Since modernization is a mainstay of competition, offices stuck on landlines are at an immediate disadvantage. 82 percent of CPAs say they don’t believe they’re future-ready – well keeping up on office tech can help. For starters, outdated landline technology not only ages one’s practice, it also eats away at a monthly budget. Here are some ways ditching old phones for a modern office phone system can help improve margins and lower overhead, regardless of the size of one’s accounting office.
Lower Phone Bills
First things first – let’s talk monthly costs. If a business phone system is landline-based, then it’s transmitting voice over the designated landline cables – a much more expensive choice than VoIP voice transmission. Business VoIP systems transmit voice over the internet and route calls through a virtual PBX, resulting in greater flexibility and lower costs.
In addition, businesses using a cloud PBX system pay for only what they need. They can add or remove users simply by changing their subscription and enjoy advanced features as part of a standard subscription – instead of paying à la carte for each.
All in all, we’ve seen businesses cut their phone bills in half by switching to VoIP. What better way to start offering more competitive pricing than by saving money elsewhere?
“Why are accountants always so calm, composed, and methodical? They have strong internal controls.” – Business Insider
Cut Down on Support Time and Costs
The savings don’t stop at the monthly subscription. Landlines are operating on 30-year-old technology, and the wear is starting to show. Businesses now need landline maintenance frequently and repairing aging technology isn’t cheap. Between the technical support calls, contracted work and any phone downtime before the problem’s fixed, businesses face considerable losses to keep a landline system afloat.
A hosted PBX system, by contrast, is owned and operated by a VoIP provider. All equipment maintenance, upgrades and repairs, therefore, are generally the provider’s responsibility. Aside from cutting repair costs and downtime, regular updates ensure your phone system advances as new technology emerges; accounting offices using VoIP often save money by adopting a modern and continually advancing system. The resulting wider margins can go toward lowering client fees to beat out competitors.
Streamline Processes with Modern Technology
Upgrading your phone system to a modern solution can also improve an accounting office’s productivity, which helps keep costs low. VoIP PBXs are much more flexible and powerful than traditional ones. For example, companies can immediately direct calls exactly where they need to go with the help of a VoIP IVR and customized routing. Getting calls to the correct recipient right away helps cut down on call time and transfers.
VoIP-CRM integration also cuts call times by providing employees with more information to help them contextualize and expedite calls. Viewing a client’s company information, call history and past invoices cuts down on initial questions (i.e., “what is your account number?”) and helps your reps make more successful phone calls in less time.
Other time-savers like VoIP faxing and voicemail-to-email capabilities also help improve productivity. With VoIP, employees can send faxes straight from their email and review voice messages on their computer, helping them address important ones faster. Optimizing employee time and productivity helps improve margins and make room for more competitive client pricing.
Upgrading Your Business Phone System
Interested in switching, but wondering how to begin? Luckily, VoIP is internet-based, which makes it quite easy to implement – at 4Voice, we even offer free installation when you sign a contract with us. Check out some more cost benefits of adopting 4Voice’s VoIP solutions as you research options.
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