Unified Communications Basics
Rather than leveraging separate providers and/or services for a company’s communication methods, the term “unified communications” (or simply “UC”) represents the total integration of these methods—phone calls, video conferencing capabilities, desktop sharing features, instant messaging, etc.—into a consistent, hosted platform that can be accessed across a variety of devices.
So what does this mean, exactly?
Whether you’re trying to cut costs, add new telephony features, or simply refreshing your company’s old phones, implementing a new unified communications service will allow you the opportunity to achieve the following benefits:
1. Reduce TCO
Since companies no longer have to pay for a variety of services or providers to give employees access to an assortment of communications features, they end up consolidating their monthly communications bills in addition to cutting costs in the process with a unified communications service.
A hosted UC system requires no on-premise equipment to implement, maintain, or manage, so capital expenditures and operating expenses are kept to a complete minimum. Low monthly payments are virtually the only costs companies need to make with a unified communications service.
2. Increase Productivity
Modern VoIP Features
Rather than limiting your office to basic telephony features to do business, why not give them modern, proper communication tools to increase productivity? By adding an abundance of new, powerful features to an employee’s toolset, companies grant each user the ability to customize their communications experience and environment the exact way they choose to maximize productive contact.
Cross-platform Communication
When voice, video, and text communications features all function on the same platform—and when that platform is available on a variety of modern smart devices—employees will have the opportunity to communicate in any way they want on any device they choose. To add, users will have the ability to transfer calls between devices when needed, even while in the middle of a call. Answer the phone on your computer, transfer it to your tablet, and text a colleague about the details—all in real time.
Simplified Access
Rather than flipping through your Rolodex of usernames and passwords for your communications clients, a unified communications service allows you to have one to rule them all. Whether you need a video conferencing client, a softphone for hands-free calls, an instant messaging service with enterprise buddy list, or a multitude of other tools, your employees are only required to log in to one single VoIP platform to use each one.
3. Reduce Risk
Since unified communications equipment is completely monitored, maintained, and managed by the hosting company and not your in-house staff, you don’t have to worry about purchasing and upgrading expensive IT equipment. With US-based support available 24/7/365, companies using a hosted VoIP system have unfettered access to technology experts that will troubleshoot any problem that arises—even after business hours.
To add, the geographically redundant distributions of the hosting servers ensure the network is online and available 99.999% of the time to completely maximize your company’s availability and connectivity.