Toronto businesses looking to establish or upgrade their phone systems might be wondering about the advantages of hosted PBX vs. onsite PBX.
Business owners need to make a decisions on how to communicate with clients, customers, vendors or the public. Even as email has become an accepted tool of business, and online communications is becoming a norm, phones are still a powerful tool. Often this is the fastest means of gaining information. Customers and potential customers often draw conclusions about a company based on the phone service that they receive. If you’ve ever had the frustration of calling a company with a poor phone system, you know that this is true.
Comparing Hosted PBX vs. onsite PBX
The first comparison when looking at hosted PBX vs. onsite PBX is naturally the difference in cost. Smaller companies, or a business in the midst of scaling back can afford some type of onsite PBX, but would this system be the equal of what’s affordable through a hosted provider? A hosted option will usually not involve as large an upfront investment. There is no need for the purchase of a telephone system. A system doesn’t have to be physically installed at all. This eliminates the need for maintenance of a system. Staffing can become costly, and with an on-site PBX a 24 hour operation is difficult. This isn’t necessary when using the hosted option. Maintenance and staffing issues are taken care of by the provider.
The following are some of the advantages of a hosted PBX:
- Have a Local Edge More and more companies are seeing their business grow globally. Even small organizations are finding new possibilities thanks to the Internet. The onsite PBX system can become problematic when doing business across the world. Different languages, different time zones are just one part of the problem. With a hosted PBX system an employee from Toronto, Canada will answer calls coming from North America, while another caller from Japan is received on the phone by someone in Tokyo. Employees from your business can use the hosted PBX as a virtual office phone as they work from home, or while overseas.
- Scaling Down or Up. With the ups and downs that a business might face, scaling up and down with systems including the onsite PBX is sometimes difficult. Needing new equipment to handle workflow when the capital isn’t available can cut into profits. Overstaffing during a dip in the economy will leave managers with difficult choices. With the hosted version of a PBX growing and expanding, or scaling down is much simpler.
- Simple to Use. The setup for a hosted PBX is remarkably easy. Admin changes to a system can usually be completed on a user-friendly web interface. Managers can track, monitor and screen calls, and make changes to service quickly. While the onsite version is tied to a desk, the hosted PBX is mobile. At the same time a host provider PBX makes a great impression every time the phone is answered. Each caller is greeted in a professional manner creating a better public image for your business.
When Toronto business owners conduct their own comparison of hosted PBX vs. onsite PBX, there are many clear advantages to the hosted version. The only decision then is whether these advantages are something that their company could benefit from.