The widespread adoption of cloud technology by businesses has affected the communications industry just as much, if not more, than others.
One of the most transformative effects has been the emergence and use of cloud phone numbers by organisations of every type and scale.
Cloud numbers are set to become the standard, as the cloud communications market size is forecast to hit $96 billion by 2023.
What is Cloud Number?
A cloud number is virtual, meaning it is not tied to a physical location via copper lines like traditional phone numbers.
Before internet telephony became a viable way to communicate, phone numbers were assigned to physical phone lines linked to local exchanges.
These exchanges connected them to the wider network so the number would call when someone dialed it. These exchanges will soon be obsolete.
Cloud phone numbers are used in internet protocol (IP) networks such as Blueface’s own, freeing them from their location dependency. Think of a cloud phone number as a web address. They are also called IP phone numbers or virtual phone numbers.
Number Pointing
When you type a web address or URL into your browser, you’re taken to the website which that URL is ‘pointed’ at. Similarly, cloud phone numbers are ‘pointed’ at a device, such as a desk phone.When a cloud phone number is dialed, the devices which it is linked to will ring. This ability to link a single cloud-number to multiple devices in real time grants users unprecedented flexibility.
The Business End
The most obvious benefit of a phone number which does not require a physical phone line is the reduction in line rental costs.
Physical lines are required by analogue systems to work. It’s unavoidable that service providers charge for them.
Removing line rental from your phone bill is a consideration for every organisation but we arrived at a point some time ago where the merits of a cloud phone number go far beyond your bottom line.
Similar to cloud computing, data analysis is transforming business today. Understanding the information which your business processes generate uncovers inefficiencies you can improve upon.
Cloud phone numbers allow for real-time call history analysis.
Team leaders can ensure that sales reps are receiving an equal amount of inbound calls or that review how many support calls are made it a month. Marketing managers can assess the ROI of campaigns through precise sales call reports.
More importantly, cloud or virtual phone numbers allow you to act on those insights to significantly improve your team’s day to day work habits. You can apply specific business rules when numbers ring.
Conditions based on time of day or input from the caller can route the call to different users.
Example!
You may have an out-of-hours support team located at a different site, maybe even in another country. Setting your support number to auto-switch over each day is a fairly simple use of a cloud numbering.Colleagues who work from home or on the go can make use of virtual phone numbers to stay always contactable.
The real power that virtual numbering provides is the ability to edit these business rules in real time. Previously, if an employee joined or left a company adding a number to your account for them or reusing their previous number for someone else could be a hassle.
Now, if you wish to edit where a cloud phone number ‘points’ or what happens when it is dialed, you can do so in real time via an online Blueface UC Platform.
Communications is a critical business service; start dynamically molding it to your businesses needs with cloud phone numbers today!
Get in touch with our communication experts at sales@blueface.com, use live chat or leave your details here and we will be in touch with you!
