Traditional workplace infrastructure is quickly making way for digital solutions like VoIP. With businesses transitioning into either fully remote or hybrid workplaces, there’s no need for expensive and cumbersome on-site PBX (Private Branch Exchange). Cloud PBX is fast becoming the more flexible, feature-rich and cost-effective alternative.

On-site PBX for business is a remnant of a bygone era when employees were seated together and customer interactions used to happen exclusively in offices. Businesses are realising that the traditional PBX is unnecessary when employees work from off-site locations. What’s required is cloud PBX.

What is cloud PBX?

A PBX is a telephone network used by businesses to manage internal and external communication. The traditional PBX has copper lines and physical infrastructure for connecting users. Cloud PBX is a digital solution that offers all the services of on-site PBX but is hosted in the cloud.

Also called a virtual PBX or hosted PBX, cloud PBX hosts all the data and software on the internet. So, you don’t need hardware, wires, storage space or IT maintenance to use cloud PBX. The only expense will be any subscription fees. This makes it particularly attractive for small businesses that are extremely mindful of their budgets.

What features of cloud PBX are most useful for businesses?

Cloud PBX has several features that small businesses would find useful. These were previously only available to those with on-site PBX. But now even small businesses with limited teams can use these features to optimise their communication.

Call recording

You can record and save both incoming and outgoing phone calls through cloud PBX. This will help you track the performance of your customer service agents and ensure that they don’t miss any detail in their interactions.

Call masking

By giving a temporary number, call masking hides your team members’ personal numbers from the recipients. This protects their privacy and encourages them to make more calls. This is particularly useful for cab aggregators and delivery companies.

Call monitoring

With cloud PBX for business, you can also monitor phone conversations in real time. This lets you provide the necessary information or help a team member if they are struggling to give the right answer. Importantly, the caller wouldn’t know that you’re listening to them.

Voicemail transcription

Another benefit of using cloud PBX is that you can get your voicemails transcribed and sent to you as texts. Voicemail to text makes sure that you don’t miss any important information like the customer’s order number or a vendor’s invoice details.

IVR menu

An IVR (Interactive Voice Response) through cloud PBX will give your callers different options to find the right department or team member. You can also give other information such as order status or office hours through IVR.

Three reasons to consider cloud PBX

It's flexible

On-site PBX is useful as long as you’re at the location. All its features are meaningless when you work remotely. The most important reason for a small business to opt for cloud PBX is that it can adapt to the needs of remote work.

Your team members can work from anywhere and use all the features of cloud PBX. You can also easily add new members or features. The dashboard makes it effortless to manage and track your phone calls.

It's reliable

The main reason businesses don’t switch to cloud PBX is the perceived reliability of on-site PBX. While this used to be the case, technology has advanced and now cloud PBX systems are as reliable as the traditional versions.

Good cloud PBX providers use multiple data centres. In case there is an issue with a centre, there will be no interruption to the service. If there is a problem at the user’s end like a power outage, they can route calls to alternate phone numbers.

It's highly cost-effective

On-site PBX requires expensive hardware, installation and regular maintenance. These would be unviable for most small businesses. When you switch to cloud PBX for business, you only have to install the software, create your account and choose the features.

You don’t have to worry about binding long-term contracts with most cloud PBX providers, And there’s no need to buy additional devices since cloud PBX can work on any connected device with the necessary software. A PBX vs VoIP comparison will show you that by using a cloud-based service, you will also be making significant savings on international calls.

Making business easier with Chalkboard

Among VoIP alternatives, Chalkboard is a virtual number built for the needs of small businesses. It gives you all the advantages of cloud PBX and a whole lot more.

You get a second number exclusively for work
There’s no hardware, installation or maintenance required
You don’t have to buy an additional device
You can organise your contacts and broadcast SMS to whole groups
With advanced business text messaging, you can engage in conversational marketing
You can share phone numbers with your team members
The dashboard makes it easy to manage your calls
You get a highly cost-effective virtual number