If 2020 was about surviving COVID-19, then 2021 is about learning to live with the virus. Everyday routines and lifestyles are adapting to this new reality. The workplace is no exception. The office has to have an option for remote working. Even if the pandemic is over, having a hybrid workplace is increasingly a pull factor for staff retention and attracting new talent.
A communications system that can support the expansive network of the widely-distributed office is becoming a must. The office deskphone has also evolved from a PBX system on analogue phone lines to one that’s cloud-based and uses VoIP (voice over internet protocol).
HiHi2 is part of this next generation of deskphone. It was launched in 2019 as a business phone which is faster, more reliable and comprises of underpinning tech that’s easily scalable — as an afterthought, it looks fantastic as a bonus. Its base unit with an attached handset is paired with a detachable 10.1″ touchscreen HD display tablet and a 13MP front-facing camera. Users can pick up the tablet form-factor device and go. That’s great for hot-desking and on days when the office is expected to be closed. HiHi2 was already delivering a portable and flexible working convenience when its role was a plus, pre-pandemic. Now it is the de facto VOIP device for hybrid working, and it has more to offer too.
Source: HiHi
Designed, developed and supported in and from the UK, HiHi2 is intuitive to use and takes advantage of the latest connected technologies, collaboration tools and video calling functionality available on the market today. Users can make their mobile an extension of the deskphone through the HiHi Connect app, which syncs via the cloud connection. If a call comes through to the deskphone, it can be answered on the mobile. Plus, as you’d expect, contact lists and call history are also available on all connected devices. Locally-held lists in the user’s devices mean only the user can access these contacts – up to a maximum of 500 of them.
Users who may not have HiHi2 hardware to hand have a mobile app: HiHi There allows non-HiHi2 users to be invited to a video call either through their smartphones or via a browser on any video-enabled devices with webcam functionality. This pretty neat feature alone allows face-to-face meetings or being based in remote locations (like warehouses or the factory floor) without travelling hindrance.
“The phones will all be linked, so if a call comes into the office, then you can just transfer it straight to Spain or the UK or to your office at home,” said Rob Stevens, an independent financial advisor with A1 Mortgages. “It doesn’t matter where I am; someone answers the phone in the office and transfers it through to me. I was fortunate really to get the HiHi system a little bit before lockdown, and it just means that I’m not tied to a desk anymore.” He left his London office years ago and has worked from his motorhome since he bought it in 2019 — the definition of a mobile worker!
On top of work flexibility, HiHi2 is Google certified, which means users can install other third-party apps to increase their work efficiency or to make their HiHi as unique as they are. For better workflow, there are apps like Evernote, Quickbooks, LinkedIn, Office 365 Skype, Slack, and Whatsapp. Users can install favourite apps from Google Play, add their own background photos and widgets, and even run Google Assistant for personalisation.
Source: HiHi
The Android tablet also has Bluetooth connectivity, so it can be connected to headsets and keyboards to make working easier. The tablet can even be used as an extra screen. Since it operates on Android, it plugs right into home automation systems and provides access to other apps for after-work entertainment.
HiHi2 provides video support from its UK-based team and makes getting started on its system straightforward. The company’s partners (such as Harvey Communications, Ripple Communications and Rubix Communications) will install the systems and give full training to ensure every users gets the most from their system.
The world is changing, the office is changing, so the deskphone too should change. Phones shouldn’t be left ringing in an empty office or temporarily-vacated desk. Hybrid office or not, HiHi2 is always on to connect you wherever you are.
Join the thousands of businesses already using HiHi2 and learn more about this revolutionary cloud-based deskphone by clicking here.
10 April 2024
