resolved with a technical support staff in minutes rather than waiting hours for a technician to visit in person.
What Phone System is Best for My Business?
Landlines have been around for a long time, prompting many business owners to be hesitant about making a switch. Yet the benefits of switching to an internet-based phone system can be critical to staying ahead of the competition for many industries. For those questioning whether the switch is worth it, consider the perspective of your customers and your objectives as a company moving forward. At SimpleVoIP, we believe that the best customer interactions are rarely noticed but never forgotten. Cloud-based phone systems offer:
- 24/7 support for locations with late-night operations
- Customized messaging unique to each location
- Auto-attendant features to properly direct calls
- Curbside SMS messaging features
- Time of day routing
Second, think about how you want your company to look ten years from now. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that businesses need to prepare themselves for the unexpected. VoIP phones futureproof your business. They let you work wherever you need to be – whether that is on-location or off-location. As functionality changes, PBX phones remain rooted in the past and are unlikely to adapt to a changing world. Getting the best phone system starts with finding a partner you can trust. Contact SimpleVoIP today for more information about our offerings and services.
