By Joseph DeCiantis
In the past, hotels relied on a lot of equipment to run their property communication/phone system. PBXs supported the phone lines that delivered the service to the property. But we are long past those days. As time progressed, the internet and the cloud changed everything; today, it is as ubiquitous as the light bulb.
The digitization of the world continues to enhance businesses, but not as much as it enhances the customer experience, especially in the hotel industry. Many technology companies provide software and services that deliver and change how our customers interact with the world when on property.
Today’s communication systems are no different. The cost of maintaining the equipment that supports existing legacy phone systems has skyrocketed in the last several years as parts become harder to obtain. New FCC requirements demand change to accommodate new features, such as the Suicide Hotline. Unfortunately, many older properties continue to use legacy systems, and that legacy equipment is quickly moving toward the end of its life cycle.
If we add in the fact that hoteliers have gone through one of the most significant downturns in history, with many still rebuilding their business base with an eye on returning to the profitability of the past. Older property owners knew they would need to replace older equipment, but other priorities have pushed that need to the background.
If you are in either category, you may be losing sleep over losing your existing phone system, particularly if you’ve needed to repair or upgrade that system more than once.
Making the Transition to Cloud Communications
If you aren’t a telecommunication specialist, the idea of switching your phone system can be a daunting task. Hotel managers or owners likely inherited a phone system installed before their time. From a service standpoint, knowing whom to call when something goes wrong is challenging for some. But what if you could reduce costs and streamline your front desk and operations?
Best-in-class cloud phone systems offer voice-over-IP (VOIP) and hosted cloud services at a fraction of the cost of old PBX systems. In addition, flexible pricing plans are available for any hotel, regardless of size. If you don’t have the capital to replace your PBX, that’s ok. There are solutions for this issue.
When looking to replace your PBX, it is essential to consider solutions that provide hosted PBX and VOIP services. In addition, look for flexible pricing that fits your hotel’s needs.
Flexible Pricing Plans
Our goal has always been to provide cloud-based communication systems that could be easily installed, updated via the cloud, and easily repaired. Bringing together these services under the purview of one vendor provides an efficient, scalable, and fully supported solution. If you need to work with several vendors to ensure your phone system keeps running, you also have multiple vendors you need to pay every month.
Every hotel is different and unique, which means providing different paths to upgrade old equipment. With that, the core of all plans should include the complete phone system with installation, all the PBX features you are familiar with, plus ongoing software updates, call paths, and no charge calling within the U.S. Â In addition, it should also include 24/7 support and it should support your hotel regardless of size.
Hoteliers should have options that allow them to select pricing plans that can meet their objectives. These should include plans geared toward hoteliers looking to reduce their monthly telecom spend or alternatively allow hoteliers to replace their phone system even if they have a limited CAPEX budget. Lastly, there should be an avenue for hotels that need a new phone system but are locked into a contract with their carrier services.
Finally, identify where the cloud communication providers host their services. Amazon’s AWS cloud infrastructure ensures your hotel has access to the world’s leading cloud technology.
If you’ve discovered the need to repair or update your old PBX, don’t do it. The costs needed to fix or update your old equipment will far exceed what you would pay for a new cloud communications system. So, before you begin your next budget cycle, or before that old equipment gives up the ghost, consider the alternatives available today. Your bottom line will thank you and once you have broken free of your legacy equipment, you will no longer need to stay awake at night wondering if your PBX is going to make it another year.
