CloudPhone Blog

As a small business owner and budding entrepreneur, you may live in a world of trepidation and skepticism. After all, securing VC funding, identifying angel investors and fine tuning your value proposition are no small feats. Throw in the fact that you need to determine which route to take technologically and your journey becomes even more challenging.

But one decision you make without worry is going all-in one the cloud, because the truth is that we are just scratching the surface when it comes to cloud communications. Just consider the following statistics aggregated by Silicon Angle: 

• By 2015, end-user spending on cloud services could be more than $180 billion
• By the end of this year, US businesses will spend more than $13 billion on cloud computing and managed hosting services
• 80 percent or cloud adopters reported improvements within six months of moving to the cloud

The benefits afforded by cloud communications run deep, which is why the cloud is no longer a possibility for the future but very much a movement of the present. One of the first moves fledgling companies are making in migrating to the cloud is adopting cloud-based phone systems. After all, businesses live and die by their ability to remain connected with their key stakeholders.

Entrusting your phone system with a cloud provider does not have to be a daunting task. In fact, teaming with the right provider opens up a door to infinite possibilities and advantages such as:

• Cost savings—instead of paying for the hardware, upgrades and maintenance associated with supporting your own business phone system you can rely on your provider to handle the CAPEX spend
• Increased functionality—such as a local telephone number, professional greeting and toll free number are all possible thanks to cloud communications
• A Leveled Playing Field—cloud communications lowers the barrier to entry for small businesses, allowing them to enjoy the same differentiators as large enterprises at the fraction of a cost.

Are you ready to make the jump into cloud communications but unsure of where to begin? Then click here so we can help you get started!

All signs indicate that the mobile forecast for the next few years is cloudy and getting cloudier. According to a recent Cisco study, we’re looking at an 11-fold increase in mobile cloud traffic by 2018. And cloud applications will account for 90 percent of mobile data by that same year. Business leaders everywhere are embracing cloud technology and trusting it to facilitate an increasing number of essential services 

So, what’s all the fuss about cloud technology? For starters, the cloud is incredibly easy to install and maintain. An enterprise might have several apps and thousands of end users spread across the globe. Apps need to be updated and installed on mobile devices—and this can easily be accomplished right in one location and distributed to remote employees or customers.

The cloud is also cost effective. Without the cloud, a company has to pay for the necessary licenses for each end user in order to grant access to software. But with cloud technology a company can purchase licenses on an as needed, per usage basis. This number can be easily scaled when needed to accommodate sudden spikes or lulls in business.

Cloud communications are of course a big driver of mobile cloud traffic growth as remote working picks up speed and home offices become increasingly common. Cloud-based phone services are ideal for these mobile and remote workers, creating a seamless transition from traditional brick-and-mortar environments to effective collaboration from almost anywhere.

 The bottom line is that for a host of reasons, mobile cloud data traffic is booming with no end in sight. Are you ready to get your head in the cloud?

Whether you are new in the field or a seasoned professional, working as an IT consultant presents a unique set of challenges. This line of work rarely conforms to a 9 to 5 schedule and because networks and computers are now an integral part of so many businesses and homes, customers seem increasingly demanding.

With this in mind, consultants need to equip themselves with the proper tools to successfully juggle the needs of all of their customers. One such tool is a small business virtual phone, which can be extraordinarily useful in helping you meet the challenges you face. Here’s how:

Stay reachable

Whether it's a concern about costly downtime or a fear of losing important data, computer problems can evoke an incredible sense of panic from customers. These issues don’t always crop up during traditional business hours, but many times they need to be resolved quickly. With a virtual business-specific phone number, you stay reachable at all times without giving your personal cell number to clients. This is crucial to achieving a better work-life balance.

Look professional 

Projecting an aura of professionalism is critical even for small and microbusinesses with limited resources. A small business virtual phone provides the features of a legacy system—digital text greetings, extensions, auto attendants and more—without all the hardware and complexity. This way, when a new corporate prospect calls while you are busy on another job, the potential client forms a good first impression.

Conserve your cash

As any independent consultants knows, maintaining a trim budget is critical to success because company expenses come out of your pocket. Renting an office and paying for a legacy PBX system can eat away at money that would be better used on new equipment or expanding your client base. A small business virtual phone like Cloud Phone by Voxox, can help slash your overhead and boost profit.

Even for tech wizards like you, a convenient solution like a virtual phone can help you operate more efficiently and as you know, everybody needs a little help sometimes. 

Have any questions or stories? Leave a comment below or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Google+.

