Unified Communications (UC) is one of the most critical investments for any company to invest in. Primarily because of the importance of communication and connectivity in a business’ operations. And as we discussed in a previous post, having a single system to handle all aspects of communication, like voice and online, makes it convenient to deploy, while providing considerable savings for the business so it can invest in the more crucial aspects.
And given the sudden prevalence of remote work in the wake of the pandemic, alongside an increasing number of employees saying they prefer a hybrid work model which aims to balance the need to work from an office space and the desire to work elsewhere, having a reliable communication system with UC becomes more crucial than ever.
We shall take a closer look at what makes UC an essential element for any hybrid work environment.
A single system to use and manage
With many people preferring “all-in-ones” to do a variety of tasks for the sake of convenience and save time and money, the same is true for communication solutions. Especially now that communication has gone beyond voice and into other platforms and channels as well. An all-in-one communication system is also much easier to manage for your IT team and security professionals. You can provision cloud-based communication tools to remote teams in seconds and ensure everyone remains secure with regular patches and updates.
Consistent experiences anywhere
With people dividing their time between the workplace and home (sometimes, even in a different location altogether) for their work, it is of utmost importance that there will be a consistent experience in the usage of UC technology at any location, with no noticeable drop in quality. The good thing about this consistent experience is that it is not only carried over across physical environments but also across platforms and devices, making it less confusing for the team so they can get to work wherever they are in no time.
Flexible licensing
Unified Communication is a flexible and agile platform that can be tailored according to the needs of a particular business at any time. This is advantageous especially for small businesses that do not have the resources or the stature yet available for the apps they might be looking into. In fact, most UC vendors offer a range of licensing options, allowing companies to add and remove users or features whenever they need them.
Easy access to innovation
A good UC solution should make it easier for the business and its staff to access cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, IoT technology, and even extended reality and enjoy the benefits they provide. Such technologies will be crucial for the business to further evolve and be at the forefront while also be more prepared to meet the complex challenges ahead.
Improved collaboration
Unified Communications has evolved to a point where it no longer just serves to connect teams together across different platforms like voice, fax, or chat. With its rich set of capabilities, UC has made it possible for greater and improved collaboration, allowing for real-time brainstorming and feedback. Team members can now communicate face to face even in a virtual setting while files can be accessed over the cloud and with improved so teams can work together virtually. This ensures that even if team members are dispersed across different locations, the work continues as smoothly as possible.
Better security
Good UC systems have built-in security included in their infrastructure, ensuring the information being relayed by the UC remains safe, compliant, and secure. Security teams can access administrative controls which allow them to control the kind of access team members have to certain tools, as well as what kind of security systems are in place. There are also fewer tools to track across multiple work locations, fewer threats to worry about, and more control over things like data retention policies and compliance.
Greater reliability
A strong Unified Communication system enables continued productivity no matter what happens in a given environment. As a cloud-powered solution, businesses are assured that their teams continue to have access to the features they need, no matter what might happen on a given day. In fact, UC providers can offer guaranteed uptime agreements and failover systems in place for extra peace of mind.
With these benefits, there is no reason for any business today to not implement a Unified Communications solution, especially if they value survival and growth in an increasingly competitive world.