Regardless how powerful the technology, some consumers will always resist. With hosted PBX, for instance, the technology has existed for years, yet some refuse to switch despite the promised savings and features. Hello Operator, a section of the VoIP- and telecom-consulting firm Software Advice, recently conducted a survey to unveil the causes of such consumer hesitation. For your reference below, they discovered the top consumer concerns and misconceptions surrounding hosted PBX this year.
THE TOP HOSTED PBX CONCERNS
Surprisingly, 71% of survey participants could not define VoIP without a context. This indicates a massive barrier providers must tackle – ignorance. For many users, landline is the tried-and-true form of communication, and in order to challenge this mentality, providers must demonstrate the versatility and resilience of hosted PBX. For instance, users seemingly fear power failures, yet armed with a UPS and gateway, hosted PBX fits right into a business’ disaster recovery plan.
Similarly, as an internet service, consumers dread potential call quality issues, particularly in large environments. Although there are a number of known service quirks, there are also simple ways to troubleshoot them. The same goes for security: Users can encrypt calls (if the provider does not do so) and set passwords to lockdown information. Choosing the right device too – hard phone versus softphone – can affect security. These things relate to knowledge: The more consumers know about hosted PBX, the less reluctant they will be.
Lastly, some consumers worry about dialing limitations. Most hosted PBX systems, however, support a plethora of call devices, including old landline components and smartphones. Thanks to call routing and forwarding, hosted PBX is actually one of the most open and convenient communication platforms. By equipping a system with the proper hardware and software, then, all worries outlined above can be discarded and forgotten.
