A good phone system is a must for any small business, but for several decades, there were few if any differences between those systems. For smaller businesses in particular, a good phone system was a reliable phone system.

Today, however, technology is allowing access to features previously only available to companies with deep pockets and large IT teams. Hosted PBX features and business VoIP are becoming integral parts of how many businesses operate and are as such key drivers of growth for those businesses.

Disadvantages of Using Obsolete Phone Systems

Just how big of a disadvantage are you at if you are still using a traditional phone system reliant on physical hardware and connections in your office? Here are some of the things you should consider:

• Location-Bound – Your business phone number, the lifeline to you and your company, is only accessible in the building where you may be 40-50 hours a week. It's not an efficient way to reach you. It also complicates access to conferences and voicemail when traveling.
• Body-Dependent – Using a traditional phone system, your company is more reliant on the people in the office to answer phones, direct calls, and respond to concerns or complaints. You may even have one or more people on staff full time just to handle the phones.
• Lack of Integration – Old school technology doesn't play well with modern tools like your CRM, ERP or email. With so many forms of communication spread out so far, it's easy for things to get lost or confused when communicating with a customer.

These are just three reasons why your old system is a problem. There are others, but the bottom line is that technology makes it possible to do better.

Advantages of Upgrading to a Modern Phone System

Fortunately, there are options. Modern hosted PBX phone systems offer a number of benefits that allow you to take advantage of technology and grow your business faster. This isn't just about convenience; it's about accessing resources you previously could not and accelerating growth as a result.

With a hosted PBX your employees can focus on what they do best, not answering phones. Calls can be routed, automated to the right person, and run through an auto-attendant to reduce reliance on human operators. Your phone system can be integrated with email as well as your CRM for effective communications sharing, and boundaries disappear as employees have access to phone lines, voicemail, and conference tools from anywhere in the world.

To put it it simply, hosted PBX is a key driver of business growth for many small and medium sized businesses today and is an opportunity for businesses like yours to benefit from what is quickly become a standard across communications for most companies. Consider updating your phone system today to let your business grow up and join the technological revolution in communications.