A cloud phone system delivers advanced phone system functionality as a service, available over the internet as opposed to traditionally investing in hardware and software. Here are 9 ways that this reduces your expenses.
- Lower Capital Costs
The biggest savings come from lower capital costs. Traditional phone systems need server equipment, phone switches, software licenses and cabling to be installed. This can cost a non-profit with 10 staff more than 10 thousand dollars. The biggest advantage of a cloud phone system is that the only cost is generally a per use fee to connect to a cloud based system. Cabling is reduced to network cabling that you already have in your office. The users phone connects to the network and the calls are sent over the Internet. - Lowered Maintenance Costs
The other big cost reductions come from the elimination of service calls. With a traditional system, every time there is a problem with the hardware or even a simple change is needed, a technician needs to be called with expensive per hour fees or monthly service plans. A cloud phone system is centrally managed for all users, support is included with your monthly fee, and changes can be made easily by an online portal. - Scale Up or Down Easily
As your non-profit scales, you would need to keep adding expensive hardware and cabling to outfit your expanding office. With a traditional system, you are stuck with the costs you invested in, yet with a cloud-based phone system, you just add more user licenses; and if you need to scale back you just reduce your licenses. - Easy Multi-Office Connections
Connecting multiple locations to one phone system is traditionally very challenging – and expensive. If you have multiple offices, in different locations, it can be very complex to manage. Not so with a cloud phone system. You can connect users no matter where they are, as long as they have an internet connection. All your offices look like one system to your clientele and is just as easy to manage. - Lower Long Distance Charges
You can also lower your long distance costs. Calls are sent over the internet which can eliminate long distances costs entirely in some situations, and make other long distance rates much more attractive. - Connect Remote Volunteers Cost Effectively
Just as it’s easy to connect multiple offices, you can remote staff and volunteers as well. As long as they have a strong enough internet connection at home (regular broadband with more than 100kbs upload) they can get an extension, without needing costly home equipment. They can even use a software app on their phone or computer to connect to the phone system and make calls from literally anywhere! - Make Staff More Productive
Softer operational cost savings come from making staff more productive. By being able to connect easier, use presence and chat technology, leverage visual voicemail, and simultaneous ring features they’ll be able to connect to your most important calls faster and return calls to the most important donors quicker. - Greater Resiliency & Business Continuity
Another soft cost is making your office more resilient. In the event of a disaster or a power outage your office may not able to take calls. With a cloud phone system, you get the built in reliability of a country wide technology provider that can keep calls coming through even if your office is down. As a bonus, calls can be auto-routed to your staff’s cellphones so that calls are not missed. - Get New Features Immediately
Cutting edge technology moves fast and that makes is hard for non-profits to traditionally keep up. Many have usually had to wait until the cost of communication technology came down, putting them behind the private and public sectors. With a cloud phone system, as new features are developed they are released to all of our users. They become immediately available without requiring new investments in new phone system hardware. You get to stay on the cutting edge – while still cutting your costs.
If you are looking at reducing some of your operational costs so that you can have greater impact, contact your ASSOCIUM GAIN team and let the professionals help guide you.