Unified Communications and Collaboration – Explained And Explored
The emerging advanced communication tools are penetrating the workplace all over the world which is helping businesses to grow more competent. To propagate competency, enterprises are unifying their communication and collaboration efficiency. Blending communication and collaboration tools have given rise to the concept of ‘Unified Communication’. Well, it is not something new. It has now matured and reaching out to mainstream audience.
Choosing a UC solution that fits your business needs in the most appropriate way can be a daunting task. Under the Unified communication technology the provisions enabled by integrating real-time communication services are : Instant messaging ,Speech recognition and call control feature,Presence notification, Video-conferencing and Unified messaging (integrated e-mail, fax, voicemail, and SMS)
Let’s dig deeper into the UC benefits
Multiple Device Availability
The UC application enables users to connect to the right person at the right time. It gives the feasibility to real-time high quality voice communications, instant messaging and possibility to work seamlessly across multiple devices. Regardless of the device location, calls can be targeted to reach the mobile, target desk phone and desktop at the same time. This enables the users’ with adeptness to complete tasks on time, from anywhere across the globe.
Area Codes No longer needed
Businesses need communication services capable enough that can drive maximum value and flexibility out of the rapidly evolving workplaces. For this, it is important to simplify communication services. The functionality offered by UC applications such as short number dialing eliminates the area code requirement, enabling a hassle-free way for the clients and customers to get connected. This feature is specifically useful for the businesses whose resources are situated across a broad geographical area.
Selective Call Forwarding
UC makes it possible to manage phone features depending upon the requirement. Avoiding the missed calls becomes easy. Only the calls from numbers that you assign are allowed to be forwarded. Several features such as call forwarding busy, call forwarding no answer, call forwarding not reachable makes it easy for the users’ to answer the calls as per preferences. Also, with advanced call forwarding feature, calls can be forwarded to the desired extension that the caller is trying to reach.
Easy Billing
By collaborating telecom efficiencies and web capabilities at the heart of networks, it becomes possible to simplify the billing process. Unifying the wide-range of services under one platform makes the billing simpler, at the same time makes billing more predictable. This shortens the billing cycle and makes it possible to generate it more accurately. Also, seamless integration between different devices enables bill creation easily from any device.
Simplified Customization
UC applications enable the users to read emails while waiting at a restaurant; participate in web conferences when working from home and share information with the team members from all across the globe. UC solution demonstrates several benefits for businesses, irrespective of their structure, size, or industry-type. It enables them to optimize productivity and connectivity, whilst minimizing the costs and time invested on activities.
The list of benefits offered by UC technology doesn’t end here. It’s evolving. A plethora of UC solution providers are coming up in the business communication world. This is creating difficulty in choosing the best-of-breed provider for driving communication.
Few basic UC characteristics must be thoroughly checked out before picking up any UC solution:
1. End-user Experience
An efficiency of the solution depends upon consolidated execution and management that drives the productivity of the business. It must be ensured that solution provider must provide flexibility with software, telephony systems, vendors and directory services.
2. Enhanced Mobility
Complete UC functionality across several platforms is a thing of the past. Users now, expect to integrate mobile device functionality with the desktop devices. This is an overwhelming trend growing in unified communication which can benefit the users’ in many ways.
3. Inter-functionality
Vendor lock-in systems are no longer preferred by the businesses. Enterprises prefer the vendor that could support the changing criticality of the business and fit with other systems or set-ups to meet the demands of business.
4. Stringent Security Practices
Businesses should ensure that all strategy sessions, documents, clients’ agreement and other crucial business information should be flowing through a secured network. In order to ensure this, it is good to ask the levels of cloud security offered by vendors.
Conclusion
The pressure on the business environment is much larger than before. UC technology is offering a simplified solution. It is helping resources connect in intuitive ways. The capabilities offered by UC solution is helping to extinguish the thin line between the work and errors. And is enabling improved service levels to strengthen the business functionality.