Phone systems are a necessary evil in most industries, and in the hotel industry, it serves as one of the most important aspects to demand your attention. Why? Because you're not only servicing your employees and people who call in to ask questions; your phone service allows guests to communicate with the outside world and within the hotel at a moment's notice. It can also enable guests to conduct business while staying at your hotel, which can be a huge selling point.
The problem is, the phone systems at most hotels have become stagnant. Many of them have been using the same phone system since being built, with small upgrades here and there to keep up with guest demand and some of the new technology that's become available. But even so, many hotels have avoided upgrading to a hosted IP PBX. Why is there such a hold-up to upgrading? Perhaps it's due to a few incorrect myths concerning IP PBX.
Myth #1: Call Quality is Not Good
We'll be honest here -- when VoIP was first introduced, the call quality wasn't great. Many businesses that made the switch did so because of the lower cost of operation. What they discovered, however, was that the call quality didn't quite match up to what they were accustomed to with a traditional phone system. Luckily, this problem has been taken care of. In recent years, VoIP has been improved quite a bit from its early days and the quality is now on par with traditional systems.
Myth #2: The Switch is Time-Consuming and Difficult
Since a phone system is such a large, integral part of your hotel's operation, you may think that a switch to VoIP wouldn't be an easy one. But the transition from a traditional phone system to a hosted hotel IP PBX is actually a lot smoother than you might imagine. In fact, a quality company that deals with hosted IP PBX can transition your network seamlessly with no interruption to your service. It does take a little time, but once it's up and running, your guests will enjoy the upgraded service.
Myth #3: New Equipment is Cost-Prohibitive
The idea of overhauling any integrated system can be daunting based solely on the cost of doing so. Your cost for upgrading to a hosted IP PBX is dependent on a number of factors, such as what your current network looks like and how many people are expected to use the system. Many networks are powerful enough to handle VoIP right out of the gate, and if you do need to upgrade, the company that supplies your service can walk you through what is required. And, of course, the lower costs of VoIP will quickly offset any additional upgrades that you may need to make.
Myth #4: You'll Lose All of the Features You Love
We've seen a lot of awesome features added to existing phone systems over the years. Not only has this meant an increase in convenience, but also additional ways for hotels to profit from certain features because of business men and women who require advanced communication while staying at your hotel. When you upgrade to VoIP, you may lose of the features you enjoy, but many of them will remain intact so that your customers will stay happy. And the situation is definitely improving as VoIP continues to evolve and add new features.
Myth #5: VoIP Does Not Have Enough Definitive Advantages
This is only somewhat of a myth. In its current state, the biggest full-on advantage that VoIP offers hoteliers is the fact that operation of a VoIP system costs less than a traditional phone setup. While this can definitely be helpful to a hotel's bottom line, it may not be enough for an owner to consider replacing the existing system. That being said, VoIP does offer certain special features for hotels such as voicemail, hold music, auto attendant, and other digital features. Which means that making the switch is still a highly attractive endeavor.
Making the change to an IP PBX system is a big decision to make, but many hotels and other businesses are beginning to see the light. If the above myths have been holding up your switch to VoIP, then you can take solace in knowing that they are unfounded. Upgrade to a hotel IP PBX today and you'll enjoy all the great benefits and cost savings that go with it.
