Backup & File Sharing, Cloud best practices, SecuriSync Backup and File Sharing, Security, Usage tips
An SMB Survival Guide: Safeguarding Against Outages with Cloud Voice
The recent Microsoft outage left key Office services down for approximately 17 hours, leaving many companies wondering how they can communicate when disaster strikes. Business opportunities can be lost if phone lines are compromised, a cost that businesses can’t afford. A statistic by the Federal Emergency Management Agency drives the impact of downtime home: up to 40% of companies shut down following a disaster. Cloud-based phone systems can keep companies open for business even when phone lines aren’t, connecting them with clients regardless of major outages.
Key VoIP features
- With VoIP, a phone platform lives in a service provider’s data center, not a physical location.
- Failover nodes with automatic transitions maintain high availability by compensating for server failure.
- If a company’s main phone lines are down, a VoIP system can automatically re-route calls to other devices.
- When any challenges emerge, automated attendant capabilities can answer and route calls even with IT issues in the office.
VoIP ensures network resiliency when outages threaten to stunt business productivity. How? Well, there are a few ways. Let’s take a look at how VoIP can help improve business efficiency:
Increased mobility— One of VoIP’s major benefits is increased hardware flexibility. Employees can use desk phones from any location that provides a network connection. Phones are plug-and-play and can be easily moved across various spaces, enabling an increasingly mobile work environment or the need to quickly relocate to stay ahead of a foreseeable issue.
Minimal hardware risks— Traditionally, if a phone breaks, a company would be out of luck when trying to utilize phone services. VoIP lives in the cloud, meaning the line can be re-routed to a different platform if a phone is broken. Fewer pieces of hardware also means fewer expenses, as the only equipment needing purchase are desk phones. So go ahead: soak, burn or break your phones — you’ll still preserve voice communication without incurring a substantial financial burden.
Customer access— Customer interaction makes or breaks a business, which is why staying in constant communication is a priority. Cloud-based phone systems put a customer through, even if a phone line goes down. This increased availability means your company can stay connected to customers at any time.
High network availability— High-availability ensures Cloud-based phone network reliability will be accessible in real-time, even if your location is compromised by outages. This is where failover nodes can help, as they step in and keep systems running when certain elements fail. Unlike traditional phone systems at the mercy of outages, VoIP strengthens network reliability by keeping information safe in the cloud and free from physical damage.
With the Aberdeen Group reporting that downtime can cost small businesses an average of $100,000 in revenue annually, ensuring your company’s phone system is shielded from downtime events has become a crucial component of business productivity. Consider enlisting the help of a cloud-based phone system to minimize downtime effects and maximize system responsiveness to ensure customers receive consistent company communication.
Interested in learning more about how cloud-based channel services can help guard your company against downtime? Be sure to follow Intermedia on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to get updates on our latest news and IT advancements.
