Natural disasters are on the rise, affecting more and more people every year. According to a study from the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in 2023, the United States experienced 28 separate weather and climate disasters costing at least $1 billion dollars each. Up to 2023, that’s the largest number of billion-dollar disasters in a calendar year. This fact is even more true for those living in Tampa and the southeast. Hurricanes and tropical storms are devastating yearly occurrences that disrupt countless lives and make running a business even more unpredictable. This needs to be said upfront: talking about a phone system in relation to disaster preparedness isn’t like ambulance chasers after accidents, either. It’s to inform you of what’s available to you so you can protect the future of your business. A Tampa business phone system from Centratel is here to keep you connected regardless of what’s happening.
What is a Business Phone System?
A business phone system is the cornerstone of communication solutions that enable businesses to manage their phone calls, messages, and other communication channels. A business phone system can be a traditional on-premises system, a basic business phone system, or a cloud-based solution. Most businesses have moved away from on-premise solutions since they tend to be more complex and expensive than cloud-based options. A modern cloud-based business phone system provides a centralized platform for employees to communicate with each other and customers.
Types of Business Phone Systems
Before discussing the current state of business phone systems in detail, there’s something to be said for the longevity of analog telephone lines. They’ve been the rock of worldwide communication since they were first patented in 1876 and offered as a service. The reign of analog lines couldn’t last forever, but since they’ve been deregulated by the FCC in the United States, it’s only a matter of time before they’re extinct.
Our internet infrastructure’s stability and exponential growth have created a boom of technological advancements. The distribution of systems and services through the cloud, a complex network of connected data centers, for on-demand access has allowed cutting-edge communication features to be available to the masses. That means businesses of any size have a level playing field regarding their communication platforms. What once was available only to enterprises through sizeable, on-premise phone systems is now cloud-based and is accessed through a subscription model.
Cloud phone systems have emerged as modern alternatives to traditional landline and on-premise PBX systems. They offer benefits such as cost savings, flexibility, mobility, and enhanced call management features that improve team collaboration and streamline communication.
This technological shift has introduced redundancies and reliability that permit systems to function even during a disaster. The redundancies you can access now are considerably more complicated with purely on-premise systems.
VoIP (Voice over IP)
The basis of most business communication is VoIP, which relies on a stable internet connection for transport and communication delivery. Ditching copper and embracing digital communication delivery offers many of the same features as a traditional telco service, including voicemail messages, caller ID, call forwarding, and more. VoIP utilizes internet protocol for cost-effective voice communication and integrates various communication channels, such as video conferencing and messaging. Having multiple connections to run your business would introduce more possible ways for things to fail but VoIP isn’t the new kid on the block; it’s a well-established technology and has been in heavy use for over 20 years.
UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service)
Now it’s time to get into the star of the show when protecting your Tampa business phone system during outages. UCaaS is a cloud-based business communications software that integrates voice with channels like text messaging, chats, video conferencing, and more, including a versatile cloud phone system. UCaaS starts with VoIP to power its voice needs but adds value by bundling additional channels into a single piece of software. Instant messaging is a crucial feature within UCaaS, enhancing collaboration and streamlining workflows. This unified platform makes running your business smoother and gives customers more ways of contacting you. According to a recent Salesforce study, 65 percent of customers expect companies to adapt to their changing needs and preferences.
Screen sharing is another key feature that facilitates video meetings and team collaboration, making UCaaS an essential tool for modern, remote working environments.
Benefits of a Business Phone System
A business phone system, especially UCaaS, can help businesses streamline communication and collaboration. The pandemic supercharged the growth in ways customers interact with businesses, and having a business phone system that can accommodate these changing needs is more important than ever. The unintended benefit of these needs is a communication infrastructure that can be used anywhere and with any device. Integrating phone service with other communication tools like video and chat leads to better integration and cost efficiency for businesses.
A key feature of business phone systems is unlimited domestic calling, particularly appealing to startups and small teams looking for cost-effective and versatile solutions.
UCaaS can improve customer service by providing a centralized platform for managing calls and messages without searching for information across multiple systems. Additionally, a hosted business phone system can help businesses reduce costs by eliminating the need for new hardware, specifically because the use of softphone computer applications or mobile apps come standard with UCaaS platforms.
Scalability and Flexibility
As discussed earlier, the power to scale and move as needed is quite the benefit compared to the traditional limitations of a non-hosted business phone system. For example, you have a new employee and could have an extension set up and a softphone available to them within minutes, all managed through a web management portal. You may have a business with seasonal staff and need to add and remove users at will, but now you can easily do so. You need a system that grows with you and adapts to the everyday changes that businesses go through.
Another important factor is a business continuity plan that includes an extensive disaster recovery plan. Those in south Florida need disaster recovery scenarios discussed and accounted for so their businesses survive the inevitable hurricane. A study from FEMA found that 43 percent of small businesses never reopen after a disaster. For these plans to be effective, you must run drills with your Tampa business phone system and make adjustments based on staff turnover or availability. Additionally, the usability of both the mobile and desktop app plays a crucial role in overall satisfaction for users who may be displaced due to a natural disaster, particularly businesses with up to 100 employees.
Related content: Benefits of a Business Continuity Plan
Security and Reliability
When you invite a UCaaS phone system into your business, you get the pleasure of experiencing unmatched reliability because it is cloud-based. Here’s an example everyone is familiar with: You want to stream a movie on Netflix, search for what you want to watch, and press play. That movie isn’t loaded anywhere on your network, but it plays instantly. Your subscription pays for the convenience of connecting and being entertained no matter where you are. UCaaS is just as reliable. It’s full-featured and ready to be used wherever you are.
The managed service provider (MSP) you choose to work with maintains the necessary updates and security needed to keep the system up and running at all times. This is a huge relief for anyone who’s maintained technology before because it’s difficult to do yourself.
Centratel Protects Your Business with Consistent Business Communication
Preparing for a disaster isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. The best part is that you don’t need to go about planning it alone. At Centratel, we’ve been helping businesses secure their IT infrastructure for years and are experts in preparing your Tampa business phone system for any situation that may come. Contact us today! There’s no time like the present to start securing your future.