Many companies stuck with legacy communications solutions wonder if switching over to a unified system is worth it. After all, they spent years building their systems, buying on-premise hardware, and figuring out how to make it all work together.

Will they be saving money by scrapping what they have and committing to a new cloud-based system? The short answer is yes. But psychologically, it can be tough to call it quits and start again. That's undeniable. It's important to understand where those cost savings will be coming from so you can make an informed decision about the way forward.

There are four fundamental ways that unified communication as a service (UCaaS) will save you money:

  • Phone bill reduction: Instead of tallying your call costs over the month, you’re charged one flat monthly connection fee. This fee serves unlimited local and long-distance calling, as well as free calls between offices and voicemail
  • Reduced upfront costs: No more expenses for upfront hardware. With a cloud-based system, you simply connect a system of sleek IP phones to your preexisting internet connection. Once done, you're ready to go
  • Built-in advanced features: No need to spend more on advanced features because they come with the service. These include video conferencing, caller ID, group chats and all the other exciting features that make modern communication systems such a game-changer
  • No IT staff requirements: The cloud provider handles all the technology. This means you no longer need a team of IT staff on hand to keep your system running. Any help or changes you need are only a click away

Taken together, those add up to substantial, ongoing cost savings that will make a big difference to your bottom line.

Superior Communications Bring Real-World Benefits

Companies with growth plans require a superior communications system that can support their ambitions. That was exactly the position that DDC OS found themselves in. The British-based business process outsourcing specialist saw great potential across the UK to really grow. But not without a centralised communications system, as competition was intensifying all the time.

"We needed to identify systems that support a consistently elevated customer experience for each channel," said Chrissie Spencer, the Head of Group Marketing. They found that with 8x8's groundbreaking X Series. The system gave them a single system of engagement across all contact channels. It transformed the customer experience, leading to higher revenues. Plus, there was no downtime experienced at all during the transition.

Managing director John Callahan was delighted to report that "the subscription pricing model means that we haven’t had to make capital expenditure or invest in infrastructure to support the system."

The Upside

It's important to not only think of immediate cost savings when doing your calculations. Bear in mind that greater efficiency means you’re able to serve more clients faster than ever before. You’re also able to keep track of all interactions with clients and suppliers. You can pinpoint where the bottlenecks are in your system. You can tell which agents are not performing well and where your communications are really succeeding.

This kind of efficiency and level of information are valuable and should add to your cost-saving efforts over time in the long run.

It goes without saying that happy clients are more likely to stick with your product or service over the long term. Better communications lead to savings and increased profitability, as problems are handled swiftly and efficiently.

Calculating Your Costs

No matter the size of your organization or the area that you work in, a cloud-based system offers a faster, more efficient, and cost-effective solution to your communication needs.

Of course, costs vary depending on several factors. For example:

  • The kind of industry you're in
  • Your location
  • Number of employees
  • The functional area of expertise

These are all factors that would influence how much you pay and what kind of solution you ultimately end up choosing.

8x8 has developed a very useful ROI calculator so you can figure out how much your organisation will potentially save by switching to a UCaaS solution. Give it a try and be amazed.

The cost savings that come with switching to UCaaS are undeniable. It may be hard to justify switching from your long-serving private branch exchange (PBX) system in the short term. But over time, there is no doubt that you will benefit from the ease of use, flexibility, and insights that come from communicating via the cloud.

Take a closer look at some of the plans and pricing for 8x8's X Series solutions.