Have you considered a Cloud Phone system for your Business? Do you even know what a Cloud Phone is, and the advantages it offers in Mobility, Future Proofing, and Cost Savings?
Being a Canadian Made Cloud Solution, Smart Talk is available not only in the Toronto GTA, but across Canada, meaning you have mobility no matter where you live or travel to, anywhere, any time, on any mobile IOS or Android device.
Many Businesses ask are Cloud Phone systems and Cloud Phones the same thing? If you know the answers to these questions, then you may think they are basic questions, and the information is rudimentary. However, to someone who has been using a Nortel platform, Panasonic, Toshiba, Bell lines, or even early Avaya gear, they may not know how far technology has come, and how immensely productive the new system can make your employees. That’s where the “work anywhere” and “follow-me” phrases have come from. And by that, I don’t mean, we will find you when you don’t want to be found. I mean, normally during business hours and when you want to be available, you certainly can move from location to location seamlessly and work in any location on any device you prefer, and your data and communication structures and availability will follow you. It’s an easy turn on and talk, or an easy turn off and don’t. It’s an updated platform where the user has the control, gone are the days of paying for software or hardware upgrades to your phone system, and this, will lower the total cost of ownership (TCO).
Our studies have found that many customers have been saving enough money in moving from PRI’s to SIP trunks to fund a significant portion of their system upgrade or system migration to the cloud. One of our recent customer migrations was a move from traditional Bell lines and using an older Nortel Compact ICS, to SIP trunks and our home branded Smart Talk Cloud Phone system. Implementing 10 lines and provisioning, they went from paying over $1,000 per month with old technology to $275 per month.
That’s $43,000 in savings over 5 years, which is a huge amount for a small business that would require sales of over 1 million dollars over that time or simply put reducing sales pressure to generate $200,000. /yr. or would you throw away $43k in potential profits? No. They elected to be SMART business owners and made a financially mature and prudent decision. Our Smart IP sales professional was instrumental in educating them on the benefits of the new cloud system specifically for requirements and how best to migrate to it.
For customers who are larger with say, 100 or 150 users, the savings can be even greater. But, you need to firmly establish through consultation, where the payoff in cost savings is identified and validated. Not every business will benefit from a Cloud Phone System. Sometimes, the better choice can be a premise-based system, like the Avaya IP Office or the NEC Univerge 9300. The consultation part comes in when you work with our professional sales reps, who have been doing this for years. They will be honest with you, and you can always get other opinions. Education is key when changing your communication system. We are based in Brampton and have multitudes of customers in the GTAH area. Having installed and serviced systems across Canada for over 50 years, we understand Canadian business trends. Those are BIG Small Businesses for sure. However, the questions we get asked can be quite similar.
So back to Smart Talk. What is it and how do you benefit? Smart Talk is a Hosted PBX Phone System, also known as a Cloud Phone System.
CLOUD
It is called a Cloud because the phone switching technology doesn’t reside on your premise, it resides in our Data Centre, in Toronto. The same data centre that Bell Canada uses. It is the most secure most heavily fortified and backed up communications data centre in the country. You can google it: 151 Front Street Toronto, ON. That means our customers on our Smart Talk Cloud Phone System use the same top tier backbone and Data Centre that the biggest telco’s in Canada uses. Rock-solid with immense uptime and security.
Phones
Cloud systems use IP devices & phones of course, of any type: Softphones, Headsets, traditional sets, Yealink phones, SNOM phones. Those last two are manufacturer’s types. Which type you use is up to you. We do recommend SNOM Cloud phones or Yealink Cloud phones. They are very efficient, reliable, feature rick and supports 10/100/Gig, VLANS and everything you’re IT guru would require while work very well on a Cloud Phone System.
Using Smart Talk, you get all the enterprise-grade features you would expect from a traditional larger Premise-based system, but at a greatly reduced price. One of our fastest-growing requests is for traditional businesses who need to move out of 25-year-old systems into a Cloud Phone System, but still, retain the features that their staff are familiar with and have relied on for decades. And these are businesses in Toronto, the GTA and beyond. There is no geographical limitation if you have a solid high-speed internet connection (which we can assess and test for you). You must be comfortable knowing that your data (call records and technology gear) is operated and stored offsite in the data centre. It is secure. More secure than it ever was on your premise because the server farms in the data centre are fiercely protected, managed, backed up virtually 24/7/365, and most prem systems can’t say that. Your business can burn to the ground, and within minutes, you can be back up in business from anywhere. That’s something your prem system cannot say. The best prem system is simply not as secure as a well-configured Cloud Phone System. A prem system is secure, yes, but if it’s a security contest, Cloud wins.
Internet: The backbone of your system
This is important, and not taking this first proper step can result in a failed implementation and poor call quality. A Cloud Phone System transmits your calls over the Internet, so you MUST have a sufficiently robust internet service. Don’t guess, or think, “Oh hum, it will be ok”. No no, no. Have your internet service scrutinized. It’s one valuable discussion with our technical resources, and if needed or recommended, a network assessment prior to setting your new system deal in stone. It may take a little time, and maybe a little money, this will ensure your internet can handle the giant leap forward your communications will be experiencing. That’s one small discussion for us, and one giant leap for you. (Sorry, I just couldn’t resist.)
Cloud Phone Systems come in a variety of flavors and prices, so make sure your chosen company will be here in a few years. History has shown that many are in desperation mode and offering cut-rate pricing, often below their cost, which may sound attractive to you, but only means soon enough they will sell their company or not be able to continue just get out from their obligations, as per their business plan. Don’t be fooled. Choose a solid service company with a proven track record that has been in business for many years and will be in business tomorrow.
Choose Smart, choose Smart Talk.