Using technology to improve collaboration is a goal of many companies. But deciding how to approach this can often be complex. Unified communications (UC) and collaboration is a strategy that can offer you a true competitive advantage. Explore how it can make a real difference in your organization.
What is UC and collaboration?
UC and collaboration (known as UCC or UC&C) describe the convergence of technology and software, combining enterprise communication with real-time, asynchronous cooperation abilities. When merged, both UC and workplace collaboration tools are available in one interface. This melding of capabilities can boost connectivity and productivity.
It’s not one single tool but rather a collection of solutions. The merging of these technologies works seamlessly and securely for better collaboration. UC&C integrates different communication tools, including voice, instant messaging, desktop sharing, and web conferencing.
Why UC&C must be strategic
Just providing your team the tools to enable UC&C won’t dramatically change your business overnight. With a UC strategy that incorporates collaboration, you can truly leverage the power of this technology. First and foremost, you’ll be using the cloud, which is secure and robust. You’ll also be going way beyond voice capabilities. UC is much more than a voice. It incorporates every type of possible communication vehicle from file sharing to video conferencing.
Benefits of UC&C
It’s no secret that collaboration is supported by technology in the modern workplace. The future of collaboration depends greatly on the right tools and ease of implementation. And unified communications matter more than ever in a digital world.
UC has become a highly used platform for businesses, reflected in the fact that the UC market will have a CAGR of 16.8% between 2019 and 2025.
Further, Gartner has cited that UC adoption is quickly accelerating due in part to its ability to improve collaboration as well as workflows. The reality is, the implementation of UC is one trend worth following.
Why? Because it has significant benefits that can give you an edge, no matter your industry or business model. You’ll see why with these meaningful advantages.
Productivity
Your teams may be in multiple locations around the world, but they still need to work together to get projects completed. UC&C closes the distance with reliable channels of communication, no matter the device. When teams can work together more easily, they simply get more done.
Enhanced flexibility and responsiveness
Because your employees can connect and communicate from basically anywhere, there are no long pauses when information is needed to move forward. In the modern world, communication capabilities are always at our fingertips.
Reduced costs
Save money with UC&C. Instead of traditional capital-intensive investments for operational-based models, where the cloud is fully utilized, you’ll pay less for your capabilities. Plus, you can have virtual meetings that feel as though you are all together, decreasing the costs associated with travel.
Better customer satisfaction and experiences
When you have the ability to work together without constraints, customer satisfaction will increase. Being able to provide the right information to customers seamlessly is critical in a world where we all long for instant gratification. By employing UC&C, there are no lag times in responding to customer requests and needs.
UC&C isn’t just a tool for internal means. It impacts your customers, as well. Customer experience is key to building loyalty, something hard to find it the 21st century, so make it easier for these types of interactions to occur on the customer’s terms.
Efficient workflows
When your team can work on and edit documents together, quickly screen share, or send messages, workflows immediately become more efficient. No matter how many stakeholders are involved in a project, they can all be up-to-date on what’s happening and the necessary steps toward completion.
Real-life examples of UC&C
It’s great to talk about a concept theoretically and what it may be able to provide for your company, but before you make this major shift, you probably want to know how it works in the real world.
It’s true there can be challenges with UC&C. Old infrastructure is a major hurdle. Even if your architecture is updated, there can still be latency and congestion. Working with a UC&C expert can help you determine if you’ll need to do any upgrades to your infrastructure.
Beyond that, UC&C has the power to change your business in these ways dramatically.
For the enterprise, UC&C can be extremely helpful in bringing a new product to the market. In such an endeavor, many different teams are involved, including product managers, finance, marketing, and sales. With UC&C tools, disparate groups can work together through all the obstacles to launching a new product. Sharing documents, collaborating, and dedicating an instant message channel to the project keeps everyone accountable and moving forward.
Healthcare is another industry that can benefit from UC&C. Healthcare is a collaborative discipline as patients require precise care coordination. UC&C can enable the better transfer of information between parties in a secure and compliant way. These tools can allow physicians to provide feedback to one another, enhancing care. It can also be used for fundamentals like scheduling.
Embracing UC&C
When it comes down to making the decision to employ UC&C, you need only ask a few questions. How easily can you communicate and collaborate? If there are considerable challenges to this now, it will only intensify as you grow. UC&C is highly scalable and delivers the tools you need to empower your employees. When employees feel as though they have the right technological support, they will have less worry and concern about being able to do their job. And that is the ultimate competitive advantage!
