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0Taking Communications to the Cloud:© 2013 VOXOX, Inc.
VOXOX
5BENEFITS OF A
FOR MULTI-OFFICE BUSINESSES
HOSTED VoIP SOLUTION
a VOXOX eBook
2 INTRODUCTION
3 TOP CHALLENGES
7 FINDING A SOLUTION
12 THE FIVE BENEFITS
18 MAKING THE SWITCH
24 ABOUT VOXOX
CONTENTS
Small to Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) are looking for more creative ways to not only reduce
expenses, but also to increase employee productivity and efficiency. These needs are amplified for
businesses with multiple office locations and telecommuters. A dispersed workforce comes with
some communication challenges. This strategy guide will explore two areas:
1 How the voice and Internet needs of businesses with multiple locations present a unique challenge2 What can be done to unify the communication needs of these businesses while achieving a better
return on investment.
This eBook is brought to you by VOXOX — the most comprehensive Unified
Communications provider in the industry. We provide complete phone and Internet
solutions that help businesses save money, simplify their communications and are easier
to manage compared to traditional phone systems. The foundation of the company's
offerings is its award-winning unified communications service delivery platform that
enables the company and its customers to build powerful, scalable applications and
services. Our promise at VOXOX? You’ll love your phone!
INTRODUCTION
VOXOXWe empower communication from engaging consumer applications to robust business ecosystems.
© 2013 Voxox, Inc.
TF (866) 514-VOIP (8647)
P (866) 900-9000
F (858) 587-7036
9276 Scranton Road
Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92121
Learn more at voxox.com
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
IS THERE A PROBLEM?
TOP CHALLENGESOF MULTI-OFFICESThe communication challenges of businesses are
particularly complex when multiplied by more than
one office location, whether that involves branch
offices or telecommuters. The pain is often easily identified from the billing perspective, but stretches
into many operational and customer-facing touch
points as well. The following pages identify five key
challenges facing multi-office businesses.
First and foremost is the pain of having to manage a separate phone system and service
provider, often the local phone carrier, for each office location. This also means separate
billing and operational costs for each office. Then take into account the idea that employ-
ees in different locations may actually want to speak with each other. If they are in different
locales, states or even countries, the call usage charges can really add
up. A large percentage of a company’s calls are out-
bound to customers and outside contacts, so
keeping a close eye on those call usage rates is
also very important. This is of particular interest to
businesses with a global reach, as international calls
can quickly run up a company’s phone bill.
TOP CHALLENGES
of Multi-Office Businesses
TALK IS NOT CHEAP1$
As if costs associated with phone usage are not enough to give business owners a
headache, next consider the operational challenges. Often businesses with multiple
locations, employees that work from the road, or telecommute from
home, have issues connecting calls between offices or even just
knowing what number to dial for a particular employee. This
dispersion is most apparent to the customers of multi-location
businesses, as they often have to spend time looking up phone
numbers or hang up and dial different local phone numbers if
they reach the wrong location.
TOP CHALLENGES
of Multi-Office Businesses
CONNECTIONHEADACHES2
Another issue that often comes into play with traditional phone systems is the cost of
the phone systems themselves. Traditional premise-based phone systems are essentially
those that must be housed and managed onsite or “on premises” — hence the name
premise-based. This may be a good fit for a business looking to manage their system
in-house, but it also involves a huge capital investment in equipment.
Your equipment, like most technology, will be outdated in the
not-so-distant future. Bundle that challenge with the need for staff to
install and manage that equipment, and the Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO) begins to rise to a level that is simply out of reach for many SMBs.
While managing this equipment in-house may have its benefits for some
businesses looking for more control, it also means that when they lose
power or disaster strikes in one location, their phone calls cannot be transferred
elsewhere — their customers will simply hear a busy signal.
TOP CHALLENGES
of Multi-Office Businesses
EQUIPMENT &MANAGEMENT COSTS3
FINDING A SOLUTION
to the Challenges
CRAFTINGA STRATEGYSolving the many communication challenges of SMBs
is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Every business has
unique needs, especially multi-location businesses.
However, there are common threads among them that
allow for a solution with customizable options. There is hope for business owners struggling to make sense of
the many options out there to save money on phone
systems. Let us explore
For businesses looking to reduce phone costs and take advantage of new technology that
enables them to be more flexible, productive and competitive, Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP) is the fast-growing alternative to traditional phone systems using phone lines from
local carriers. VoIP is just what its name implies: the voice calls are delivered over the Inter-
net. This means that the voice signal from a telephone is converted to digital packets and
delivered over the Internet instead of over traditional phone lines. When they reach their
destination, the packets are converted back into a voice signal, so the phone call between
two parties takes place just like it did between two land line phones. This is also referred to
as digital or broadband phone service. VoIP has been around for several years, but the tech-
nology today has evolved to a much higher quality, giving it more attention as of late.
