Unified Communication (UC) in this age of modern telecommunication is an application that businesses should consider as an important necessity in its day to day activities. Legacy systems like Private Branch Exchange or commonly known as PBX were the main phone system adopted by many for their organizational communications needs. In brief, a PBX system takes in all the calls your organization receives from the outside world and directs them to your various employees’ desks and it could also be used to connect a call from one employee to another within your organization without an outside telephone line. As such PBX eliminates the cost of leasing multiple phone lines from a telephone company. With the advancement of communication technology and the way businesses are conducted the PBX system is no longer a viable option.
UC is a framework that integrates or in some ways unifies multi communication methods like email, telephony (fixed-line, mobile VoIP based), Audio/Video conferencing, presence and even social media within an organization. UC solution brings together all the ways an organization communicate and allows interaction so it could work in one system with the goal of enhancing business communication, collaboration and productivity. So, what are the reasons for choosing the right UC application?
The main reason of choosing a UC application is it improves collaboration among colleagues and customers. Previously organizations needed to depend on employees or international customers flying in from different geographic location or getting them away from their work station for an important meeting or presentation. Today UC application allows organizations to host telephone, video or web conference whenever the need arises. The location of their employees or even customers need not matter as they can all be connected to share concepts or ideas in real time.
As the popular legacy PBX system, organizations were attracted to the lower cost it offers. For UC application it does not just offers lower cost but also improved scalability. For example, not all the communication needs of organizations is the same. Some organizations are small, or others are big. A cloud-based UC platform can start at a size and price that works for the specific organization. As the organization grows over time, it can then scale the service up as needed. With options to pay for traffic or data instead of a set rate, there’s plenty of flexibility in this type of solution. Customized packages and piecemeal options also allow organizations to choose the exact capabilities that work for their business. Cloud based platform also eliminate the need to purchase additional hardware or modification on current technology used as everything goes through a single cloud-based server which makes upgrades and maintenance simple and easy.
Today every organizations are placing importance in data and communications security. UC application changes audio signals to a digital format where the need of using phone lines is eliminated. All calls made are encrypted giving additional security in business communication. This also could be adapted for fax, email and text. A UC platform ensures that all this information is safe and secure.
UC also saves time and improves productivity by offering unique features that could cut down time searching and communication with others. Since all devices will be unified across the network, employees could answer and transfer calls to any of their connected hardware either in the organization’s office, or at another location. Constant communication and fast response time have always been a staple of quality customer service. A UC platform empowers to provide these things consistently.
Finally, UC is easy to manage and efficient. It provides organizations with a single and integrated platform that connects their mobile devices, desktop computers, and all its employees. It streamlines everything into one single phone number that works across all devices. With the addition of call optimization features, UC application could allow organizations to have all contact information in one place where it’s easily accessible. This allows organization business to run smoothly and their employees can focus on their tasks and easily communicate with clients and customers making communication efficient.