The IP-PBX May Be Businesses' Next Great Advance

When considering the “next great advance” for businesses, a lot of tools and technologies come to mind, and with good reason. Change is a constant in the field, and there is no shortage of options for businesses looking to upgrade and migrate systems. Perhaps one of the biggest new developments is the Internet protocol private branch exchange (IP-PBX) system, which gives phones a whole new capability, and brings new opportunities along with it.

Many are concerned about the capital expenditure required to bring in an IP-PBX or virtual PBX system. That's a common concern, but largely invalid; since IP-PBX systems are remotely hosted, the business offering the system bears the costs of infrastructure required to bring in such a system. Better yet, a competitive market means that IP-PBX providers are commonly willing to deal, and that means pricing as competitive as the market.

Others operate under inertia, believing that the old adage about not fixing things that aren't broke. That's commonly a good solution, but sticking with a current phone system because it does the job means that a business is missing out on a lot of advancements. IP-PBX systems are bringing a lot of new tools to users that weren't available under legacy systems. Remote updating of a hold message, for example, is just one such point.

These new tools mean new revenue opportunities; consider being able to answer a customer's call even when not in the office. That's a potential save of business lost to a competitor, and with an IP-PBX system, it's a lot more possible to handle calls remotely. When a business can operate remotely, that also means a measure of protection against those natural disasters that can impact a business. From power outages and phone outages to complete disasters of fire, earthquake, flood and tornado, having the ability to operate remotely can mean the difference between a day lost and a day inconvenienced.

IP-PBX systems come with a slate of advantages, and though the temptation to bypass any new expense and keep what's already working is likely overwhelming, there's always a point at which the value of change must be considered. After all, change for its own sake is a weak motivation. Change for the sake of potential profitability is better. Change in the face of competitors seizing an advantage your business doesn't have may be one of the best reasons there is. Just ask one question: what happens to my business if I can't operate...but my competitors can? Follow that up: what happens when my competitors have an advantage that I don't?

If the answers aren't palatable, it may be a good time to investigate IP-PBX systems. There are plenty of benefits with such a system, and those who put them to work may come out ahead in the end.

Edited by Maurice Nagle