The trend of switching to VoIP is catching on with even the
smallest businesses. According to a recent survey the research
firm ISP Star, 41 percent of businesses with 100 employees or
fewer have already adopted a VoIP solution. In addition, the study
reveals how 20 percent of respondents are looking at deploying
VoIP systems within the next year. Reducing financial pressure
was cited as the leading reason for making the switch.
(Source: Techworld, May 2010, SMBs look to VoIP deployment)
ADOPT NEW TECHNOLOGIES
FINDING A SOLUTION
to the Challenges
41%
One way to streamline a phone solution is to implement a hosted or
managed phone solution with a trusted communication partner. In a
hosted environment, the phone service provider manages the service
for their clients. This is especially beneficial for new businesses, office
relocations, or companies looking to augment or replace their current
phone equipment. Often in these scenarios the company takes this
opportunity to make a fresh start with new systems and equipment.
However, the purchase decision goes beyond simply obtaining new
assets, help managing these systems is often needed.
A major obstacle SMBs face when adopting a new technology is not
having enough in-house talent to implement and manage the new
solution. By leveraging the expertise and hands-on monitoring of a
hosted phone service provider, businesses can rest easy knowing that
they have a trusted partner functioning like part of the team. This
allows businesses to focus on their core competencies, not their phone
and Internet technology. It can also allow internal technical staff to
focus on other projects. However, not all providers offer this level of
hands-on support, so businesses must choose providers carefully.
KEEP IT SIMPLE AND SECURE
FINDING A SOLUTION
to the Challenges
By leveraging the
expertise and hands-on
monitoring of a hosted
phone service provider,
businesses can rest easy.
Businesses can also eliminate the capital outlay for expensive
equipment. With a hosted VoIP phone system, only the actual
phones are located in the office. The phone software
platform is located “in the cloud”. This essentially means that
the phone services are delivered over the Internet as a
service. The infrastructure is located at the provider’s
location. Clients only pay for the services that they use, and
may even lease the actual phones as well. This model
eliminates the need for large capital expenditures.
The costs and responsibility of powering, maintaining, and
supporting the phone system are covered by the provider. For
example, upgrades occur automatically in the cloud and not
onsite. Incidentally the name “cloud” was derived from the
use of a cloud like drawing used in drawn diagrams to
represent the Internet. A strong hosted cloud-based solution
should involve a complete phone system package, including
phone equipment, installation and setup, web-based software,
and ongoing support and monitoring of the network.
GET INTO THE CLOUD
FINDING A SOLUTION
to the Challenges
Clients only pay for the
services that they use,
and may even lease the
actual phones as well.
Not ready to give up on your existing equipment? For businesses that already own their
phone system equipment, but still want to take advantage of the many benefits of VoIP,
there are some providers that allow their clients to utilize some or all of their existing
hardware. Essentially this option will still deliver many of the benefits of VoIP and create
one plan for voice and internet needs while letting them use their own phone equipment
a little longer. Most Private Branch Exchange (PBX) or key phone systems are Internet
enabled or can be easily adapted to be Internet ready.
EXISTING EQUIPMENT OPTION
FINDING A SOLUTION
to the Challenges
PTSN
InternetLocation B:PBX On Site
Location A:PBX On Site
Tele-Worker
Any Phone
Free
“on network”
calls
Lower
“off network”
calls
Centralized
billing and
web-based
management
One system
for ring groups
to mult-locations,
including
teleworkers
Find me /
Follow me —
even to cell
phones
Hosted VoIP Configurations create
centralized communications for reduced
cost and increased productivity.
Hosted VoIP Platform
FIVE BENEFITS
of a Hosted VoIP Phone Solution
THE CLOUD FOR MULTIPLE OFFICESSo why would a business choose a cloud-based
solution versus an in-house phone system? There are many benefits of starting with a complete solution, from choosing a setup to installation and support.
Following are five major benefits worth highlighting.
VoIP has many advantages for multi-office businesses. One
of the most exciting benefits is that it immediately reduces
phone bills by slashing office-to-office calling costs to
practically nothing. With most hosted VoIP plans,
businesses can communicate within their own network for
free — no more paying for calls between different office
locations. This is because “on-network” calls traveling over
the Internet never actually hit the public telephone network.
