Virtual Office Resource

Before getting an expensive PBX (News - Alert) system that requires expensive equipment and complex installation, small and medium-sized businesses should investigate the benefits of a cloud-based service, notes Jeb Brilliant, Community Manager for Phone (News - Alert).com, in a company blog.

One advantage of mobile management in the cloud is that businesses can enjoy service for a regular monthly fee without investing in infrastructure or licenses. Also, because companies aren’t having to make the equipment investment, they have the opportunity to try cloud service before they buy it.

Cloud service places fewer burdens on the IT department. For instance, any patches and upgrades to the system are handled by the vendor, which means that IT doesn’t have to install, download or vet updates. Additionally, IT departments do not have to concern themselves with buying, licensing and installing new components to accommodate the OS of every mobile device used within the company.

Phone.com (News - Alert), for example, allows employees to make and receive business class VoIP calls on any mobile device. Calls can be forwarded to any mobile device. The company has an Android (News - Alert) app, and their mobile website works with any iOS phone.

Another advantage of cloud service is scalability. Instead of building new IT architecture as a business expands, the business simply orders additional service as they grow. If the corporate wireless network can handle the extra traffic, then the company doesn’t need any new hardware or infrastructure.

Cloud service also gives companies maximum flexibility. If a company wants to switch to a new cloud service provider, then they can easily switch without worrying about their capital investment. No company has to feel as though it is locked into a specific solution because it has sunk a large amount of funds into the solution.

Finally, cloud services offer easy installation and limited system requirements. The vast majority of services operate from a web-based dashboard that can be logged into via computer or mobile device. The setup is also much cheaper than designing and implementing an on-premises solution.

When a company decides to go with BYOD, mobile management in the cloud makes sense. The solution saves on capital expenditures, translating telephony into a reasonable monthly expense that can be controlled and negotiated with the provider.