Regarding business communications, 3CX has been ahead of the pack for years. Not only have they been pushing the envelope with feature availability for the various license levels, but they haven’t held back and given the powerful system away for free. 3CX phone system features go beyond what’s on paper and incorporate a shift in your business operations. As a modern alternative to traditional business phone systems, 3CX emulates the functions of conventional systems like PBX, including conference calling, call routing, and call monitoring. You aren’t lacking with the free version for systems under ten seats. Why do they do this? They’re that confident in the product, and once you see it functions the way you need it to, you’ll end up diving headfirst with integrating it deeper into your workflows.
Are you prepared for a system with as much versatility as 3CX? A 3CX estimated cost breakdown shows that you can save $22,196 for comparable services over RingCentral and as much as $51,899 over Avaya. 3CX offers a versatile and cost-effective option compared to traditional PBX systems, making it one of the leading VoIP solutions. If you’re still on the fence, this article will help answer any remaining concerns.
What is 3CX Phone System?
Definition and Overview
3CX Phone System is a software-based private branch exchange (PBX) phone system developed by 3CX in Cyprus, based on the SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) standard.
It enables users to make calls via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services on-premises, in the cloud, or via a cloud service owned and operated by 3CX. This VoIP phone system modernizes voice calling by converting calls into digital packets transmitted over the internet, making it a versatile alternative to traditional landlines. Unlike traditional phone systems, which rely on analog signals, VoIP offers a digital solution that enhances communication efficiency and interoperability. Additionally, 3CX bases its licensing on simultaneous calls instead of a per-seat structure. For many businesses, this is an appealing option for a full-featured system at a much more manageable price point.
The 3CX Phone System is available for Windows, Linux, and Raspberry Pi. It supports standard SIP soft/hard phones, VoIP services, faxing, voice and web meetings, and traditional PSTN phone lines with the appropriate hardware. It’s like the Swiss Army knife of phone systems.
10 Key Features of 3CX Phone System
The feature set for 3CX is vast and probably more than most bargain for, and that’s a good thing. The idea that you can build a system that suits any business and not completely break the bank is unheard of. ACC Telecom has believed in 3CX for years and has installed it in K-12 schools, government offices, nonprofits, and more. Here are some outstanding 3CX phone system features you will benefit from:
1. Unified Communications
The 3CX platform has unified communication at its core; there’s no one better for voice, video, and messaging. You must integrate your customer relationship management (CRM) systems for enhanced customer engagement. According to a report from Salesforce, 73 percent of customers expect better personalization as technology advances. With 3CX, UC goes beyond unified texts across platforms — it supports desktop and mobile devices for seamless communication, including full Apple CarPlay support, and the Android app allows for Bluetooth connection to your car’s infotainment system so you can see the caller ID and use handsfree buttons on the steering wheel. Embrace the “anywhere on any device” lifestyle.
2. Call Management
Small, large, and everything in between, no matter the business sector and size, effectively managing calls through call routing could make or break your business. When you think about the customer experience, skills-based routing is a can’t-miss option to bring the resolution times down and the customer satisfaction scores up. Additionally, a multi-level IVR helps to get the information needed to make the skills-based routing as effective as possible. Then, of course, you have call recording and voicemail-to-email transcription, which are mainstays and hard to live without.
3. Video Conferencing
3CX utilizes the browser-based Google standard WebRTC to provide high-definition video conferencing for desktop and mobile devices without the unnecessary burden of downloading software, which is especially helpful for your attendees. Even in the free tier of the software, you get video conferencing without a time limit for up to 25 participants. On the Enterprise plan, you get up to 250 participants and enjoy unlimited meeting time. Video conferencing is vital for remote teams and helps solve customer concerns more easily with screen sharing.
4. Cost Savings
Is cost savings a feature? You bet it is! In conjunction with embracing SIP trunking for your phone lines, the system is licensed based on simultaneous calls instead of the number of seats. With other systems, you could have 100 employees, but only 20 are consistently on calls, so you must pay for all 100 seats, which is expensive. 3CX hits the balance perfectly by giving all users the same complete set of features but only focuses on how many calls are active simultaneously. Cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes at its finest.
5. Increased Productivity
Easy access to communication channels streamlines collaboration for remote teams. With advanced features and collaboration tools geared towards increasing productivity, you get agents focused on the work instead of needlessly searching through software for what they need. A joint Qatalog and Cornell University study found that people spend 59 minutes daily looking for information trapped within tools and applications. When you consolidate your communications into one system and then integrate it with CRM systems, you get an enhanced customer experience.
6. Mobile and Web Applications
What often occurs with organizations is that they offer mobile and web applications, but they are drastically different. The web application has everything you’d want and more, but the mobile experience is lackluster and is only there to tick the box to say they have a mobile app. With 3CX communication solutions, their mobile apps enable users to access various features directly from their smartphones, such as unified communications and VoIP services. You can do anything and everything you’d need to do remotely through the app. The freedom to connect when needed will be a boost for your productivity.
7. Contact Center
You might not be the contact center for a major credit card or multi-national company handling thousands of calls daily, but that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve the same center features essential for call management and customer interactions. Here’s a little secret: customers expect you to offer similar features regardless of size. Luckily, 3CX offers a solution that hits every feature you’d expect, like agent dashboards and wallboards, integration with CRMs that give you the caller’s info before you pick it up, call recording, live listening to leverage for training and compliance concerns, and more.
8. Unlimited Scalability
As with anything, you must be flexible and ready to scale to meet the moment your business is in. Since the number of seats doesn’t hamstring you, you can add a new user in the easy-to-configure web portal and have them up and running in minutes. A scalability solution for businesses of all sizes.
9. Live Chat
Live chat can be added for free through your website with a plugin. Currently, 3CX supports WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly. What’s better is that the plugin supports WhatsApp messages for even more chat opportunities. Live chat is available for all tiers of 3CX licenses and just goes to show how dedicated 3CX is to providing a system you’ll love.
10. On-premise or Cloud hosting
What’s unique is that not only does 3CX cater to all sizes of businesses, but it also attracts all levels of technical abilities. You can work with a provider like ACC Telecom to provide the license for a self-managed PBX, or they can go as far as completely hosting the system in their environment and you log into your instance. You get to choose how involved you want to be with the management and support of 3CX. Additionally, 3CX allows the integration of traditional desk phones with its advanced VoIP solutions, making it easy for small business teams to use existing hardware alongside new software features.
Embrace the Power of These 3CX Phone System Features and Let ACC Telecom Build the System of Your Dreams
From the first demo, you’ll see that 3CX Phone System is a comprehensive business phone system solution you must consider. It offers advanced features and tools for unified communications in a cost-effective package that’s scalable for businesses of all sizes. 3CX provides advanced VoIP solutions, serving as a comprehensive business phone system for modern enterprises.
ACC Telecom has been at the forefront of the business communications revolution, bringing one of the first-ever cloud-based phone systems to Maryland in 2002. Since then, they have continued to push for greater adoption of VoIP and cloud systems. ACC Telecom is an advanced-certified, Titanium level 3CX Partner, the highest level of partnership available globally. Contact us to discuss how we can help get you into the best phone system for your needs.