Costly and complex are the two words often used to describe business communications. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. With Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) businesses can reap the benefits of an easier and more cost-efficient way to share information and collaborate.
To help you navigate this complex subject, we’re providing some answers to basic questions we hear from customers.
What are Unified Communications?
Unified Communications (UC) refers to a system that integrates (or “unifies”) multiple communications methods. Most companies use various methods to communicate, including video conferencing, phone calls, instant messaging, email, fax, etc. Communications is currently at the forefront of business which is continually evolving to meet the demands of companies. With the availability of a myriad of tools and applications to communicate, it can become complicated and costly to organize everything to satisfy the diverse communications requirements of your customers and employees. A UC solution unifies every way your business communicates and allows them to collaborate using a single unified solution making your company more efficient.
What is Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS)?
Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) is a cloud-based communications model that supports six communications functions: voice, conferencing, presence, messaging, mobility, presence, and business processes. The infrastructure is managed, owned, and maintained by the service provider.
The most common features of UCaaS include multitenancy, self-service portals for provisioning, and usage/performance reports. The service provider provides applications on the same platform and provides the service at a monthly recurring cost for subscription.
How does Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) Work?
UCaaS operates using the internet and does not require an on-premise server or PBX to support customers. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) powers the fundamental functions that make up UCaaS’s voice. VoIP converts sound and sends the data into the cloud-based phone service provider. Caller numbers and voicemail messages are based on the standard Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
UCaaS enables real-time voice, video conferencing, instant messaging, and contact center capabilities. UCaaS also integrates with commonly used email solutions. UCaaS providers managed the infrastructure and are accountable for backend configuration, security, and communications features.
UCaaS data centers are designed to scale with demand and withstand extreme weather, power failures, and usage surges.
Why are unified communications so important?
The top ten reasons Unified communications are important are as follows:
- Productivity – Users spend less time managing communications and can choose the most efficient method of communication to accomplish tasks.
- Consistency – The user’s experience is uniform across all devices, locations, and networks.
- Employee Productivity – Users are able to choose the most efficient method of communication. Employees perform better at remote and office locations.
- Collaboration & Productivity for Teams – Features such as group chat, file sharing, and team chat with virtual meeting options allow for better communication between teams regardless of location.
- Increase IT Security – IT can more easily standardize security policies and handle tasks such as patching security vulnerabilities and compliance updates.
- Support for Remote Employees – Remote workers can collaborate and connect by using a set of tools and apps.
- Organization Agility – Streamlined communication and support for remote and mobile work allow organizations to swiftly adapt to market and business demands.
- Improvements in IT Operations – Using a standard UC platform makes IT management more straightforward when supporting both the network and end-users.
- Cost Reduction – Organizations can reduce their communications expenses by consolidating services that overlap and cutting down on IT overhead and travel.
- Customer Service – Contact centers can assist customers in connecting to the resources they require with one call, providing customers a better experience.
What is a UCaaS Platform?
A UCaaS platform integrates six forms of messaging: voice, conferencing, presence, instant messaging, mobility, presence, and business processes into a full-featured communications platform. Businesses adopt UCaaS to give employees collaboration tools that work from any location. UCaaS solutions are available on users’ desktops, computers, phones, as well as smartphones.
What is the difference between UCaaS and CCaaS?
The difference between UCaaS and CCaaS lies in its intended usage. UCaaS is intended to support individuals and teams whereas CCaaS is intended to be used to support a call center. Queuing, routing, and reporting requirements of a call center are substantially different than those of other areas of the business.
Why move to UCaaS?
Unified Communications as a Service, also known as UCaaS, streamlines business communications using cloud-based software. It no longer makes sense to build a communication infrastructure to support a business, most businesses are much better off with a UCaaS subscription. Here are the top reasons why you should think about switching to UCaaS:
- Flexibility – To keep up with the demands of your business Staying connected while on the move. With a UCaaS solution, you can make calls wherever you want using features such as voicemail-to-email and forwarding. You can even transfer calls via your UCaaS handset to your mobile.
- Business Collaboration – Enable collaboration across the company by supporting communications from virtually any location on any device, using every type of message format, such as chat, SMS, conference, and voice. Your teams can switch from one communication channel to another without interruption, regardless of whether they’re working from an office desk or on their mobile device.
- Cost Savings – Avoid paying for costly maintenance on systems that don’t have the capabilities you require. The ongoing equipment and maintenance costs associated with setting up your own communications infrastructure are much more expensive than the typical scalable and efficient UCaaS solutions that harness the power of the cloud.
- Eliminate Obsolescence – A lot of hardware companies are phasing out their old phone networks. The cost and time to maintain these systems and acquire new capabilities are only increasing as these devices become outdated. UCaaS provides you with the ability to move ahead and gain the most recent features and capabilities that your business needs.
- Competitive Advantage – The ability to communicate seamlessly between clients and employees is essential to improving customer engagement and growing your company. Making the switch to UCaaS will alter the paradigm of success dramatically, enabling you to concentrate on strategic initiatives and create exceptional customer experiences that foster loyalty and trust as well as brand recognition. All of this results in revenue growth.
We hope you find these FAQs to clarify a few things related to unified communications and UCaaS.
