There are many reasons why a business might decide to implement a virtual phone system
but ultimately it is because these systems make increased efficiency a possibility and enable
a business to grow on any scale without affecting communication or functionality.
Extensions, routing calls and managing customers are all options with the virtual system.
There are perhaps two most common forms of the system, which include the virtual PBX
system and the self-hosted version and there are specific benefits that come from using each.
Which system will work best for you will depend very much upon your business and how it
works, and of course what you require from your system.
Deciding which system to install for your business
To decide which system you wish to install it is important to know the advantages of each so that
you can choose the one that suits you best. If you choose a virtual PBX system then you will be
working with a phone system that is predominantly used in smaller organisations and takes no time
to set up. A decent internet connection and IP phones are all that you will need to set up this system
and then an internet admin panel can be set up to manage the calls. The difference between that and
the self-hosted system is where the exchange server is located, In smaller organisations that use the
virtual OBX system, it is held off site but for self-hosted PBX systems it is held on site as the organisations
that typically use these are much larger and therefore have both the requirement and the capacity.
The costs associated with the virtual PBX system
As might be expected, the virtual PBX system is somewhat cheaper, mainly because the server is
shared with other users, as is the equipment that accompanies it. This makes it even more beneficial
for smaller businesses with smaller budgets. If your business should grow so that you require more
users, this is possible by adding on extensions to the system at a marginal cost. Whilst the number
of calls you make at the same time may be limited, it is still possible to make some multiple calls.
The costs of installing a self-hosted system
With the alternative, self-hosted system, you will require more software and more equipment and so
more space to house everything that you need. With this comes greater installation costs and you might
require additional software if you want to maximise on the number of calls you wish to be able to place
simultaneously. Once all this is added up you should expect to pay more than you would with the virtual
system and so self-hosted systems are usually more suitable for larger firms with larger budgets.
Limitations that every organisation should be aware of before making a decision
It is important to note, though, that there are certain risks associated with using the virtual system,
resulting from the fact that the server is located off site and so the user has no direct control over it.
This lack of control does increase the risk of security and makes the reliability of the system more of
an issue. Equally, there are issues with the self-hosted system, in that having the server located on
site makes its maintenance an issue for the organisation to manage, which can be quite expensive
over time.
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