Is your phone system working for you?

In a world bursting with chatbots, communication platforms and other technology intended to streamline comms and customer service, the telephone still reigns as an efficient, clear and personal method of communication.

That being said, you want to be sure that the phone system you’re operating is fulfilling your business needs and guaranteeing the best communication for your organisation. Does your existing system integrate properly with other apps and communication platforms you rely on? Does it properly support your remote workforce? Are you satisfied with the security it offers, and its backup features (if it has any)?

If you’re not sure that your current system is fit for purpose, it may be time to consider alternative providers to find the one that meets your requirements.

Time for a change

For those looking to sample a new phone system, 3CX is offering new customers (as well as existing customers that upgrade to v18) a year’s free hosting, making this the ideal opportunity to trial its services. 3CX will manage the whole operating system, so all you need to worry about is delivering the perfect communications platform for your business.

Some highlights of v18’s new features include improved apps for mobile workers, integration with Microsoft Teams and world-leading video call technology.

This means you can take advantage of a phone system that’s ideal for remote working. You can connect all employees, eliminating inter-office call charges in the process, and that means free office calls for your workers no matter where they are.

What’s more, you can easily create and manage extensions for remote workers, while apps for Windows, web, iOS and Android means people stay connected to the same high level no matter where they are or what device they’re using.

You’re in charge

So, what does “Hosted by 3CX” mean in practice? In short, it removes the burden of day-to-day OS management.

3CX will deploy your instance to DigitalOcean, a tier one cloud infrastructure provider with a 99.99% service level agreement, and automatically configure firewall rules for you.

It will then manage potential time-drains such as security patches and OS upgrades. That means your 3CX instance will be kept on the latest (non-beta) update, so you can benefit from upgrades as soon as they happen. And you don’t need to worry about the latest security threats, as 3CX’s team will ensure you stay protected.

3CX has even created a dedicated support team for its hosted customers, with 24/5 support (European Standard Time) and on-call support during weekends for emergencies. There’s a forum, live chat and a dedicated email address (hosted@3cx.com).

Backups and your data

3CX will also take nightly backups – at around 2am local time of the instance – which are then encrypted and stored in Google Cloud.

However, it’s crucial to note that 3CX takes pains to protect the privacy of your data. So things like call history and voicemails will always be under your control – this means you should create your own backup plan and save it outside of the instance.

This separation of data and operating system makes it easy for you to migrate your instance to a different hosting provider or even an on-premises system if you prefer. At the end of your free year’s hosting, it’s simple to migrate as you see fit. You’re always in control.

What’s next

After you have enjoyed a year’s free hosting, you can decide whether to stick with Hosted by 3CX or switch to an on-premises solution or your own choice of private cloud provider.

Hosting is offered for free for Standard, Pro and Enterprise licences, of all 3CX editions up to 32 simultaneous calls (SC). That means Hosted by 3CX is often the most cost-effective way of enjoying 3CX, with a 24SC Enterprise licence (for instance) costing £925 exc VAT on its own. Choose Hosted by 3CX and it costs a mere £300 per year.

It also means you don’t need to choose the Standard licence when you really want Pro, as the costs are the same no matter what. Instead, you only need to calculate how many simultaneous calls you need.

If you’re interested, new customers can simply select “Hosted by 3CX” while initiating their 3CX trial. Existing on-premise and private cloud installations can switch to 3CX’s hosted service directly from the customer portal – simply click on “Reinstall” under “My Subscriptions” and follow the steps.

Visit www.3cx.com/pbx/hosted to find out more