The benefits of VoIP do not end there, however; the calling
rates to outside lines (“off-network”) are lower too.
The cost of VoIP is much less than a traditional phone line in
general, sometimes as much as 50 percent lower. Taking the
savings a step farther, with a hosted VoIP plan there are no
additional costs to maintain the phone system. Businesses
have a more predictable monthly operational expenditure.
DRAMATIC SAVINGS(and FREE office-to-office calling!)1
FIVE BENEFITS
of a Hosted VoIP Phone Solution
50% Lower
With most hosted VoIP
plans, businesses can
communicate within their
own network for free.
With a hosted solution, businesses can centralize billing through one
provider instead of using a different local phone carrier in each state
or city. Combining the phone needs into one plan also opens up the
possibility of pooled minutes for extra savings. But the savings do not
end there. In the not-too-distant past, businesses only had to pay for
one means of communication: phone service.
Then along came the Internet. Now businesses do not just make and
receive phone calls, they also send and receive emails and conduct
various aspects of their business online. As a result, most businesses
today now pay for two means of communication instead of one:
phone service and Internet service. Today both phone service and
Internet service can be carried over one connection. That means only
paying for one method of communication, resulting in added cost
savings and convenience.
ONE BILL.ONE VENDOR.2
FIVE BENEFITS
of a Hosted VoIP Phone Solution
Combining the phone
needs into one plan also
opens up the possibility
of pooled minutes for
extra savings.
Instead of dialing a completely different 10-digit number for each
location, a hosted solution enables businesses to use the same
main number for all its locations, with convenient three or four
digit extensions. This enables a workforce to function as if they are
all in the same office. In addition, an auto-attendant service can
centrally answer calls and route them to the right department or
employee, wherever they might be located that day. This can even
include forwarding calls to a cell phone number.
With a hosted cloud-based phone system, telecommuters are
just like every other extension on the system. All they need is a
high speed Internet connection and a phone. So, even though
Jim from sales is working from his home office in Albuquerque,
he is on the same system as Sally in accounting at the main
office. Jim can be reached at home, by cell phone or anywhere
just by dialing his extension.
CREATE A UNIFIEDVIRTUAL OFFICE3
FIVE BENEFITS
of a Hosted VoIP Phone Solution
With a hosted
cloud-based phone
system, telecommuters
are just like every other
extension on
the system.
A hosted solution provides numerous benefits that help employees
streamline their communications and boost productivity, whether in the
office or on the road. Some of these features include: setting up call routing
to office, home and cell phone numbers; conference calling;
voicemail-to-email alert services; toll-free numbers; and a soft phone that
enables them to leverage office phone features on the road. A hosted
cloud-based system can also deliver high definition (HD) voice quality
through phone hardware from leading technology vendors, such as Polycom.
Further adding to the feature set, some providers will even offer convenient
web based portals for live and easy administration of the
phone system and its desired settings.
BOOST EMPLOYEEPRODUCTIVITY4
FIVE BENEFITS
of a Hosted VoIP Phone Solution
Adding or removing lines
as staffing requirements
fluctuate is no longer the
major configuration and
system constraint
headache it once
was with
traditional
phone systems.
A hosted system is a perfect fit for a growing, multi-office
business because it enables them to scale up or down as needed
for short and long term needs. Adding or removing lines as
staffing requirements fluctuate is no longer the major
configuration and system constraint headache it once was
with traditional phone systems. For example, if a
seasonal business needs to gear up phone support
for a holiday marketing campaign, they can easily
add as many extensions and phones as they need
with simplicity. Furthermore, when an outage
occurs or natural disaster strikes, calls can be
automatically rerouted to another office. Since the
managed solution involves storage of activity, all of
the call data can be backed up.
SHORT & LONGTERM SCALABILITY5
FIVE BENEFITS
of a Hosted VoIP Phone Solution
NOW WHAT?
MAKING THESWITCH TO VOiPSo where does a business begin to navigate the waters
of choosing a hosted VoIP provider? We’ve put
together some of the key data you’ll need to compile.
The first step is to take a look inwards at your business today and estimate a few key
metrics to share with the new provider:
How many office locations, including home offices, are you managing?
What are your bandwidth and call usage needs currently?
Are you looking to make a change from existing equipment?
Or keep current equipment?
Do you have any existing hardware or software integration needs?
What business drivers will shape your decision?
What is your budget?
