Business phone systems have come a long way. But are you making the most of what yours can do?
For many businesses, the phone system is something that gets installed, works quietly in the background and rarely gets another thought.
As long as calls are coming in and going out, everything must be fine. Right?
Not necessarily.
Modern cloud phone systems can do much more than make and receive calls. From supporting homeworking to integrating with Microsoft Teams, CRM systems and AI-powered tools, they can help businesses work more efficiently and improve how they communicate with customers.
And with the UK’s traditional landline switch-off scheduled for January 2027, now is a good time to review your setup.
Your phone system should work around your business
The way we work has changed considerably over recent years.
More people work remotely, teams collaborate across different locations and businesses increasingly rely on digital systems to manage customer information.
Yet some businesses are still using phone systems designed around everyone sitting at a desk in the same office.
Cloud telephony changes that.
Employees can make and receive business calls from their laptops, PCs or mobile devices, whether they’re in the office, working from home or visiting customers.
And there’s no need for everyone to have a traditional desk phone.
Helping a business move entirely to homeworking
We recently supported a professional services customer that had decided to give up its office premises and move its team of seven or eight people to permanent homeworking.
Their existing Panasonic phone system wasn’t suited to the new arrangement and also needed replacing ahead of the 2027 PSTN switch-off.
We moved the business to Xelion cloud telephony, allowing everyone to make and receive calls using an application on their PCs and good-quality USB headsets.
The team now has a flexible business phone system that works wherever they do, without needing a physical office.
It’s a relatively small project, but a great example of how the right technology can support a significant change in the way a business operates.
What about AI and system integration?
Another development we’re seeing is businesses wanting their phone systems to work more closely with the other technology they use every day.
For example, modern platforms can offer automatic call transcription, integration with Microsoft Teams and connections to customer relationship management (CRM) software.
Rather than treating phone calls as separate conversations, businesses can begin to make call information part of their wider customer records and workflows.
A recent project for a legal practice
We recently migrated an existing legal practice with approximately 50 users to the Xelion platform.
The business had three main objectives:
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Introduce automatic call transcription.
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Make it easier to work with Microsoft Teams.
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Prepare for future integration with its ProClaim CRM system.
The new phone system is now in place, with the CRM integration planned as a future stage.
The aim is for call transcriptions to be automatically added to the relevant client records, reducing the need to transfer information manually and making conversations easier to reference.
It’s a good example of how a phone system can become a much more useful part of a business’s everyday operations.
Of course, when using call recording or transcription, businesses also need to consider how personal and confidential information is handled.
Are you ready for the 2027 landline switch-off?
The withdrawal of traditional PSTN services is another reason to check your business communications.
Many businesses have already made the move to digital telephony, but some may still have older phone systems or equipment relying on traditional telephone lines.
If you’re unsure whether the switch-off affects you, it’s worth checking rather than waiting until the deadline gets closer.
But even if you’ve already switched to a modern system, there’s another question worth asking.
Are you getting the most out of it?
You might already have access to features that could make everyday tasks easier, improve customer service or give your team greater flexibility.
Start 2027 with a phone system that’s working for you
At Bluebox, we believe technology should make running a business easier, not more complicated.
Whether you’re replacing an ageing phone system, considering AI features, introducing remote working or simply wondering whether your current setup could do more, we’re happy to help.
We’ll take a look at what you have, understand how your business operates and recommend improvements where they make sense.
Why not book a business phone system review?
Let’s make sure you start 2027 with communications technology that’s ready for the future and, more importantly, working for your business today.
Book a call with our Director of Telecom Solutions, Martin Fletcher.