It doesn’t seem that long ago when every office was using desk phones. They were all handsets and blinking lights – klunky at best.
Those days are gone now, with most modern offices embracing softphones. They’re far more attuned to the way we work and the way we talk. If your business is still stuck in the desk phone era, a whole new world of clearer and more efficient communication awaits.
Let’s look at why smart businesses are hanging up desk phones in favour of softphones, and why you should consider it too.
Softphones defined
Softphones live on your computer, tablet or smartphone, allowing you to send and receive calls without the need for traditional hardware. No more curly cords – your business phone has gone digital. Calls are made over the internet using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology, so wherever you have an internet connection, your softphone is going to work.
All the business communication favourites are there, from transferring calls to checking voicemail and joining conferences. It’s just so much more seamless, intuitive and easy to manage.
Shifting from hardware to software
Shifting from hardware to softwareIn business technology, there’s been a large movement towards cloud usage. The shift to softphones mirrors this. From files to software and meetings, it’s all on the cloud. Makes sense that your phone would follow.
A desk phone tied you to your desk. With a softphones you have the freedom to work from anywhere. This was a huge factor in the successful rise of remote work and continues to give businesses flexibility to embrace hybrid work models.
Softphones Vs desk phones: 7 key advantages
Why hang up the desk phone? Here are 7 powerful reasons to make the move to softphones.
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Geographical freedom
Your team can work from anywhere and stay connected. Take a call on your laptop at home, transfer it to your mobile and put it through the Bluetooth while you drive back to the office. Jump onto a conference call from the lounge at the airport before your business trip. Your work number will be consistent, making for smooth experiences with customers and colleagues.
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Lower costs
Traditional phone systems come with a price tag: handsets, cables, maintenance, installation and sometimes even on-site technicians. Softphones strip all those hardware issues. The software setup is deployed on devices you already own. Larger teams will see the savings add up fast.
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Scalability
Your phone system can grow with your business when you rely on softphones. Onboarding a staff member is as easy as creating an account, logging in and configuring it. No handset installations required, no need to get a technician onsite. If you’re looking to grow your business, a softphone setup will be the best way to deal with the growth in staff numbers.
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Integrates with your business tools
Softphones can integrate with platforms like Microsoft 365 or CRMs like HubSpot and Salesforce. Conversations can become rich sources of data, making it easy to log interactions and analyse performances. Workflows like logging notes or raising a support ticket can be triggered automatically after ending a call. The whole experience runs like clockwork once it’s set up.
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Simplified IT management
Your IT team or MSP can deploy and manage your softphone remotely. A central dashboard allows them to control access and manage any software updates, reducing the need for any physical maintenance. Using softphones aligns with the trend towards standardised business networks – consistent systems that make management and support easier.
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Softphone security
Voice and data traffic is encrypted, and softphones can integrate with whatever security policies you have in place, whether it’s MFA, VPNs or firewalls. They’re easy to update and patch against the latest threats, which is in stark contrast to desktop phones that often haven’t seen a firmware upgrade in forever.
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Call analytics
Softphones shine a light on communication performance with their advanced analytics. Statistics on call volumes, durations, response times and missed calls can be logged and analysed. Insights from these can help identify what is working and what areas need extra training.
Making the switch to softphones
When you have the right telecoms partner on board, making the switch to softphones can be a seamless process.
The steps usually taken would include:
- Audit your current setup: Review your existing phone system. How are calls routed? What devices are being used?
- Choose your platform: Many businesses are moving to Microsoft Teams Calling, which gives you full softphone functionality inside the Teams app. There are other options available, which you can chat to the SmileTel team about.
- Plan the rollout: Set up user accounts, migrate numbers and get your team up to speed. can guide you through the setup and ensure minimal disruption.
- Go live: Once configured, your team can start making and receiving calls instantly. They’ll be ready for hybrid work too.
The biggest surprise for most businesses is how little downtime there is. Because softphones use your existing network, the rollout is far simpler than replacing a physical phone system.
Future-proof your business with SmileTel
Desktop phones were great, but they’ve had their moment. They can’t adapt to how people work today – managers simply need more geographic freedom.
That’s what you get with softphones – and they come with security and reliability as part of the package. They’ve become a necessity for progressive modern businesses.
If that sounds like you, talk to our team at SmileTel. We’ll help you modernise your phone system and give you the flexibility you need.
Let’s hang up the desk phone. Get in touch today.
When he’s not writing tech articles or turning IT startups into established and consistent managed service providers, Peter Drummond can be found kitesurfing on the Gold Coast or hanging out with his family!