June 16, 2025 Why Are Manufacturers Ditching Landlines?

Manufacturers are switching to VoIP to cut costs, boost efficiency, and keep teams connected across plants and locations.

In today’s fast-moving industrial economy, connectivity isn’t a luxury – it’s a competitive necessity. Whether you’re running a manufacturing plant, managing supply chain logistics, or overseeing operations across multiple sites, reliable and flexible communication is essential. Yet many organizations in the industrial sector continue to rely on outdated landline systems that limit their capabilities, create inefficiencies, and strain budgets.

The era of legacy phone systems is ending. Leading manufacturers and industrial firms are moving to cloud-based communications – embracing VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology to cut costs, improve performance, and support a mobile, tech-savvy workforce.

The Case for Cloud Communications in Industrial Operations

Cloud-based phone systems deliver voice, video, and messaging over the internet, eliminating the need for traditional phone lines and expensive infrastructure. These systems are purpose-built for the complexities of modern business, offering powerful features that support everything from warehouse operations to remote engineering teams.

Here’s how cloud-based communication systems are transforming the way industrial leaders manage operations and scale growth.

Keeping Teams Connected Across Locations

Manufacturers and logistics providers often operate across multiple facilities, regions, and time zones. Whether it’s coordinating production schedules, managing parts deliveries, or handling field service inquiries, real-time communication is critical.

Cloud phone systems enable seamless collaboration across sites with features such as:

• Mobile and desktop apps that allow employees to answer calls and check voicemail from anywhere.
• Ring groups that direct calls to the right department – whether that’s maintenance, shipping, or sales.
• Call forwarding and virtual extensions that keep teams connected, regardless of location or shift.

This flexibility ensures operations continue smoothly, even in hybrid or distributed work environments –  a common reality for today’s industrial workforce.

Supporting Digital Transformation

The manufacturing sector is rapidly embracing digital transformation, from AI and automation to IIoT and data analytics. Cloud-based phone systems are part of this evolution, providing smarter, more integrated ways to manage communication and gain insights into team performance.

Advanced features include:

• Call analytics to track call volume, response time, and duration – metrics that help improve customer service and identify staffing needs.
• Call recording for compliance, training, or quality assurance – critical in sectors where regulatory oversight or service-level agreements apply.
• Integrations with CRM and ERP systems, making it easier to align communications with order tracking, inventory management, and client records.

By linking communication data with broader business systems, industrial companies gain visibility that can streamline processes and drive more informed decisions.

Ensuring Operational Continuity

Unexpected downtime – from weather events to system failures – can disrupt critical operations. A cloud-based phone system can help ensure business continuity with built-in redundancy and disaster recovery features.

• Cloud-based infrastructure means calls can be rerouted to mobile devices or alternate locations automatically.
• No on-site hardware dependencies mean fewer points of failure and faster recovery in case of a disruption.
• Remote management portals allow IT teams to make changes, monitor usage, and troubleshoot issues from anywhere.

These features provide peace of mind for operations managers and IT leaders responsible for keeping production lines running and customer communication uninterrupted.

Reducing Costs and Increasing Agility

The pressure to do more with less is ever-present in manufacturing. Traditional phone systems come with hidden costs – installation fees, long-distance charges, and ongoing maintenance. Cloud systems eliminate many of these expenses:

• Predictable monthly pricing with no surprise charges.
• No costly on-site PBX systems to install or maintain.
• Scalability that makes it easy to add or remove users as your team grows or shifts.

For businesses operating in competitive, margin-sensitive industries, these savings can be reinvested into innovation, training, or capital improvements.

Enhancing the Customer and Vendor Experience

Communication is not just internal – it’s how you manage relationships with suppliers, logistics partners, and customers. A missed call or long hold time could delay a shipment or impact a key contract.

Cloud-based phone systems provide:

• Virtual receptionists that route calls quickly and professionally.
• Call queues to manage high volumes efficiently and avoid dropped calls.
• Custom on-hold messages to reinforce your brand and keep callers informed.

These tools help manufacturers present a polished, responsive image – even in high-pressure environments.

Security and Compliance Built In

In sectors like food and beverage, chemicals, or aerospace, secure communications are non-negotiable. Leading VoIP providers invest in enterprise-grade security measures, such as:

• End-to-end encryption to protect sensitive data.
• Firewall and intrusion detection systems to prevent unauthorized access.
• Audit trails and call logs to support compliance efforts.

And because the system is managed in the cloud, updates and patches are handled automatically, ensuring your communications infrastructure stays secure without burdening your internal IT team.

Choosing the Right Provider

When evaluating a cloud-based phone system for your industrial business, consider:

• Reliability and uptime guarantee – especially important in 24/7 environments.
• Support availability – can you reach help quickly when needed?
• Integration capabilities with your existing tools and workflows.
• Scalability to match your growth and seasonality.
• Total cost of ownership over time, including hidden fees or hardware costs.

Choose a provider with a proven track record in supporting small, mid and large-sized businesses with industrial-grade performance and support.

Conclusion: Future-Proofing Industrial Communications

From the shop floor to the executive suite, cloud-based phone systems offer industrial businesses a smarter way to communicate. They’re cost-effective, flexible, secure, and built for the modern challenges of manufacturing, logistics, and supply chain management.

As the industry continues to evolve, so should your communication infrastructure. By ditching the landline and embracing the cloud, manufacturing leaders can increase productivity, stay connected, and stay competitive.

To learn more about how your business can benefit from VoIP, download the free guide: The Complete Guide to Switching to a VoIP Phone System.

About the Author:
Jim Gustke, Vice President of Marketing at Ooma, is a leader in customer acquisition and innovative marketing strategies. Ooma Office has been awarded PC Magazine’s Business Choice Award for Best VoIP System for an impressive 12 consecutive years. For more expert insights on enhancing business communication, visit www.ooma.com or check out Ooma Youtube Channel.

Read more from the author:

7 VoIP Trends Empowering Construction Professionals in 2024 | CONTRACTOR Magazine, 8/7/2024

Key Questions to Ask When Choosing the Right VoIP Provider | Cleanfax, 5/17/2023

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