Transcription
Taking BusinessCommunicationsto the CloudeBook by:www.fonality.com
To hear some people tell it, computing "in the cloud" is thegreatest innovation since the telegraph. Yet many business peopleare not so sure, especially when it comes to the central nervoussystem of their enterprise: their communications system.Basing phone systems in the cloud has a number of advantages,but plenty of companies are satisfied with their trusty oldPBX systems. Perhaps they are leery of the Great-Thing They-MustBuy-Now, considering that a new one seems to arrive every week.Whatever the reasons, only one in five businesses currently uses acloud-based phone system.Why are companies resisting the call to leap into the cloud? Whyshould they make the switch? Is there a way to get theadvantages of a cloud-based system while holding on tothe dependability of traditional phone service? Fortunately, theanswer to that question is yes.
The Cloud Isn’t NewYou can't read three paragraphs of technology news these days withoutseeing somebody declaring "the cloud" as the solution to pretty mucheverything.There's common sense behind the hype. Storing software, services, and datain a central location accessible to any device is leaps and bounds moreefficient than scattering all that computing power on remote PCs,smartphones, and tablets.But let's be clear on one thing: The cloud is nothing new. It's been aroundsince 1878, when the first commercial telephone exchange opened forbusiness in New Haven, Connecticut. Little more than a switchboard, theexchange centralized call-processing power for people connecting through asimple user interface - the telephone.Early mainframe computers amassed processing power in the cloud. Peoplewho learned to communicate with the mainframe using punch-cardswelcomed the arrival of innovative "dumb" terminals.The rise of the personal computer and packetswitching routers dispersed computing power acrossvast global networks. It made perfect sense until thearrival of the 21st century mobile era, when a blizzardof new portable devices revived the demand forcentralized computing power.So now we're back in the cloud. But given that thecloud was with us 25 years before the Wright Brothersflew at Kitty Hawk, it's not like we ever really left.
The Cloud TodayGartner research says cloud computing services to grow by 18.5 percent to 131billion in 2013 alone, and it projects the industry will expand at a compoundedrate of 16.8 percent through 2017.The cloud can be free and easy like Google's Drive, which allows users to stowdocuments on Google's servers and share them with friends and colleagues.Cloud computing also can be complex and expensive, like the high-end designtools Adobe sells through its Creative Cloud service.Gartner Research expectspublic cloud computingservices to grow by 18.5percent to 131 billion in2013 aloneThe common denominator in thecloud is efficiency: Instead ofhaving to support softwarelicenses across thousands of PCs orsmartphones, IT departmentsupdate everything once in thecloud and deliver the software overhigh-speed Internet connections.Because cloud service providershave a vested interest in preservingclients' data, systems are built to besecure and redundant, keepinghackers out and preserving backupsof everything.But a recent Gartner report revealed one of the challenges of thepush to move everything to the cloud: Only 8 percent of enterpriseusers are using the cloud for office-services software (primarilyemail). Similarly, only a fifth of businesses use cloud-based VoiPservices for their communications despite the prospects for savingmoney and improving efficiency by moving to these systems.
The Cloud TodayClearly not all businesses are crazy about the cloud, but why the reluctance?In office systems, highly regulated companies like banks and utilities haveto make sure changing their office software passes muster with state andfederal regulators. Industries that require extreme security like defense andaerospace want to keep their data under lock and key in-house.In the VoiP sphere, small and midsize businesses want better choices. MostVoiP providers offer two solutions: an on-premises system or one hosted inthe cloud. Either way, businesses often have to give up their standardtelephone service to enjoy the cost savings and flexibility of VoiP. Someremain concerned about reliability.Fonality is clearing the path for a third way: Hybrid systems thatpreserve the dependability of traditional phone systems while takingadvantage of the Internet-enabled possibilities of cloud-based VoiP.
Why VoIP is BetterA traditional phone system is simple and reliable. But it can't do muchbeyond helping people talk to each other over a dedicated line.VoiP gives businesses voice, video, text, and contacts management in a singleuser interface. Standard Internet technology takes much of the pain out of thesetup and a suite of software tools creates an engaging user experience. Here's aquick look at some of the advantages of VoiP:Collaboration ToolsToday's workforce is dispersed. Some are athome, some are in an airport, some are inthe C-Suite. Whether they are sales people,executives, software coders, or productionline supervisors, they all need to be able toshare documents, swap emails, discussstrategy, and make sure they're all moving inthe same direction.Contact Center FeaturesVoiP gives all businesses the capabilities of a professional contact center that dealswith huge volumes of telephone calls: organizing and directing inbound calls,documenting call volume, and providing a host of customer service, support, andtelemarketing functions.
