A reliable UC system will support your remote workforce by maintaining a consistent employee connection. This reduces the chances of miscommunication and speeds up project completion times.
Look for a unified communication solution with powerful tools that work across devices, platforms, and deployment models to simplify the user experience. This will foster productivity and reduce costs.
Collaboration
UC platforms allow all communication tools to be accessible within one dashboard. From there, employees can message teammates, access customer profiles and call history, join video meetings, manage call queues, and more. Supervisors can check analytics and set workflow automation from the unified communications platform. Depending on your type of suitable communication system, it may also integrate with other business systems for enhanced collaboration. For example, CRM software and project management systems can be integrated into the UC platform so agents have full customer context during live VoIP calls.
Because UC offers seamless integration across multiple systems, it saves time and money for businesses. Upfront costs are lower than traditional telephony systems, and monthly subscriptions can be much less expensive. Ultimately, unified communications allow mid-market companies to become more agile and efficient than ever by streamlining their internal and external communication processes into one easy-to-use platform. This frees up valuable resources so teams can focus on growth initiatives and keep up with the competition.
Real-time Presence
Unifying your business’s communications means all your employees can easily access a single platform. This makes it easier for them to message colleagues, schedule meetings, call customers, and more. That streamlined workflow reduces confusion and saves time.
User presence, a technology feature within UC as a service (UCaaS) applications, recognizes a device’s IP address or user profile and displays their availability status in real-time. Users can set their level as available, busy, do not disturb, away, or right back. These capabilities transform how teams work regardless of location and time zone differences.
UC also helps businesses increase productivity and improve customer support. Instead of wasting valuable billable hours playing phone tag or passing a client between departments, an employee can quickly find the right person to answer a question. This approach eliminates frustration for both the customer and the employee. It also reduces office space costs and allows workers to stay connected even offsite. In addition, UC platforms operate on a cloud-based model and include network maintenance in the monthly fee, lowering ownership costs over time.
Voice
UC provides the tools for teams to communicate through a single integrated system. It combines different channels like instant messaging, VoIP, and video conferencing in one app that can be used across devices.
Unified communications can also help businesses improve customer service through omnichannel support. Customers want the flexibility to contact you on their preferred channel, and UC supports this by routing calls to suitable agents and providing customer profiles that provide agent context. Skills-based routing and unified call recording can reduce first-call resolution and handle times.
Small businesses are an excellent fit for unified communication as they seek to increase internal connections while remaining cost-efficient. Integrated voice and UC tools allow remote workers to connect with colleagues via mobile phones or desktop computers, reducing office space costs and increasing productivity.
As a cloud-based solution, unified communications as a service (UCaaS) can be accessed from anywhere, and data is stored offsite in case of disaster. This enables business continuity without employees working in the exact location and provides access to all your UC tools through a single dashboard.
Video
Unified communications systems integrate communication tools like instant messaging, video calling, and meetings into one unified user interface. This allows employees to use a single platform to connect with their co-workers, whether at the office, home or on the road. This saves businesses time and effort because they don’t have to open and close multiple apps and programs when switching between tasks.
Small companies often benefit from UC, as they can quickly implement a system without investing in a large team of IT professionals. They can then quickly scale the design to fit their growing needs. UC also includes collaboration services allowing teams to collaborate on projects and share information.
Employees can access these features on the go using a smartphone or tablet with an internet connection. Additionally, many UC solutions support WebRTC, which lets users communicate through real-time video and audio in a web browser. This eliminates the need to download plugins and native applications.
Messaging
With unified communications, employees can send a message and choose whether it be accessed through email or a real-time communication channel. They can then collaborate on a project regardless of where the team members are physically located. The ability to quickly respond through a different channel allows for faster customer service and helps to eliminate miscommunications and misunderstandings. Plus, adding a little humor through congratulatory dancing hamster emojis in the sales channel goes a long way in building workplace culture and morale.
As remote working becomes increasingly popular, mid-market companies can utilize UC to boost productivity. UC services are cost-effective and can be scaled as needed with no hardware required. And with UCaaS providers managing the infrastructure and charging only a monthly premium per user, it’s easy to add channels and features on short notice.
Compare UCaaS providers to find the one that offers the features, channels, and pricing plans you need for your business. UC includes instant messaging, threads, document co-editing, and video meetings, enabling more personal discussions than traditional conference calls.