Businesses with no technical staff will probably be more attracted to a hosted solution with
a communications partner. This is because the choice to partner with a trusted provider will
enable them to focus on their core business and eliminate additional hiring of staff. For
businesses that do have a technical team on staff, the decision to switch to a hosted
platform might involve a desire to free up those resources to focus on other core
business functions, in addition to the cost savings of not owning the equipment.
Making the switch to VoIP
THE FIRST STEPS
NOW WHAT?
For businesses that choose to go the hosted phone system route and bring on a
communications partner, they will find themselves trying to make sense of many options.
Most VoIP providers will offer the same suite of features, but the difference lies in the
quality of service and additional professional services that they can provide, making them a
true partner and not simply a supplier of products and services. Some of these services to
evaluate are:
Does the provider offer setup and installation of the newly purchased equipment?
Does the provider offer basic training for your staff on the new phones?
Can the provider offer testimonials and examples of other happy customers?
What technology are they using to deliver the voice and data services?
Will the provider offer migration support from old systems as an added service?
What kind of customer service and ongoing support will the provider offer?
Will you have access to a web portal for ease of administration and use?
Making the switch to VoIP
THE RIGHT PARTNER
NOW WHAT?
A word of caution, and perhaps confusion for some businesses; not all VoIP offerings are
equal. Depending on how the Internet connection is delivered, service may be offered at
different quality levels.
For example, an offering for Internet, or broadband, service provided by a cable
company not offering a Service Level Agreement (SLA) translates to little or
no assistance when outages occur. Furthermore, depending on how the
broadband lines are delivered and whether or not a SLA is in place,
there may not be a guarantee of Quality of Service (QOS).
The bottom line: Look for VoIP providers who can explain
and offer QOS; as well as professional services for setup
and monitoring to provide a complete solution.
Making the switch to VoIP
NOT ALL OFFERINGSARE EQUAL
NOW WHAT?
CAUTION
Making the decision to adopt a new phone system is not always a quick process, but with
the right partner it can be an easy one. Businesses should think carefully about their needs
and how they hope to benefit from the new system in order to better define their return on
that investment.
For example, a business simply looking to cut monthly expenditures to have an immediate
impact on cash flow will realize a return by achieving lower phone bills with a VoIP solution.
A company looking to increase employee productivity will need to evaluate employee
performance before and after a switch in phone system technologies in order to better
measure a return.
Whatever the motivator for making a switch to new communication technologies such as
VoIP, the benefits are here to stay, and in fact even grow as the technology continues to
improve. Businesses with more than one location, or simply a scattered workforce, will
immediately noticethe benefits of a cloud-based phone system’s features and cost savings.
Together with the right partner, multi-office businesses can hugely benefit from the
simplicity and security of a hosted cloud-based phone solution which enables them to
realize financial savings and better unify their voice and data communications.
Making the switch to VoIP
THE ROI FACTOR
NOW WHAT?
With a hosted VoIP phone system, only the phones are located in your office. The costs and
responsibility of powering, maintaining, and supporting the phone system are covered by
us and managed remotely. You only pay for the services that you need on a per user basis,
and you can even lease the phones as well. By leveraging the expertise and hands-on
monitoring of a hosted phone service provider, your business can rest easy knowing that
you have a trusted partner functioning like part of the team. A hosted solution can also
allow your internal technical staff to focus on other revenue-driving projects.
HOW VOXOX WORKS
LOVE YOUR PHONE
with VOXOX
PTSN
VOXOX IP Phones
Any Phone(Worldwide)
VOXOX Delivery Platform
VOXOX manages theswitches and routers
VOXOX
Easily add or
remove users and
phone lines.
Connect
multiple offices
together
worldwide.
Extension
dial throughout
your company —
even multiple
locations.
ABOUT VOXOX
VOXOX is a leader in cloud-based unified communications and VoIP solutions for
business and consumer markets. The foundation of the company's offerings is its award-winning unified communications service delivery platform that enables the
company and its customers to build powerful, scalable applications and services.
VOXOX is the most comprehensive Unified Communications provider
in the industry. We provide complete phone and Internet solutions
that help businesses save money, simplify their communications and
are easier to manage compared to traditional phone systems.
VOXOX
VOXOXWe empower communication from engaging consumer applications to robust business ecosystems.
© 2013 Voxox, Inc.
TF (866) 514-VOIP (8647)
P (866) 900-9000
F (858) 587-7036
9276 Scranton Road
Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92121
Learn more at voxox.com
LOVE YOUR PHONE