Why VoIP is BetterImproved visibility for managementThe best business VoiP systems tell managers where their workers are aslong they're at work. They also allow employees to provide their preferredcontact numbers so incoming calls always get routed to the right people.Tracking systems, meanwhile, provide performance metrics for contactcenter activities.Integration with mobile devicesVoiP systems bring mobile phones into the company phone network. Callscan be forwarded directly to cell phones and tablet computers can beintegrated into a company's communication workflow.Centralized user interface with one vendorA single company designs a uniform interface and keeps everybody's phones,apps, and devices talking to each other. This saves a load of headaches for acompany's IT support staff.AffordabilityA dedicated phone line wastes a lot ofbandwidth when nobody's talking onit. In contrast, VoiP lets phone callsshare bandwidth with other datatraveling on the Internet, which is farmore efficient. That's why VoiPcustomers typically can expect muchlower monthly fees and forget aboutlong-distance charges.
Deployment OptionsHosted in the cloudA hosted, cloud-based system packages all VoiP services in a centralized offsite location. In the cloud, phone service costs can fall dramatically becausethe host takes care of all the software, equipment, training, and support.This deployment leaves businesses dependent on their Internetconnections, and for many that works well. Others feel like they need a morerobust solution.On-PremiseAn on-premise VoiP system is backed up in the cloud, but it stationsequipment at the customer's site to enable communications via theInternet. The best systems combine the reliability of a traditional phone linewith the rich array of VoiP features.On-premise VoiP can be tailored to the exact needs of individual companies,and the best providers can set up the system so it automatically switchesvoice communications over to the traditional phone line if the Internet goesdown.What the future holdsIt's a safe bet that in 15 years, all wired telephone systems will be hosted inthe cloud. It's simply getting too complicated for businesses to maintain onsite communications systems. And given that wireless is getting strongerevery day, there will be less and less need for traditional phone lines.
Reservations about Cloud-Based PhoneSystemsTo many entrepreneurs, installing that first PBX system feels like tangibleproof that their company's going to make it. They're getting enough callsfrom enough customers to enough employees that those calls need to bemanaged. Plenty of businesses never get that far.So they wire up their PBX system and get back to work. They dial9 for an outside line and it works. It's not broke. Why fix it?Companies have a simple explanation for not putting their phones in thecloud: force of habit. It's a comfortable habit that isn't causing problems, sothey stick with it.Trust is another issue for established business owners: Many are moreinclined to go with venerable, old companies. The cloud may have beenaround for more than a century, but cloud-based VolP is a relatively recentarrival, as are many of the companies providing the services. In contrast,their phone company may have been around for ages.VoiP must be able to overcome one of the strongest forces in human nature:the tendency for people to do what they've always done.
Confronting Misconceptions about VoIPThere’s no doubt that some people’s impressions about business -qualityVoiP have been colored by experiences with low cost providers of consumerservices. Skype, for example, provides basic, economical voice and videoservices. As the saying goes, people get what they pay for.QUALITYBusiness VoIPSkype uses peer-to-peernetworking. A "call" startsout on one computer,travels to a nearbycomputer that's also onSkype, it makes its way toan ISP, then travels througheven more peer computersuntil the two users establisha data stream. Nobody is "incharge" of maintaining thequality of the stream.Building a video stream across a multitude of points around the Internet doesallow incredibly economical video communications from around the world.Likewise, discount VoiP providers can optimize their networks to hold down costsrather than hold up quality.That means hit-or-miss user experiences. One call will sound fine, another willhave a low hiss and a third will cut off people's voices off in mid-sentence. Theend result is that people who are familiar with low-cost VoiP have may not realizethe quality of business VoiP is much higher.
