What Is Unified Communications?
When you’re running a small business, you probably don’t have the time or budget to dedicate to the latest trends in technology. But the truth is that whether you realize it or not, your business likely benefits from some of these trends already — even if you aren’t aware of it. One such trend has to do with communication and unified communications, which brings together different forms of communication including voice, data, messaging and video chat so they can be accessed in real-time through any device over an IP network. Find out what unified communications is and how it can benefit your small business today!
The need to replace legacy systems
What are legacy systems? Legacy systems are old, one-purpose systems that you have to replace eventually. As they age, they need more resources to run well or at all, which can eat up much of your budget, ultimately decreasing the quality of service you provide to customers. Rather than letting your company suffer a costly technology death by slow decay, integrate new technologies into what works for you now. What is Unified Communications? It’s the future of business telephony and messaging technologies coming together into one package so businesses can communicate more easily in an increasingly mobile world.
How Legacy Systems Affect Your Business Today
The legacy system that your company uses may be outdated, leaving you with security vulnerabilities and making integration with newer technology difficult. This can lead to a loss of efficiency, leading to higher costs for customers and missed opportunities for growth. But updating this system doesn’t have to cost you any time or money—some vendors offer these services without a lump sum up front fee or upgrade fees at renewal time!
Benefits of Unified Communications
What Is Unified Communications? A Guide for Small Businesses What exactly is unified communications, you ask? Well, we’re glad you asked! Here are just a few benefits of this wonderful invention: *Increase productivity among employees. Because communication happens on the same channels—phone, video call, text messaging—your company’s resources are much more streamlined when it comes to staying in touch with one another during the day. *Streamline customer service. Customer care should never be an inconvenience; once again, unity will help make the process much smoother by ensuring that no customer needs go unanswered! *Provide real-time alerts about potential issues in your business ecosystem.
Top 4 questions businesses ask about UC Systems
#1 what is unified communications?
#2 what are the benefits of having a UC system in my small business?
#3 how do I find a qualified IT expert to install my UC system for me?
#4 why should I pay attention to what’s happening with technological advances now, instead of waiting until my current system breaks down or becomes outdated in a few years?
How UC Helps Your Bottom Line
Business communication has come a long way since the days of email, pagers, and landlines, but even this evolution has not done enough to make communication with the outside world as streamlined as it could be. The latest revolution in office technology—unified communications (UC)—promises to change all that by adding a host of new features to cut down on wasted time and enable instant collaboration. It’s already got large corporations like BP clamoring for its benefits, but what about small businesses? If you want to know more about the benefits of UC or learn more about vendors that are ready to give you a taste of the future without breaking your budget then stay tuned because we’ve got you covered!
Key Features to Look For in UC Solutions
* Communication – what are the different forms of communication used in a UC system and what does each entail? * Cost – cost savings realized with UC can result in quick ROI through a reduction in time spend on administration tasks, which may be just as important to an SMB as cost of equipment. * Compatibility – are systems compatible across different geographical regions or locations such as home offices, remote employees and satellite offices. How well does the UC solution perform with mobile devices, both Wi-Fi-only (iPad) and LTE (Smartphone). * Support – customer service availability including phone hours, duration of support contract term(s), resources for training and documentation.
How Migrating to UC Can Save You Money in the Long Run
There are many advantages to migrating to UC, such as being able to save money in the long run. Check out some of the other benefits you’ll gain if you migrate to UC today!
#1 – Voice-over-IP (VoIP) phones allow people within the company’s offices to communicate with one another without having a wired phone connection or a DSL line installed, which makes installation quick and easy. You may also be able to reduce your cell phone plan by using VoIP instead of regular cell service because of increased savings on per-minute usage.
Which UC Solution Should I Choose?
Choosing the right unified communications solution can make all the difference when it comes to expanding, supporting, or improving what you’re already doing. When deciding which UC solution to choose, consider these factors:
-Do you have specific needs (example: are you looking for a call recording system)? -Are you ready to replace current PBX or voicemail systems? -What’s the scope of change you need (example: do you need mobility) and do you have the budget for this change? -Is there an IP PBX available that matches your requirements?
Why Consider Outsourcing UC Management and Support to a Third Party Provider
Do you find yourself thinking why bother? When it comes to UC management or support, then stop. We’ve got five reasons to care about this very important part of unified communications that could save you time, money, and hassle. Outsourcing UC management or support to a third party provider will simplify the process of managing networks, collaboration platforms like Microsoft Office 365®, video conferencing solutions such as Cisco WebEx®, contact center technologies like our TCG Digital Contact® platform, security solutions like UTM 360, disaster recovery technologies such as Blackberry BBM Enterprise® and Cisco PrimeTM Unified Communications Manager (UCM). For example…
You’re deep in an urgent email discussion with a customer who has escalated an issue to include their CEO.
Don’t Forget About Security…Even If It Seems Too Complicated to Understand!
With so many people juggling multiple devices, protecting their personal and work-related information from data breaches has never been more important. Protecting this data, however, doesn’t have to be a daunting task if you know what you’re doing. Security isn’t about simply buying some antivirus software or a firewall for your computers; there are plenty of other ways to safeguard your information that might be better suited to your needs than installing an expensive security suite on all of your devices or investing in a costly set of physical locks for all of the entrances to your company’s building.
