Employees who work from home or on-the-go access to easy-to-use technology tools. Unified communication is a crucial solution for linking remote teams across the country or around the globe. When evaluating UCaaS solutions, look for features that promote productivity. Some important considerations include dashboard intuitiveness, available agent training methods, and standard feature sets.
Unified Communications
Many are wondering what is UCaaS and its role in enterprises. A unified communications systems bring together communication and productivity tools like telephones, instant messaging/chat, and video conferencing into one centralized platform. This makes tracking and managing team activity and communicating with customers easier. Additionally, UCaaS offers unified customer service features that help teams quickly respond to questions and inquiries, improving customer experience. Many companies use different tools and platforms to facilitate work, leading to duplicative work and a need for clarity on what everyone is working on. A unified communications system helps eliminate these problems by consolidating the most frequently used office communication and productivity methods into one solution that saves time, money, and effort.
In addition, UCaaS tools can be accessed through the cloud, which is ideal for organizations that have adopted hybrid or remote work models and require employees to move between locations. This gives employees the flexibility they need to be productive and keeps business running smoothly regardless of where an employee is located.
Video Conferencing
Video conferencing software offers a range of features to improve meetings and conversations with remote or hybrid teams. Some solutions offer whiteboard apps to help collaborate and create a more interactive meeting, while others include presentation or file-sharing tools to increase productivity and engagement. Additionally, top-performing vendors have developed webinars and event-focused collaboration tools to empower business leaders to deliver immersive training sessions to employees worldwide.
In addition to saving time on travel and allowing employees to work from wherever they are, video conference calls allow more effective communication with teams and customers. Studies show that the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than text and audio, so visuals help attendees remember important details more easily. Additionally, attendees can pick up on verbal and non-verbal cues that they might be unable to with an audio call. With the shift to remote and hybrid work, many employees have grown accustomed to meeting virtually for all projects and conversations. While the initial shift to teleworking was necessitated, businesses now recognize the long-term value of providing their employees with flexibility and freedom. The right video conference solution can enable this and offer a premium user experience to meet employee expectations.
Instant Messaging
A key part of UCaaS is instant messaging, which allows teams to work together in real-time. When someone changes a document or notices a change in meeting notes, all team members will be notified of these updates through their instant messaging application. This helps to reduce miscommunication that often happens when team members communicate through multiple tools and platforms. It can also eliminate the need to send emails back and forth when updating team members on changes or information that need to be communicated. When choosing a UCaaS platform, be sure it offers all the communication tools your company needs as native features. This will reduce the learning curve for your team and make it easier to integrate your UCaaS solution into your existing technology stack. It’s also wise to consider a UCaaS provider that offers the types of business software you might want to add, such as call center solutions and webinar tools. UCaaS is a powerful way to improve the efficiency of your internal and external communications. With the help of this communication service, your business can save valuable time and money that could be better spent on other important tasks.
Collaboration Tools
A UC system offers a variety of tools in a single platform that supports multiple communication styles. That includes teleconferencing, instant messaging, and file sharing. Having these tools in one location makes it easy for employees to stay connected no matter where or what device they use. And that boosts productivity by keeping important information within reach. Collaboration tools can also prevent back-and-forth email chains and miscommunications that derail project deadlines. For example, screen share enables teams to work together on documents with real-time editing that leaves a record for future reference. This allows colleagues to make quick decisions and move projects forward.
Mobility features are another key component of a productive UC system. Because hybrid workers tend to shift between physical office spaces and remote locations, they need flexible technology to easily switch between environments without losing functionalities. Many UCaaS providers offer purpose-built mobile apps for employees to access voice, video, and messaging services. These capabilities on their mobile devices enable staff to take calls, meet with customers, and send messages from anywhere they can connect to the internet. This is especially helpful for remote workers that may have trouble connecting to a corporate network because of slow or inconsistent internet connections. The unified communications apps also enable them to use their phones as business extensions when working from home or other remote locations.