If you’re like most MSPs, you probably spend your time either pitching products to your clients or going on site to help them solve technical problems. That doesn’t give you much time to be an expert on all the latest cloud solutions.For example, how much do you know about VoIP and telecom? You might have heard about the booming market for cloud PBX, but do you know how to successfully pitch it to your clients?
If not, you’re not the only one. Convincing small business owners that cloud PBX is cheaper and easier to manage than a traditional telephone system is a tough job for many resellers. Even more difficult is convincing them to do business with you! Don’t worry, though. We’ve put together a simple sales pitch that will help you start the conversation.
Did you know? A report by Future Market Insights has predicted there will be more than 204 billion corporate VoIP subscribers by 2020.
Whether you’re a seasoned cloud reseller or new to the market, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. Want to build a sure-fire sales strategy for Cloud PBX? Here’s how to do it.
Free demo: Find out how you could earn up to 40% margins when you resell Sherweb’s Cloud PBX solution
First Things First
Before we look at the points you should consider when approaching clients, it’s important to know that Sherweb Cloud PBX is the ideal replacement for the following three systems:
- An aging on-premises PBX.
- An analog phone system.
- A complicated VoIP system.
Keep that in mind when scoping your clients for an opportunity. Now, let’s talk about mastering the telecom speech…
The Need for Cloud PBX: Phones That Actually Work
If your customer’s phone system were to crash tomorrow, could they still run their business? And for how long? Your clients might use email and chat for day-to-day messaging, but when they’re about to close a sale or deal with a customer complaint, they need a phone system they can count on. What do they think about their current system? Do they lose a lot of calls to voicemail or bad routing?
These problems don’t exist with Sherweb’s cloud PBX. Since most cloud PBX systems come with interactive voice response (IVR) and call-forwarding features, incoming calls will be routed to the right person according to the settings you choose, even if the recipient’s not in the office. In the end, your customer’s business will look more modern and professional.
Here’s another thing to consider: What would your customer do if their current phone system failed? Their options differ depending on their current situation:
- If your customer is using an analog phone system, there’s just no guarantee the system will stay up.
- If they have their own on-premises PBX, there’s barely any fallback solution, as a single point of failure offers no reliability.
- If they’re currently using a VoIP solution, do they have a specific agreement with their provider to maintain service if a disaster occurs? Many providers don’t offer that.
Be sure to tell your customer that Sherweb’s Cloud PBX solution is financially backed by a 99.999% service level agreement. This means your customer’s telephone service won’t be down for more than 26 seconds a month, if ever. Think it’s still a risk? Compare that with the Microsoft Teams (and Skype for Business) SLA of 43.83 minutes per month! Compared to that, 26 seconds is nothing.
If They’re Using PBX, They’ll Need a New Phone System
How long has your client had their current on-premises system? Most of the recent systems on the market have to be replaced every five or six years. If your client is considering an upgrade, this is a great opportunity for you to introduce them to cloud PBX.
A recent study by the Market Research Store showed that the global market for VoIP is expected to grow to $140 billion US by 2021.
Convincing some of your clients to give up their on-premises systems won’t always be easy. Explain how switching to the cloud will make their lives easier. To understand their situation better and identify flaws in their current system, ask your client the following:
- How do they manage to fix a problem with their current PBX?
- Do they have an employee on site that knows the system?
- Do they rely on external help?
- How much are they paying for the maintenance of their current system?
On-premises systems have plenty of burdens. But with a cloud PBX system, all the grunt work—like configuration, maintenance, and software updates—is handled by the cloud provider (in this case, Sherweb).
Maybe your client has plans to expand their business. Will the PBX system be complicated to upgrade? Short answer: no. Since cloud PBX functions through an Internet portal, they only need to log in and add the users and extensions they need. No need to order more lines!
Your Clients Can Save Big Money
Have you ever met anyone who didn’t like to save money? Ask your client to show you their latest phone bill. This will give you a good idea of what they’re paying every month. It’ll also give you a chance to talk about which features they’re using and why. You may find that they’re paying extra for features that are already included in most cloud PBX offerings.
A recent study by Toolbox Tech showed that some businesses can save up to 75% by switching from landline services to cloud PBX. Here are some of the advantages of cloud PBX:
- A monthly, predictable phone bill.
- Unlimited incoming and outgoing calls.
- No long-distance fees (applies to the contiguous U.S. and Canadian provinces).
- Access to more than 40 features with the phone plan, such as auto-attendant, IVR, voice to email, conference bridges, and call recording. (Note that not all cloud PBX providers offer an all-in-one plan, and some might even charge for extra features—but Sherweb doesn’t.)
- Mobility, which allows sales people and remote workers to use any phone or computer as their personal extension, no matter where they are.
Make Yourself Valuable
This is a bold new market. Adding cloud PBX to your offer is great, sure. But finding a way to earn more revenue through bundled solutions is even better.
Be sure to enrich your portfolio with value-added services such as end-user training, network assessments, and IVR recordings. Your clients will love you for it, and they might even recommend you to other business owners in need of similar services!
Once you’ve sold your clients on the advantages of Cloud PBX, you can start talking to them about other cloud solutions, such as unified communications as a service (UCaaS). This is a great way to expand your offering while providing continued service and building a strong clientele.
Why Cloud PBX Is a Good Deal for You
Now that we’ve shown you how to start the cloud PBX conversation, let’s take a look at a few more reasons why you can’t ignore this opportunity.
First off, you can earn margins of up to 40%! Compare this to the 5–10% margins most resellers earn with the classic MSP offerings. Cloud PBX also requires hardware, which means you can charge for services and equipment and put more cash in your pocket every month. And notably, the product is easy to learn. But even so, Sherweb offers help every step of the way. Start with a product demonstration by our experts, and then watch our short walkthrough video for the cloud PBX portal to get started.
Cloud PBX is a plug-and-play solution. We do all the heavy lifting, which makes your client deployment a lot easier. We set up the phones, take care of the number portability, fine-tune the IVRs, and assist you with our dedicated onboarding team. Since there’s no capital investment required, you can go to market right away without draining your resources.
Still wondering if this is the right move for you? Let’s talk. Our team can help you build an offering that makes sense for both you and your clients. Book your demo now to see what we can offer.
