Businesses are always on the lookout for money-saving opportunities and upgrading to a unified communications strategy is one valuable cash-saving solution that really does work for all kinds of organisations. IT decision makers and business leaders are well advised to check out all the ways that unified communications can improve daily operations to increase bottom line profits.
All employees find that the delays associated with traditional telephone calling and requirements to wait for responses are ironed out when real-time telephony is in place. Unified communications systems enable workers to utilise their preferred devices for communications, which can really speed up response rates.
What is a Unified Communications (UC) system?
A Unified Communications system integrates all business communications under one centralised system. It includes instant messaging (chat), traditional voice calls, presence information, telephone mobility features like extensions and single numbers reach, audio, speech recognition, call controls, video or web conferencing, desktop and data sharing and connection with technologies like interactive whiteboards.
UC is not actually one single product, but comprises a set of tools to give users a consistently unified interface and improved user experience across a number of different devices and types of media. Systems can include all types of communications that are network based, for example Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) and even digital signs communications.
Users will find it’s quick and easy to send messages via one medium and receive them on other media. So, for example, voicemail messages can quickly be accessed via mobile devices or email. What’s more, immediate responses can be sent out via text chatting or video calls. This really does enhance business communications to the fullest extent, allowing real-time messaging that can speed up productivity and help with business growth.
Benefits of Unified Communications?
In addition to saving your business money on a continual basis, you’ll discover that unified communications can:
- Help increase innovations
- Build business efficiencies
- Lead to greater levels of productivity
Increased business growth
Companies taking on board a unified communications system will find it’s much easier to grow their operations, due to this streamlined service offering. When you have a unified communications package, your business will benefit from real-time access to messaging, phone communications of any kind, data sharing and conference calling from a range of devices. Any employee will discover it’s easy to switch devices at any time, making remote working and communications while travelling for business purposes far more effective.
Effective Unified Communications can sustain connections from every location
With an effective unified communications system, businesses find it easy to connect with clients and customers from any location, at any time. Business travel can be stressful when contact with HQ is limited, however, these systems provide seamless and flexible connectivity at all times. This makes it far easier for employees to maintain the mobility needed to enhance productivity and take your organisation to an entirely different level.
Reliability and protection against downtime
These systems also provide far greater reliability and cut any issues associated with computer downtime. With unified communications, if there is any problem with connectivity, backup tools immediately kick in. This means business organisations keep up and running at all times, particularly when the best quality cloud providers and data centres are utilised.
Unified communications can transform business collaboration
With a unified communications system in place, it’s far easier to respond to the competitive changes that occur within your marketplace. Effectively your business strategies, operations and production levels will be more effective within this real-time environment. Instant access to the system from any location makes problem-solving far easier and the systems support collaboration over a variety of channels, making organisational challenges far easier to solve.
More reasons to opt for unified communications
Team working is so much quicker and easier when businesses opt for a unified communications system. There is a lot less time wasted, and real-time communications mean business decisions can be made while executives are in any location. These convenient systems provide all the essential coalescence between mobile devices, VoIP telephones and computers.
The systems have all the network security required by contemporary business users, including firewalls, routers, and switches.
As technology advances even further, unified communications make it easy for small, medium and larger businesses to scale their communications needs. They are also simple to use and easy to deploy to multiple locations.
With just one unified system in place, all workers utilise the same solution, meaning businesses no longer need to handle multiple vendor contracts or employ their own support team to handle operational problems.
Ways unified communications improve productivity
Business Comms telephone illustration
Gone are the days when desktop phones were the only way for employees to communicate effectively. Cloud-based unified communications systems mean productivity is higher due to the fact that collaboration takes place any time, from a variety of devices and from any location. Employees working remotely can opt for the communications methods that are best suited to their needs, wherever they happen to be.
These solutions mean that team working is truly done on a joined-up basis and is hassle-free and speedy. multiple devices have access to the same numbers and there’s no need to worry about using different protocols or the headache of remembering different passwords.
What about hardware needs?
With unified communications systems, all telecoms maintenance and upgrades are handled by your supplier. This can be extremely cost-efficient for any business. It also cuts out any need for IT staff to be involved with regular maintenance issues, meaning they can focus on core business priorities.
Opting for Unified Communications As A Service (UCAAS)
There are lots more reasons for business organisations to opt for unified communications and the unified communications as a service model is also ideal for reducing capital costs. This is because costs are operational, so cloud-based providers only charge for services received. It is, therefore, easy to increase and decrease consumption at will, which is extremely cost-efficient for any organisation.
Immervox offer unified communications solutions and other telephony services to businesses of any size. Get in touch for more details.