It’s Friday afternoon and the beautiful weather has you dreaming about sneaking out of the office to meet your buddies for a quick round of golf. You’re entitled to a little work-life balance; you work hard to keep your company thriving.

But what if a critical business call comes in while you are out smacking that little white ball around? You simply can’t afford to leave your small business office without remaining reachable to clients and colleagues.

A cloud communications application lets you enjoy your afternoon round without worrying that you might be missing a crucial or message back at the office. When customers call your business-specific phone number, they are greeted by an auto attendant that presents them with menu options. If they need to speak with you directly, they simply punch in an extension—the same way they would with a wire-based enterprise system—and the call rings to your mobile device.

Additionally, a cloud communications application provides features like:

• Business-class voicemail-to-email notification
• Voicemail transcription
• Instant conference calling   
• Easily accessible and adjustable web-based settings

A cloud-based system is maintained by a third-party vendor, meaning it is inherently reliable even during storms or other disasters. Best of all, with just one low monthly service fee to pay each month, you avoid installation and maintenance costs as well.

So as you’re making pars and birdies this summer, ensure you have the tools necessary to keep your company headed straight down the fairway. Because sometimes when you sneak out of the office and onto the golf course, important business follows you right out onto the first tee.

When you call your cable provider with a billing question or a major retail corporation for product information, what do you expect to hear?

First, you will probably receive an automated greeting, thanking you for calling the company’s contact center. Next, there will probably be a list of extension options to help you reach whatever department you need. At that point you’ll be connected to the department you choose and will either speak with a company employee or leave a voicemail if no one is available.

As the owner of your own microbusiness, you’d love it if you could greet your customers like a Fortune 500 Company. Unfortunately, there simply isn’t room in your budget to project that kind of corporate image…right? As a matter of fact, a small business phone system can give you a big business presence at a price you can manage. With a phone system designed specifically for businesses like yours, you can get:

• A free business-specific local phone number you can give to customers instead of your personal mobile number
• An auto-attendant that welcomes callers with a greeting you can customize digitally
• Extensions you can designate for various departments or individuals within your company 

In addition to this impressive functionality, cloud-based phone systems are maintained by the vendor, meaning you will avoid installation and maintenance costs. You pay one low monthly bill for a suite of features sure to impress prospects and existing clients alike. Systems maintained in the cloud also make settings accessible through the Web which allows you to access and adjust your settings at any time.

So if you’ve been holding off on adopting a small business phone system for your company, keep in mind that although the best things in life might not always be free, they aren’t prohibitively expensive either.

Starting your own business can be thrilling, nerve-wracking, and terrifying—all at once. While no secret formula for guaranteed success exists, common characteristics are pervasive in many of these startups and the entrepreneurs who created them. Here are a few:

Discipline

Most new businesses have limited resources and have to disperse them with great care. Don’t waste money printing 5,000 business cards for two employees operating a company from a living room and don’t waste cash on a complex, legacy phone system when a small business virtual phone has everything you’ll need.

Delegation

You are going to learn pretty quickly that once you have even a bit of success, it’s going to be difficult to do everything yourself. You have to be able to delegate work and trust that it will get done correctly and to do that, you have to make the right hires. Don’t skimp on background checks and the interview process  so that you can be as close to 100 percent sure about a candidate before making a commitment.

Drive

A strong work ethic is important in any job but is particularly pervasive in founders of new businesses. You have to be willing to put in some long days but also have the focus to know where your energy needs to be directed at any given time.

Dedication

It’s a near certainty that you are going to hit some hiccups as a startup and that some sacrifices will be necessary. Although the most successful startups have created billionaires, initially founders and CEOs don’t rake in the big bucks. In fact, 66 percent of Silicon Valley founders pay themselves less than $50,000 per year. But if you truly believe in what you are selling, after a few years of modest earning you may find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

‘Daptability

OK fine: We cheated a little here. But adaptability is so important we couldn’t leave it out. To achieve startup success, you have to be flexible in your approach to product development, branding strategy and pretty much anything else. No business plan goes 100 percent perfectly; the key is making sound adjustments as you go.

Have another ‘D’ that’s essential for startups? Let us know in the comment section! 

Whether you are working on fixing a customer’s broken cabinet, cleaning gutters, repaving a cracked walkway or any other job, the common denominator is that you are out working in different locations. As professional “Mr. Fix It,” you do all kinds of work for your clients, from month-long major projects to quick emergency repairs and you need a small business phone system.

