On-site PBX phone systems are expensive. Up-font costs can be steep, and unfortunately for your bottom line, that’s really just the beginning. When considering total cost of ownership for a traditional PBX system, don’t forget recurring fees for maintenance, upgrades, and changes. Time spent learning the system, as well as any downtime that becomes necessary for fixes and changes, all add to the overall cost of your phone system.
A VoIP business phone system offers many cost advantages over older PBX hardware. Pricing is simple and affordable, and the low monthly fees are per person so your expenses are predictable and easy to manage. Maintenance is handled for you, and phone systems can be administered from mobile devices, reducing the need for expensive specialized technical support and training over time.
VoIP phone systems are also scalable, which saves money. With a traditional hardware PBX system, you have to anticipate future needs when you purchase equipment, essentially paying for capacity before you need it. On the other hand, buying only what you need at the moment means that you’ll be facing costly hardware upgrades when your business grows. In either scenario, you’ll end up spending more money than you would with a scalable VoIP phone service.
A cloud-based VoIP phone system saves you these headaches. Making changes to your system can be done on the fly. Configure lines for new employees from mobile devices or a web interface. Virtual PBX easily accommodates everything from regular seasonal expansion to periods of rapid growth. And because your VoIP system can be administered by existing staff, you don’t have to call in specialized tech support, which can be expensive, so you’re able to respond quickly to changes in your communications needs.
It wasn’t too long ago that mobile phones were the exception, rather than the rule. But today, nearly everyone in the workplace has a mobile device. Bring your own device (BYOD) policies can increase productivity, and are often an attractive perk when recruiting new employees. BYOD has direct financial upsides for your business as well. For one, you won’t need to buy mobile devices anymore. RingCentral Mobile securely integrates iOS or Android devices into your cloud-based business phone system. Users can make voice calls and send Business SMS messages using their company numbers, and still have access to resources like company directories. Users can also add or delete devices on their own, without needing to engage IT staff for simple changes.
If you do business internationally, a VoIP phone system has many money-saving advantages over traditional PBX systems. RingCentral offers affordable international calling rates and the flexibility to add international phone numbers as needed. With an international number, you can create a local presence without the expense of opening up regional offices. Local or toll-free numbers are available in more than 70 countries. Calls can be routed to any extension in your home country, and RingCentral’s flexible Caller ID controls let users select outbound caller ID information to give your business a local feel while still remaining cost-effective.
If you do need phone service for international offices, RingCentral Global Office unites employees located anywhere in the world on the same secure communications network with the same features. Global Office increases productivity across borders, while reducing your IT overhead and international calling costs.
Check out RingCentral’s ROI Calculator to see how much your business will save by upgrading to a VoIP phone system.
Originally published Dec 13, 2016, updated Aug 26, 2024
