Clear communication with customers has always been a crucial element for business success, and in the cloud era, it has never been more important. Today, businesses are becoming more dispersed as they continue to adopt more remote and hybrid working models. Internal business communication is becoming harder as workforces become less centralised, so it is vital for companies to level up their communications to keep up with shifting needs.
As a result, many enterprises are choosing to move their business operations into the cloud. This driven by the rise of “as-a-service” models like Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) platforms and hosted contact centres – also known as Contact Centre as a Service (CCaaS). These “Anything as a Service” models are opening the doors for the sector to branch out beyond traditional telecommunications carriers, as service providers and resellers seek to better serve enterprise customer demands and generate new revenue streams.
The other important driving force behind this move to cloud-based services is the upcoming shut-off of the copper cable-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). According to BT Openreach, the shutdown of this system is scheduled for 2025 in the UK, however many other European countries are scheduled to switch off their old network infrastructure in the coming years too. Whilepstn the shut-off of classic lines of communication may present challenges, it also offers new opportunities for enterprises and service providers alike. If service providers can adapt their offerings, they can provide new channels of communication for enterprise customers as they move over to a fully online, digital-based network using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
As technology changes, customer needs will also change. It is now an expectation, rather than just an appreciation, for customers to be able to talk with businesses without any technical interruption or issue. Seamless communication between businesses and customers is vital for both business efficiency and overall customer experience. With efficient cloud-based platforms and networks, service providers can offer enhanced communications to enterprises and seize the growing opportunities in this space.
What problems can arise?
The PSTN switch off is bound to bring some challenges for enterprises – it is a system that has been in place for decades to form the basis of communications infrastructure.
It is likely that many teams have not had the opportunity to work with VoIP before. This lack of experience may result in skills gaps within internal teams, making it harder for businesses to get started and expand into the world of cloud telephony. Without a knowledgeable partner, enterprises could get left behind.
If a business is to truly succeed in the new digital cloud landscape, they need to consider all the ways a customer might want to communicate with them. Email, SMS and Over-The-Top (OTT) messaging apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are all options that need to be thought about and addressed to provide the best possible service to the customer.
Despite these issues, moving to VoIP can allow service providers to open up new revenue streams whilst also giving enterprise customers more options to better serve their needs.
VoIP and finding the right partner
The right expert partner will be able to evaluate a business’ unique needs, then provide options for how best to address these in an optimised way. They should also be able to offer direct assistance with the switchover from PSTN to VoIP via SIP trunks. These SIP trunks create a multitude of opportunities in terms of integrating into different CCaaS, CPaaS and UCaaS platforms.
Perhaps one of the most important factors to consider is the need to align different communication methods, from email to SMS messaging, in a single omnichannel approach. A customer should be able to start a conversation with a business representative on one platform, then effortlessly move it to another with all the information from the previous communication trail readily available. If a business integrates 2-way voice and messaging into CCaaS platforms, all these methods of communication can be accessed and continued from one central location.
When cloud telephony is properly integrated into a UCaaS service like Microsoft Teams, users can send and receive phone calls as well as the usual messaging services. These calls can be made to mobiles or landlines, allowing businesses to use Teams on their laptop, tablet or phone as a central hub for all communication.
The right partner should offer all these options in a comprehensive white-label platform, enabling service providers to repackage it as their own. Providers that offer a Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) model have become increasingly popular for businesses, since they allow providers to make the most of their existing deals with carriers, whilst also integrating VoIP into UCaaS, CCaaS platforms. BYOC provides the best of both worlds.
The white-label platform should also offer a number of other features to help businesses thrive. It needs to provide the provisioning, managing and billing needed to grow voice communications no matter the business, alongside other features like fraud prevention. With a single, API-enabled platform, it is simple for service providers to provide enterprise customers with everything they need to take their cloud communications to the next level.
Moving forward with cloud
The cloud is currently, and will no doubt continue to be, at the forefront of the global business world.
Change on the scale of the PSTN switch-off can seem daunting at first, but businesses should think of it as a chance to take a step forward into a future of seamless and wide-reaching communications. With an expert partner by their side, enterprises and service providers can turn this seismic shift into an opportunity for new growth.
In a fully cloud-based future, there should be no limits on global communications.
