In today’s world, most of us are constantly “wired in”, whether it be through our smartphones, tablets, laptop computers, or other technological gadgets. Unfortunately, the knowledge that most guests carry their own communication devices makes some hotels tend to neglect their phone systems. But just because your guests have cell phones doesn’t mean that having a sophisticated hotel phone network isn’t important. In fact, the largest and most successful hoteliers are upgrading to IP PBX phone systems, and are reaping the benefits. If an Internet-based communications system hasn’t already found its way to your hotel, it’s time that it did.
An IP PBX is a telecommunication device that provides voice connectivity to desk phones within a building. It oversees the outgoing and incoming calls across its telephone network using an internet connection.
A hosted PBX uses IP communications which allow businesses to make calls over the internet. There are three ways this works. It can transport data over the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), over the Internet (this is helped along with VoIP technology), or a combination of both.An example of the way it works is by plugging your phone directly into your VoIP-enabled modem. The VoIP-enabled modem uses the internet to send and transfer data. Information travels over the IP network and is bounced to the cloud, where it gets shuffled to your voice provider’s data center, a.k.a your server. The call is then pushed back out into the cloud and delivered to the end caller or the network they use.
Both PBX and VoIP have their advantages and disadvantages. PBX is reliable, secure, and offers high call quality, but both the initial setup and maintaining the system are costly. VoIP meanwhile, is very flexible and scalable, plus the cost of maintaining the structure is much lower than with traditional lines
If you’re of the mindset that the quality of your hotel’s phone system doesn’t really matter, guess again. The biggest mistake a hotel can make is by thinking that its traditional landline phones are “good enough”. You may believe that your guests will only use the phones to make quick calls to the front desk and that the phones are acceptable for taking reservations, but you could be offering both your patrons and your employees so much more.
An IP PBX is a system that connects telephone extensions to the public switched telephone network and provides internal communication for a business. An IP PBX is a PBX system with IP connectivity and may provide additional audio, video, or instant messaging communication utilizing the TCP/IP. IP PBX systems handle internal traffic between stations and act as gatekeepers to the outside world. Also known as a PBX, Unified Communications System, or business phone system, a PBX acts as the central switching system for phone calls within a business.
Have you ever stopped to consider that perhaps the reason that your guests aren’t utilizing their in-room phones is that they aren’t feature-rich? A dated phone system will gather dust, whereas a state-of-the-art system can positively impact your customer’s experience at your hotel. Internet phone systems make it possible for guests to not only make and receive calls but also to receive better service. When they call the front desk, your attendants are instantly provided with a readout of the caller’s name, room number, native language, and group or VIP status, making the call more personalized and professional. Guests can also utilize modern, Internet-based telephone systems to set up personalized wake-up calls, arrange a conference and video calls in your business center, and even check out at the end of their stay.
Internet-based communications also work to benefit you and your staff. New phone systems help your attendants to handle their duties with speed and precision. Instead of flitting back and forth between the phone console and the computer, your employees can handle it all – including making and changing reservations – right through the phone system itself. This, of course, is a bonus to hotel owners, because it means less equipment to maintain.
In the event that you are short-staffed, your desk attendants become overwhelmed by an influx of activity, or your night attendant has momentarily walked away from the desk, you will still never have to worry about missing a call. Internet-based phone systems can be programmed to route incoming calls to an auto-attendant that is able to announce pertinent information, assist guests with basic requests, and even transfer callers to a reservation center. When your staff knows that all calls will be responded to, they will feel less stressed out, improving performance.
After considering the facts, it should be obvious why IP PBX phone systems are making such a big impact in the hospitality business. Are you up to speed?
