Good communication is at the heart of almost every successful business. Customers need to be able to contact you, employees need simple ways to work together, and important information needs to reach the right people wherever they happen to be working. The good news is that modern business communications solutions no longer require complicated telephone systems or expensive infrastructure. Even a small business can build a professional communications platform using cloud services that can grow alongside it.
For most businesses, professional email is the natural starting point. Instead of relying on personal or free email accounts, services such as Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online give staff business email, calendars and collaboration tools that can be accessed across computers, smartphones and tablets. Microsoft 365 can also bring communication and day-to-day productivity into the same environment, making it much easier for employees to share information and collaborate.
Voice communication is changing too. Traditional telephone lines are increasingly being replaced by IP Telephony and VoIP, allowing businesses to run their telephone service using an internet connection. A business number no longer has to be tied to a telephone sitting on one desk. Depending on the setup, employees can answer business calls from compatible desk phones or mobile applications, making VoIP particularly useful for small teams, hybrid workers and businesses operating from more than one location.
Your communication platform also needs reliable connectivity behind it. Business broadband provides the connection used by cloud services, video meetings and VoIP, while business SIM-only mobile services can keep employees connected while travelling or working away from the office. Rather than thinking about broadband, mobiles, email and phones as completely separate purchases, it makes sense to consider how they will work together as part of one communications strategy.
There is no single communications package that every organisation needs. A start-up with two people may initially need professional email, two mobile connections and a business telephone number, while a growing company might require Microsoft 365, multiple VoIP extensions, shared numbers, business broadband and mobile connectivity. 21st Webb can help businesses and start-ups put those pieces together, providing a range of communications and IT services from one supplier. If you are setting up a new business or reviewing an existing communications system, contact 21st Webb and we can help you identify the right combination for the way your team actually works.