Communication is critical in every work setting, as Li Ka-Shing points out in the statement above, and its combination with technology is extremely beneficial and relevant. Several forms of technology have been developed as a result of investigating and experimenting with different technologies that can have an influence, in order to improve communication and produce a system that is easy and economical.
The most notable of these technologies is the Private Branch Exchange system, namely the virtual PBX software. Simply described, a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is a corporation or company’s internal telephone network or system that allows employees to connect easily and quickly. On local lines, it swaps calls between employees and other callers while allowing these users to share several exterior phone lines.
Virtual PBX is a cloud-based private branch exchange software that enables connectivity across a greater distance, whether remotely or on-site, and at a lower cost and with better control. It has become quite important for firms that have converted to remote work in this post-covid era, as it is very beneficial in enhancing efficiency in workplace communication and keeping a private and professional environment.
Many businesses have relied on traditional private branch exchange (PBX) systems for many years. It’s a hardware-based phone system that uses several phone lines to communicate with a central PBX management unit. An operator controls the system, manages the company’s phone directory, and directs inbound and outbound calls. This form of phone system is quickly giving way to its more modern cousin, Virtual PBX, in this new age of technology development and in light of the need for businesses to adapt to off-site working scenarios due to the Covid epidemic.
What Exactly is Virtual PBX?
This is a form of cloud-based or hosted phone system that functions as a private branch exchange system for businesses using voice over IP (VoIP). It is also known as a hosted or cloud PBX because it operates via the internet. It identifies extensions using IP addresses, then substitutes physical phone lines and extension numbers with IP addresses to make all phone communications internet-based.
What makes Virtual PBX so special?
The company phone system of the future is virtual PBX software. This is due to the fact that it shifts the load of equipment, call management, and other communication to a cloud-hosted system, resulting in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), a network that is extremely beneficial to businesses, particularly start-ups. That isn’t the only unique characteristic of this type of PBX; there is a slew of others. This virtual PBX software has a number of features that make it the best phone system for businesses trying to transition to a digital future.
Primary benefits of VoIP phone service
Flexibility and efficiency: Virtual PBX software systems let you communicate with staff not just within a physical facility, but also across long distances. This is especially handy in this digital age because it allows you to keep up with work from the comfort of your own home.
Security: Your information and communication are safer than ever before thanks to data protection and firewalls. Data encryption for calls, firewalls to prevent illegal access, and more protective barriers to keep your company information secret are all options.
Lower startup and maintenance costs: Because virtual PBX systems are cloud-based, they don’t require a lot of equipment to get started. This saves the company money on initial equipment purchases and installation, as well as future equipment upkeep.
Remove the need for IT teams: By using this software, you may get rid of the necessity for a specialist IT team to monitor and administer it. This saves the organization money by eliminating the need for a dedicated IT team and allowing any current IT personnel to focus on other technical aspects of the business.
Easy Integration: For firms who are switching to virtual software, the ability to keep your old traditional system is a big plus. The virtual software may be simply integrated with your existing device, potentially saving you money on extra hardware purchases.
Scales up Business Communication: As your company grows and expands, PBX systems can scale up and down to meet your communication needs. It can scale at low cost and great capacity without requiring more resources and equipment than a typical system.
Virtual PBX also has a number of features that make it ideal for firms trying to establish themselves in the digital age. The following are some of the most important features:
- You can indicate how you want your system to work using customization tools. This allows you to customize how it responds to calls and how it performs its other duties to fit your company’s needs.
- This allows you to communicate with clients and staff beyond the limitations of audio, allowing you to have a form of physical interaction with them via online video conversations.
- You may monitor and record calls that come in and out of your firm with live call monitoring and recording. You can also record and archive the talks that take place during these calls for future reference and analysis.
- When callers’ calls go unanswered or unattended, voicemail features allow them to leave a message with their inquiry or request. When the message is immediately accessible through voicemail, it also aids in a speedy response to their request.
- Three-way calling is a feature that allows up to three people to talk on the same line at the same time. This eliminates the need to make two separate calls when the three users involved can connect at the same time. Other capabilities include fax, intercom, unlimited call handling messaging, personalized hold music, and more, as shown in the image below.
Projections for the Virtual PBX software market
Two main drivers driving the continuous expansion of the Virtual PBX software market are the growing need for unified communication in the business sector and the expanding commercialization of 5G. Other advantages include the software’s lower cost, low maintenance, better productivity, and capacity to host remote communication and call collaborations, among others. There’s also the fact that, as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, cloud-hosted software has grown in favor of the ideal communication software for remote working protocols. According to Ericsson, during the initial lockdown period, the duration of voice calls increased by about 70%.
