The Adoption of Unified Communications - What It Can Do For Your Business. [Updated 2019]

Companies in today’s business environment are making great leaps to become more mobile than ever. They are becoming less reliant on desk-to-desk communication and are transitioning to technologically centered communication platforms. In the past, companies had to track each of their communication platforms separately, spending valuable time managing data from their regular emails, SMS text, and video conferencing. However, with new technological advancements, business owners are now able to manage all of their platforms from the palm of their hand. 

What are Unified Communication Systems?

If you’re stuck in the stone-age of outdated phone systems, it might seem like you never have enough time to get anything done.

What if, instead of having to coordinate each channel individually, they were all hosted on an off-site server and bundled for your convenience? According to Gartner, global technology advisors, UC products are equipment, software, and services that provide this organization. They combine voice, video, voicemail, content sharing, and personal and team messaging into one central enterprise communication. This is the primary benefit of a hosted UC system; every communication channel your office uses, from emails to phone calls to faxes, is centralized in a single platform-making your business more productive. 

Why More Businesses are Using UC Solutions

The tremendous growth of Unified Communications solutions is due to its ability to help small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) gain ground in today’s market. UC solutions offers these SMBs the capability to manage the advancements of business communication to the same degree as larger organizations. Such advancements include: 

• BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)- Integrating video conferencing, phone calls, instant messaging, and emails to streamline collaboration through multiple devices and increase productivity;
• Flexibility- Instant connectivity enables employees to decide when, where, and how they accomplish tasks, giving them the flexibility to work from the road or at home; and 
• 24/7 Access- A successful global business requires 24/7 capability and access. Unified Communications allows remote teams continued accessibility to a company’s network while other teams aren’t online.  

Businesses are increasing the amount of technology used in offices and leaning away from any previous methods of landline communication; and why shouldn’t they?

With roughly 70% of our workforce working remotely at least once a week, businesses are implementing these UC solutions to maintain efficient and reliable results in today’s marketplace. The main results that businesses experience after correctly implementing Unified Communications solutions include:

Reduced Costs: Instead of paying to repair multiple systems, UC allows your businesses to invest in a single system that is constantly evolving with it. The Holmes Report found that old technology was costly to businesses, stating “400 surveyed corporations (with 100,000 plus employees in the U.S. and U.K.) estimated that communication barriers cost the average organization $62.4 million per year in lost productivity.'' 

Reliability: The number of businesses adopting UC-as-a-Service (UCaaS) is growing exponentially due to the capabilities of cloud-based technology. The collection of failover protocols, IT professionals, and reliable internet connectivity make UC more reliable than ever. 

Better Customer Service: Communication between your support reps and customers should not be a dreadful experience. UC allows your company to give customers more precise information, answer their questions quickly, and be available at any hour of the day. For global businesses, UC solutions gathers emails, voicemails, and other forms of communication into a single inbox, allowing them to respond freely from any part of the world. 

Why You Should Switch to a Hosted UC System

With cross-channel communications hosted from a single platform, your office will see some serious improvements over the setup you currently have:

• Time-saving Efficiency: With every communication linked to a single platform, all information is automatically logged into the server and made available when you need it. This type of all-in-one communication system helps you coordinate your teams more effectively and makes it easier to access information—all without any extra effort on your end.
• Less IT Troubleshooting: You already spend too much time in IT, and your disparate communication channels aren’t helping. Instead, consider the benefits of a hosted UC system compared to your outdated PBX. It’s hosted off-site by a third party, meaning that you’ll never have to spend time troubleshooting with your IT team. All you have to do is call your provider and they’ll help you out, leaving you free to focus on more important tasks.
• Mobility: Hosted UC systems can provide always-on connectivity for disconnected office environments. Offices with remote workers typically struggle with communication while employees are off-site; hosted UC systems provide a user-friendly way to manage team members while they’re off the grid and keep them connected to the workplace.

The Future of Unified Communications

The potential of Unified Communications continues to increase as the business world evolves and pursues trends such as artificial intelligence, globalization, or remote working. Artificial intelligence is already being developed for Unified Communications in hopes that AI work (scheduling appointments, compiling data, etc.) will free-up man-hours so that employees can focus on more important business tasks.

Unified Communications integrated itself into organic parts of the business environment as well. UC and Collaboration are beginning to intertwine as businesses are encouraging their staff members to collaborate on a single streamlined platform.

There have been outstanding results on what UC solutions can do when applied to a business so far. With a constant need for integrated communication services, the value of having a UC system in your business will only continue to rise. 

The Hosted UC Advantage

Hosted UC systems are the natural evolution of your traditional PBX phone systems. By upgrading your office with this advanced suite of tools, you’re leveling the playing field by gaining access to value-driving improvements that, before now, were only available at the enterprise level. Whether you’re struggling to keep track of communications across your outdated phone systems or you’re just tired of devoting your limited time to technical troubleshooting, you’ll be amazed by the advantages of a hosted UC system.