Did you know people still want to call businesses and speak to human beings? According to a recent 2021 report, 46% of respondents prefer the phone as their primary channel of communication. Therefore, it is important for businesses of all sizes to have a reliable phone system that connects to their customers. Queue hosted phone systems. They are an affordable option for a business of any size, which is exactly what small businesses need. But the question is, are hosted phone systems reliable?
Are Hosted Phone Systems Reliable for Small Businesses?
In short yes, they are. Most hosted phone systems are up and running 99.999% of the time. You will enjoy high quality phone calls, assuming you have a reliable bandwidth Internet connection. Service-Level Agreements (SLAs) ensure this reliability. So, we have told you that hosted systems are reliable, but now let’s get into the why and how.
Hosted In Several Locations
The servers for hosted phone systems are located all over the world in numerous data centers. This is for redundancy. If one data center encounters an issue, the other takes on the workload. When this happens, the customer has no idea there are any issues, and there is seamless transfer. Redundancy is vital for both customer and provider in the event of something going wrong.
Hosted Phone System Monitoring
The infrastructure of a hosted phone system is constantly monitored. If maintenance is to be performed, it is typically done outside of business hours. If there is maintenance to be done during business hours, your provider should ensure proper notification of potential downtime in your SLA; for example, at least 72 hours (about 3 days)’s notice.
Disaster Recovery
In the event of an emergency or disaster where your employees cannot get to the office, there is no need to stress. Your workers can access their communications remotely, without the need to re-route calls. In the event of a flood, fire, or hurricane, when you experience disruption in your business operations, you will still have access to your communications solutions. This is because a hosted phone service is off premises (see redundancy above).
If you have an internet connection, you will still be able to make and receive business calls. Your business will not suffer downtime and will be able to operate as normally as possible. However, with a POTS, your phone may not be accessible, resulting in a busy signal, missed calls, or a down line all together. There is not a receptionist to forward calls, which could mean lost business.
Hosted Phone Call Quality
Phone quality is typically more reliable than a traditional phone system. The advancement of audio codecs has made higher quality possible. HD audio means a richer sound. The advancements of hosted desk phones, conference phones and mobile apps provide a higher quality call and more enjoyable experience.
Hosted Phone Is Secure
You might be asking, “If my phone system is on the Internet, will I be susceptible to hacking?” CIOs lose sleep over security and business continuity. With a hosted phone system, you will not need an IT department worrying about routers or implementing security keys. Using TLS and SRTP The provider handles that for you using built-in encryption keys. Your phone calls, video conferencing, and direct messages fall under that umbrella of security.
Reliable Hosted Phone for Any Sized Business
A hosted phone system is reliable and secure for your small business to operate. You should have the confidence of knowing those phones will be ringing with no interruption to your business operations. At Crocker Communications, we would be happy to have the conversation about your goal of moving to a hosted phone service. Downtime is not an option, and we agree. Contact us today and let the conversation start.