Confronting Misconceptions about VoIPFree and discount services meet the needs of thrifty customers, but thequality sets off alarms in the minds of brand-conscious business people.Picture the small-business owner trying to pitch her software services to abig potential client. Can she afford to make do with discount-quality voice orvideo?Cloud-based VoiP providers face: Educating potential clients about the reality that business classVoiP is nothing like some providers of consumer VoiP.Convincing potential consumers that their service is optimizedfor the best possible user experience, not the lowest possiblecost.Demonstrating that they can deliver telephone-quality voiceand sharp streaming video in a package that costs substantiallyless than standard telephone service.Providers that can do all this - and of course provide a stellar suite of features- are the ones that understand the communications needs of small andmidsize businesses.3 MAJOR POINTSBUSINESS CLIENTS MUSTBE CONVINCED OF
The Business Case for SwitchingIt's not only about shaving the cost of every phone in an office. That's more like theappetizer. The entree is the savings in technology costs across a rich suite of VoiPservices.Functionally, VoiP gives any office virtually the same suite of services used by largecontact centers. A dedicated user interface makes sure contacts, email, incomingcalls, videoconferencing, and more are always within a few easy clicks. And it'salways the VoiP provider's job to keep all that software up to date, secure, andbacked up.All of these features fall under the umbrella of Unified Communications, which willcontinue to grow as innovations in bandwidth and processing power allow providersto pack ever more communication services onto desktop computers and mobiledevices.Furthermore, knowledge workerswho bring their devices withthem everywhere will gravitatetoward companies that bakeUnified Communications intotheir corporate structure. Thebest talent expects access to thebest tools.Another consideration: thecomplex interactions of all thesetools makes it increasinglyuntenable for companies tosupport on-site telephonesystems, especially in light of themoney they'll save whenoutsourcing. It makes sense toleave phones to the phoneexperts.
Getting Businesses to TrustNo matter how strong the case for cloud-based VoiP may be, the industry iscrowded with younger providers that need to earn the trust of businessowners, many of whom would just as soon go with more established brands.The best VoiP providers understand why people are reluctant todive headlong into every new high-tech trend: infinite choices collide withfinite resources. One option is to entice businesspeople with a smallsampling that will make them want more in the years ahead.A midsize business might want to try out VoiP features in single department.Another might want to turn its sales staff loose with a suite of customercollaboration tools but isn't ready yet for a complete conversion.And here's a way youthfulproviders can set themselvesapart from long-of-tooth telcos:Offering plain-languagecontracts that are succinct, easyto understand, and free ofsurprises buried in the smallprint.
What to Look for in a Provider?Feeling better about our old friend the cloud? Ready to reap the benefits ofunified communications while saving money? Ready to leave theresponsibility of managing a phone system to someone else and gettingback to what you do best?Here are four things to look for in a provider of VolP telephone systems:1. A company you can trustYour VoiP provider must be willing to earn your trust by understanding yourneeds and providing VoiP services that are specific to the needs of yourcustomers.2. One focused on SMBsYour provider should have a track record of helping small business add highend communication features that make it easier for everybody in yoursphere of business - customers, employees, vendors - to stay in touch.3. One that's moved beyond phone callsVoiP is about using voice, video, text, and high-end software to keep peopleconnected. As long as people talk on telephones, calls will be a keycomponent of VoiP, but the best providers understand calls are only a partof the equation.4. A company that gives you optionsA hybrid offering combines the efficiencies of VoiP and the dependability oftraditional phone service.
About FonalityFonality has built its business around helping growing businesses use theirphone systems to become more competitive and successful. It has beendeveloping Unified Communications systems since 2004 with more than20,000 clients serving more than 260,000 end users around the world.The company's engineering team developed the Fonality Heads Up Displayinterface and patented hybrid solution to meet the unique needs ofemerging companies.Fonality provides business phone systems and contact center solutions designedexclusively for growing businesses. Fonality is the only provider that can deliver thesame user experience in the cloud and on-premise, with innovative features that helpsmall businesses save time, communicate more efficiently and reduce costs. For moreinformation, visit www.Fonality.com or call 1-877-FONALITY.
Fonality is clearing the path for a third way: Hybrid systems that preserve the dependability of traditional phone systems while taking advantage of the Internet-enabled possibilities of cloud-based VoiP. Why VoIP is Better A traditional phone system is simple and reliable. But it can't do much
