A Work Phone Isn't a Perk for Sales Teams Anymore—Heres Why

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Working in sales comes with its perks: a company car, bonuses, travel—and up until recently, a work phone.

Employers are starting to adopt the “bring your own device” (BYOD) policy that is projected to hit almost $367 billion by 2022, up from just $30 billion in 2014. With 81% of people globally owning a smartphone, businesses are asking employees to use their personal devices for work purposes.

With the help of cloud-based phone systems like Aircall, salespeople can have two numbers associated with a mobile device, allowing sales reps to separate work interactions from personal ones.

There are a number of benefits that come from consolidating to one phone. Cutting a company’s overall expenses is one, and employee productivity is another. A survey showed 42% of employees felt more productive using their own devices as opposed to company-issued ones. What this shows is that the phone perk for sales team is in the technology—not in the number of mobile devices they have.

The End of the Work Phone

Salespeople using two phones, one for work and the other for personal use, is starting to become a thing of the past. At one point in time, though, there was no other choice.

In the 1990s, the traditional work phone setup was an in-office landline. This limited staff to making and receiving calls and voicemails at their desk. By the 2000s, the cell phones gained in popularity, with Nokia, Blackberry, iPhone, and Android launching successful mobile devices. Businesses started to provide work cell phones in addition to in-office phones. Today, there are 6.37 billion smartphone users in the world, which is why it’s no surprise that 59% of organizations have adopted a BYOD policy that allows their staff to set up work software and a work number on personal mobile devices.

Hybrid work structures are now the future and the new normal, so companies are searching for an updated phone solution that streamlines work needs in an ultra-flexible environment.

With many people already having the hardware, i.e., the mobile devices, companies no longer need to provide teams with a second phone. However, they do need to provide the technology. With the help of a cloud-based phone system, businesses can prepare employees to easily connect and disconnect from work on their personal devices.

The Benefits of Switching to a Cloud-Based Phone System

Aircall has been challenging the status quo of the traditional work phone structure since 2014 with its cloud-based phone system approach.

A cloud-based phone system is an internet-based telephone solution that allows you to make calls from any device. Information and data connected from those calls is stored in the cloud and accessed through an app.

The app can be downloaded to your mobile phone, computer, and in-office workstation. This allows some of your busiest employees—like salespeople—to have the access they need to make calls seamlessly from any location. Ultimately, an internet voice platform drives business and improves the day-to-day functions of a sales team in a mobile-first generation.

Lower Costs

Eliminating landlines, desk phones, and company-issued devices results in decreased company spending.

Research shows there’s a 15% decrease in the average reduction of operational costs when using a cloud phone solution, in part due to less hardware. When employees bring their own devices, there’s no cost to upkeep company-owned work phones.

When it comes to scaling, cloud-based phone services offer cost-efficient options so business owners can upgrade service packages to scale with growth.

Green-Friendly

Opting for a cloud-based call solution is synonymous with making your business a greener operation. The dematerialization of data and software, the elimination of hardware and paper products, and the corresponding energy savings are all beneficial to both your business and our planet.

Quick Setup

Aircall is one of the leading call solution providers recognized for its ease of use with customers. For companies looking to have sales teams use personal devices, they can download the Aircall app and get set up in minutes.

Each employee is assigned their own cloud-based phone number for work interactions with colleagues and customers. When using their mobile phone to make a sales call or send a business-related text, staff will use the Aircall app to send and receive those interactions. This allows sales reps to have both a work and personal number on the same device.

Integrations

Cloud-based phone solutions like Aircall integrate with a number of CRM tools to create a unified interface and experience. Powerful integrations can increase productivity and close deals faster.

This prevents sales teams from having to juggle multiple programs and tools to perform tasks. It also means they don’t need to spend time finding data needed for their day-to-day responsibilities. These integrations empower a sales team, productivity, and collaboration.

Prepping Your Team to Break Up with Their Work Phones

When transitioning your sales teams from company-issued mobile phones to a bring-your-own structure, explain the benefits. The key selling point? The switch will simplify and streamline the number of tech tools employees need to do their jobs.

Before taking away that second device, you’ll need to explain how that line of communication is being replaced. Discuss the following:

• What a cloud-based phone system is

• The process for integrating with their personal phones

• Generating work numbers

• Using it with other business tools

While there is no federal requirement for businesses to provide reimbursement for utilizing personal phones for business needs, mobile stipends have become more common. According to Samsung, employers typically pay between $30 to $50 per month.

Learn more about how switching to Aircall can help you cut costs and increase productivity.

Published on December 22, 2021.