Panasonic PBX phone system: Best replacements and alternatives

Panasonic decided to discontinue its Panasonic Business Communication range of products in 2020. This decision will affect the Panasonic PBX phone system, SIP telephones and products in the scanner category. This article is for those looking for an explanation, a replacement or alternatives to the Panasonic PBX business telephone.

The Panasonic PBX phone system will be discontinued over a timeframe of two years from the date of the decision. If you’re a customer of the company, this means it’s time to look for alternatives to Panasonic business telephone.

Why are the Panasonic PBX phone systems being discontinued?

Panasonic is known for a wide range of products, from mobile phones to rice cookers, that are sold globally. Like any multinational conglomerate, the company also tried to infiltrate the burgeoning business phone market with its PBX phone systems.

While several factors forced the firm to discontinue its Panasonic business phone system, the primary reason is that it was not the company’s focus area. This isn’t the first time that a multinational giant has had to withdraw from a category that it had entered without any long-term plan or adequate resource allocation.

Once you understand the features and benefits of hosted phone systems, it will be clearer why Panasonic had to make the decision.

With the industry shift to cloud-based solutions, the market for the Panasonic PBX business phone system had substantially reduced. Considering the advantages of cloud PBX, small businesses are shifting away from traditional phone systems.

The company realised that its current technological capabilities can’t meet expected market demands. This mismatch made sure that they were also behind their competitors in terms of research and development.

Ceding space to competition also created enormous financial pressures on the company. For Panasonic, the limited capacity of factory resources was also a significant factor. The company had worked on making sustainable relationships with its partners but it’s evident that they weren’t effective.

For Panasonic, the writing was on the wall: Customers were moving away from its product category, there was a better solution in the market and competitors had better products and technology. Continuing the Panasonic business phone system would have served no one’s interests.

When are the Panasonic phone systems being discontinued?

The company announced that it would be discontinuing the Panasonic PBX phone system in December 2020. The process would be completed in two years from the date of the announcement. So, the system would be effectively discontinued by the end of 2022.

It will be difficult to get the phone’s parts after it’s discontinued. Existing users will also have trouble repairing or maintaining the phone. That’s why businesses still using the system should search for alternatives to Panasonic business telephone over the coming months.

What can I do if my business currently uses a Panasonic phone system?

Panasonic’s decision to discontinue the Panasonic PBX phone system isn’t the only reason to consider cloud-based solutions. The coming landline switch-off in the UK is also a compelling reason for businesses to consider Avaya, Mitel or other top-rated softphones.

It’s clear that the future belongs to hosted phone systems because they’re smarter, agile, cost-effective and remote-friendly. Existing users of the Panasonic PBX phone system stand to gain these benefits by opting for these plug-and-play solutions.

There’s no need to buy expensive hardware like with the traditional PBX systems. All you need is a reliable internet connection to get started. You don’t have to worry about any up-front costs or maintenance charges.

Switching to a hosted system from Panasonic

The Panasonic PBX phone system, like other PBX phones, was designed for the demands of another era. Business communication has changed and what you need is a business phone built for 24/7 customer interactions, unified communications and remote and hybrid workplaces.

A hosted phone system is the right solution for businesses that want to collaborate better and improve customer engagement while lowering their expenses. But it’s also important to understand that not all VoIP services are equal.

A comparison of Avaya and Mitel, for example, will show you that these are not the right options for small businesses. If you’re a small business owner, startup or freelance creative, what you need is a business phone that understands your needs and is sensitive to your budget.

Chalkboard: The Panasonic alternative you've been looking for

If you’re moving away from the Panasonic PBX phone system to a hosted phone, here’s one that understands the communication needs of small businesses. Chalkboard is a VoIP number app that can instantly give you a second number for work. This will help organise your communication and separate your work and personal lives.

Since it’s a virtual number, there’s no need to buy an additional device or invest in expensive hardware. The monthly charges are also lower than those of PBX systems. With Chalkboard, you can share numbers among team members. This way, any time a customer calls, someone will be there to answer their calls.

Want to improve your marketing through texts? Chalkboard has advanced messaging features that allow you to build fruitful relationships with your customers. You don’t have to type multiple texts when sending mass messages either. Broadcast SMS allows you to reach several contacts with a single message.

If you or your team members can’t take a call, you can use auto-reply to send a pre-written message to the caller and keep the conversation alive.

Download Chalkboard and try it now. For small businesses, it’s the right alternative to the Panasonic PBX business phone system.