Did you know that almost two-thirds of employees working in small businesses consider communication in the workplace as a challenge? This would have been hard to believe if not for this data.
Apart from communication in the workplace, small businesses also face many more challenges such as the rise of the post-pandemic remote working trend, increasing rental and operational costs, providing effective customer service, and more.
Most of the challenges mentioned could be addressed with the use of advanced technology tools. One such tool is Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange (IP PBX) systems, which are VoIP-enabled sophisticated versions of traditional PBX systems.
In this blog post, we will discuss how IP PBX systems, which started serving large businesses, proved to be useful for small and mid-sized businesses. What benefits IP PBX solutions can provide for small businesses and what pain points can they address. Last but not the least, how small businesses can find the right IP PBX software. Read on and thank us later.
The Popularity of IP PBX Systems Among Small Businesses
When IP PBX was introduced, the main target customers were mid-sized and enterprise-level businesses that could leverage the new system to reduce expenses for long distance communication and benefit from the single network
However, over the years, IP PBX found widespread acceptance from small businesses and startups for the same reason it was popular among big and medium businesses. Its ability to cut communication costs by 50-90 percent, its ability to integrate existing business applications, the productivity it boosts, and more.
As per one recent study, almost two-thirds of startups surveyed across the world use IP PBX systems to communicate. The survey also found that about a quarter of startups are considering switching to IP PBX from traditional landline phone systems.
As per latest stats, small and mid-sized businesses held the majority market share of nearly 75 percent in the global IP PBX market. The number asserts the significance IP PBX systems have on small and medium businesses and it’s only going to grow in the coming years. The data projects that it’s going to increase at a 17.7 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR).
Benefits of IP PBX Software for Small Businesses
IP PBX software and communication systems offer a wide range of benefits to small and mid-sized businesses. Some of them are:
- Cost Efficiency
Undoubtedly cost efficiency is one of the biggest benefits IP PBX has for small businesses. And the cost efficiency IP PBX offers to small businesses is multifaceted. Let’s say the cost of calls, as IP PBX runs on VoIP technology it reduces costs of local and international calls by 50-90 percent. Being cloud-based, it doesn’t require small businesses to make any upfront investments on hardware and it also eliminates installation and maintenance fees as well as the costs and hassles of hiring and maintaining a dedicated IT team.
- Scalability
Many small businesses witness peak and lean seasons in a year. In the former, the demand for their products and services is at an all time high and so is their customer service operation. In the latter, both the demand for their goods and services and customer service reduces drastically. In such times, small businesses need reliable communication systems that can help them scale up or scale down their customer service operations as per the season. That’s where implementing a sophisticated IP PBX system can be extremely useful. By enabling small businesses to add an unlimited number of extensions as well as many new features and functionalities without upgrading hardware, it can accommodate
- Integration with Other Business Applications
When small-sized (even mid-sized) companies and organizations invest in any business application be it a customer relationship management (CRM) system, or a ticketing platform, or a bulk SMS and email sending system, they plan to use it for a definite time period. For instance, when a small business invests a sum of money on a CRM system, then it intends to use it till it recovers the return from its investment. That’s why an IP PBX software solution that enables businesses to integrate it with their business applications saves them a lot of money.
- Omnichannel Experience
In today’s time, a majority of people use smartphones and most of them would prefer connecting over social media, instant messages, web chats, video calls, emails, and other new channels than using voice calls. Small businesses need to make sure that their customer service team is well-equipped to provide an omnichannel experience. IP PBX software can enable them to do just that.
- Higher Productivity
For small businesses, a small increase in employee productivity can make a lot of difference. It can mean the difference between handling all tasks efficiently with the current team size and hiring more staff. According to latest data, IP PBX and VoIP accounted for more than 20 percent of productivity increase in companies. As per another stat, two-thirds of employees believe IP PBX and VoIP enhanced major business tasks such as handling phone calls, remote working, and managing messages.
Best Strategies to Choose the Right IP PBX for Small Businesses
As a small business owner, it’s extremely crucial to handpick the right IP PBX software from all the available options in the market as it can mean the difference between success and failure.
- Define Your Purpose and Set Budget
First thing first, you need to define the purpose for which you need the IP PBX software. That would enable you to determine the features you need and be extremely specific in terms of the software you are going to choose. That would also enable you to set a reasonable budget so that you don’t under-spend and compromise on quality or you don’t spend more than what’s necessary.
- Look for the Best IP PBX Software
After defining your purpose and setting a reasonable budget, the time comes to look for the best IP PBX software. Just take out your phone or switch on your laptop, open a browser, and type some high-intent keywords such as “best IP PBX software for small businesses,” “award-winning IP PBX solutions for small businesses,” or “affordable IP PBX systems for small businesses.” You can also be location-specific and search using terms such as “best IP PBX software for small businesses in US,” “best IP PBX software for small businesses in UK,” “best IP PBX software for small businesses in Canada,” “best IP PBX software for small businesses in Australia,” “best IP PBX software for small businesses in South Africa,” and more.
- Visit Websites and Compare Features, Prices, Pros and Cons
After pressing the enter button, you will get about a dozen websites on the first page of the search engine. Some websites will belong to IP PBX software providers such as HoduSoft, Nextiva, Capterra, while some will belong to software aggregators such as SoftwareSuggest, G2, and others. Select a mix of both as the former will enable you to study various brands of software closely and the latter will help you get a bird’s-eye-view of 10-20 software in one place. Both will help you compare features, prices, pros and cons, and more.
- Contact Shortlisted Software Providers and Request Free Demo
After you have shortlisted some IP PBX software solution providers, it’s time to contact and ask them all relevant questions about their IP PBX systems. The first thing you must ask is if they provide a free demo and what’s the duration of that. If they refuse then politely end the call and move on to the next software provider. Repeat the process till you get a response in the affirmative.
- Introduce the Demo Version of the Software and Seek Your Team’s Feedback
Now that you have the demo version of the IP PBX software, introduce it to your customer service department and ask your team members to use it for the demo period and share their feedback. If the feedback is positive, then chances are high that the software is the right one for your business. Consider buying it without wasting any time.
Taking Everything Into Account,
The advent of IP PBX systems proved to be a boon for small businesses as that not only enabled them to lower their communication costs but also enhance productivity, provide exceptional customer service, and more.
But the thing is, small business owners must be extremely careful while selecting an IP PBX software solution. The right IP PBX software can work like a charm. The wrong one can do more harm than good.