Considering how much time you spend out and about, spending money on a brick-and-mortar office doesn’t make much sense. Still, even if you decide to forego a traditional office, you need to be reachable to potential and existing customers. For instance, if you are out working on a roof somewhere, you probably aren’t going to want to reach down and answer a call coming in from a client who needs a walkway repaved.

That is where a small business phone system comes in to play. Rather than wasting money on space and equipment you don’t need and will never use, you can get a business-specific number using just your existing mobile number. Additionally, you can set up professional greetings for incoming callers and customize them any way you want by accessing your settings through the Internet. The entire system is maintained by the vendor in the cloud, so you don’t have to worry about setup or maintenance.

On any given day, you could spend a morning putting in a new mailbox for one customer, an afternoon across town fixing a garage door, and the evening hours repainting a family’s living room. So you need communications capability that fits your mobile work life while also providing big business phone features. Because as you well know, you aren’t called a handyman because you sit on your hands—you are paid to use them.

Imagine you are a New York-based tax attorney with a sterling reputation in all five boroughs. Recently, some of your longtime clients have retired to Florida and have been referring friends to you. Because of the years of good work you’ve done for your customers you are being presented with a tremendous opportunity to expand your client base. Some of these new prospects, however, may be a little thrown off having to call long distance to reach you. 

Fortunately, with today’s technological solutions you can get a business-specific local phone number from a cloud-based phone service to put new customers at ease. Best-in-class solutions make it easy by requiring just a mobile number and 60 seconds of your time to set up your new number. Now, when your loyal customers from up north recommend you to their new friends in the Sunshine State, the new prospects don’t have to worry about dialing to an unfamiliar area code and you don’t have to worry about losing out to a competitor solely based on geography.

As an added bonus, local small business virtual phone numbers powered by cloud-base phone services offer features that give you big business presence, including:

• Auto attendants that greet callers professionally
• Multiple extensions for different departments, even if each department is really just you
• Business-class voicemail to email to ensure no client messages are ever missed

So don’t lose out on new business over something as small as a few digits in a phone number. After all, you don’t need to be in the same city or state to provide great service to your clients—all you need is the talent and expertise you bring wherever you go.

This summer, will your small business explode like a Roman candle on July 4, or fizzle out like a dud? Here are a few ways to light up your small business with a robust suite of cloud communications solutions:

Increase productivity:  You may be busy, but business continues even when you leave the office. Contacts need to be able to reach you wherever you go. The cloud will give you the ability to carry around your enterprise communications solutions at all times, so you never miss a crucial call or voicemail.  

Cut costs: The costs of maintenance and installation prices for on-premises phone equipment is staggering. It’s much easier—and cheaper—to pay a small monthly fee and gain access to fully baked feature set than to pay for new equipment and make upgrades. You will also avoid the hefty costs of network downtime, which is difficult for a business of any size to recover from.

Leverage big business features: When a customer tries to reach you, they should not be able to tell you are a small business with six employees or a Fortune 500 company. Features such as an auto attendant, voicemail to email transcription and the ability to route calls to other members of your team will add a processional touch to your operation that will let you look like a much bigger business. 

The stats don’t lie: In a recent study, 70 percent of respondents indicated that the cloud can deliver efficiencies and cost savings. So, are you ready to make the great migration to a cloud-based phone and watch your profits explode skyward like Independence Day fireworks?

Launching a startup business requires a significant amount of planning and could sometimes feel like no matter how much you get done, another task looms. Starting a business takes meticulous planning and extraordinary determination—so we thought we’d help out a bit. Here are a few items to make absolutely certain that are checked off your list as you get ready to launch:

Figure out finances for at least a year

Sure, your company could explode immediately, but chances are it is going to take a little while to gain momentum. Prepare for your first year as if you’ll have almost no revenue. Make sure you have enough capital for business expenses and enough money saved to live on.

Get Social Now, Not Later

You should have your company up on social media on the day of your launch. These channels help give you credibility and give people a quick, fun, easy way to check out your product. If you wait until your product is launched, setting up these pages is likely to take a back seat to other tasks and may be rushed or not done at all.

Have your small business phone system ready to go

Once your product launches you are going to be making and receiving a lot of phone calls. Giving out your personal mobile number projects an unprofessional image you don’t want. A cloud-based phone system, however, can provide many of the same features as an enterprise system at a fraction of the cost.

Network, network, network

As a startup, the greatest assets you have are the people you know. That includes friends, family, former co-workers, college professors—anyone who might be able to make an introduction to a potential contact or customer. Don’t push the people in your social circle to buy anything, simply ask about possible connections that could make your first few months a little easier. 

Want to add something to our checklist? Tell us about it in the comment section!