GUIDE: How to Choose the Best Business Phone System

Before we look at how to choose the best business phone system, let’s highlight why many businesses are frustrated with their current landline (i.e. on-site PBX) phone system: High Up-Front Costs: Landline phone systems are very costly to purchase, install and maintain. No Cost Certainty: Costs can fluctuate significantly from month to month based on factors like domestic long-distance calls. This makes budgeting and forecasting difficult and risky. Lack of Scalability: If theRead More…

EOL (End of Life Announcement): Cisco Unified Communications Manager

“And now, the end is near…” for Cisco Unified Communications Manager v11.5 When it comes to updating software and hardware for either personal or business applications, not everyone makes it a priority to be the first on the block. After all, the rule of “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” serves most of us in our day-to-day lives. It only becomes a priority to replace our car, television, computer, and such when they are no longer functional for our needs or flat out stop working.Read More…

Will the United States get involved in an International Cyber War?

The facts on the frequency and cost of cyberwar and data breaches all speak to the reality that the current cybersecurity approach is fundamentally flawed, and the problem appears to be worsening. Hackers recently gained access to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s computers and targeted the energy sector, with the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack affecting 45 percent of the East Coast’s gasoline supply. Recent rhetoric from a member of the House Committee on Science, Space, and TRead More…

Features in Our Cloud Business Phone Service Offers That You Might Not Know About

4 Surprising Features in Our Cloud Business Phone Service (Hint: They Have Nothing to Do with Phone Calls!) Surprises come in two versions. There is the “wow, how exciting and wonderful!” variety. And then there is the “oh please let this be a bad dream that I’m about to wake up from!” kind (otherwise known as the “birthday party from hell”). Well, here at Carolina Digital Phone we are all about giving our customers delightful surprises. And with this in mind, we are pleased toRead More…

Why Switching to a VoIP Small Business Phone System is a HUGE Money Saver

While some larger organizations can afford to waste money (at least for a little while), most small businesses do not have much margin for error. If they fail to keep a close eye on the bottom line, then they eventually will fold. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: Approximately 20 percent of small businesses fail within 12 months of launching. A further 10 percent disappear within 24 months. Another 20 percent are gone within 36 months. Yet another 20 percent bid farewelRead More…

Customer Service Above and Beyond

Fleet-Plummer is a family business that was founded in 1949 as a hardware store in Greensboro, North Carolina, and remains one of the Triad’s oldest retail stores. Over the years, Fleet-Plummer has grown into an eclectic lifestyle retail destination that offers anything you need for gracious living with Southern style. https://videos.files.wordpress.com/tcG8u9gQ/fleet-plummer-testimonial_mov_hd.mp4 While they offer everything from grills and patio furniture to greeting cards and jewelry,Read More…

Why Your Hybrid Workplace Needs VoIP+Unified Communications

Before the pandemic, there were generally two types of workers. There were those who worked in the corporate office, and there were those who worked in their home office. Now though, there is a third type of worker that HR experts say will dominate the workforce landscape for the foreseeable future: the hybrid worker. This individual spends time in both environments (e.g. Monday and Wednesday in the corporate office; Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday in their home office). The term for this configurRead More…

8 Massive Benefits of Working Remotely with a Virtual Phone System

The pandemic has ushered into a new era of remote working. Until early 2020, remote working was generally viewed as an optional perk. But since then, it has shifted into a fundamental necessity. A recent survey has found that 40% of remote workers would consider quitting if they were forced to return to the office full-time. In response to this change in work habits, organizations of all sizes and across all sectors —private, public, and non-profit — have pivoted towards tools and technolRead More…

How to Sell Management on a New IP-Based Phone System

An Internet Protocol (IP)-based phone system is much more than a few new phones plugged into your network. It transforms your phone system into a next-generation communications hub, complete with cutting-edge technologies that let your organization deliver better customer service while cutting costs. An IP-based phone system piggybacks on your IP network, connecting to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) via your internet connection. Use this checklist to sell management on a new IP-basRead More…

Is 3CX Really Free?

No, nothing is ever really free, even if it might seem that way at first glance. Many businesses today are making the move to cloud-based telephone services, and you might be tempted to do the same. Most cloud-based services run on either SIP trunking or VoIP protocol, basically using virtual connections, instead of wires and cables and using existing internet connection cables to convert audio into data to be transported. This can have many advantages. Landlines are quickly becoming a thing of Read More…