Business flexibility with streamlined costs is the intelligent business commitment you can bank on with UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service). As business communication technology has evolved, it has moved away from on-premise, investment-heavy solutions to nimble, subscription-based, and feature-rich product suites ideally suited for today's business demands. According to Salesforce, 65 percent of customers expect companies to adapt to their changing needs and preferences. There are numerous benefits of UCaaS, but this article will highlight the most consequential ones.
Is your current business communication platform meeting the needs of your customers and employees?
What is UCaaS?
Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) is an all-in-one business communication tool that includes telephony, advanced video conferencing, business SMS, internal chat, virtual faxing, and more. The system is managed in the cloud, and you log in through an online portal or phone app to access what you need. Your business upfront costs are minimal, and you can customize the solution to best fit your business.
Benefits of UCaaS
The overarching theme with UCaaS is to build a solution that meets the growing needs of your customers. That's the beauty of UCaaS: features you want and nothing you don't need. The future of your business communications depends on what you choose to upgrade to.
Remote and Hybrid Work
Over the last five years, it's become apparent that being able to shift on a moment's notice will be crucial for any business's survival moving forward. Whether you offer fully remote, hybrid, or in-office positions, having options will set you apart and prepare you for anything. A report from Hubstaff found that 89 percent of HR professionals saw an increase in retention after implementing flexible work.
Let's take a common issue: an employee's child is sick, and they need to stay home with them. Nothing serious, just a fever, and they need to rest. Before the benefits of UCaaS, you lost a day of work from that employee, but now, while their child is sleeping, the employee can work, and you get a productive employee, and they get to save a PTO day.
Remote and hybrid may not be options for your business, but in this scenario, everyone wins. You can see what the employee is doing because of the interconnected nature of the software, and the employee trusts their employer to allow them to take care of their family.
Minimal Maintenance
Since the system is maintained by your managed service provider (MSP) in the cloud, you will always have an up-to-date system ready to meet the needs of your business. You no longer need a truck dispatched to your business to do diagnostics and possibly take your system down for maintenance. Those on-premise logistical nightmares are now over.
Increased Efficiency and Productivity
The more systems you have, the more complicated getting work done can be. A joint report from Qatalog and Cornell University found that 59 minutes are spent looking for information trapped within tools and applications in a typical day. When customer information is easy to access and track, it is simpler to maintain a positive relationship.
A benefit of UCaaS is meeting the clients in a way they want to communicate. Would it be easier to walk a client through a resolution with screensharing? Great! You have that option. Is business SMS a communication channel you're ready to adopt? For some people, that's what they prefer. According to G2, 90 percent of consumers respond to a text within 30 minutes of receiving it.
Geographically Redundant
Unforeseen issues are always one step away from becoming a reality. Whether it's inclement weather, natural disasters, or local power outages, an extensive disaster recovery plan would be lacking if it missed the benefits of UCaaS. Since connectivity isn't centrally located but dispersed across multiple data centers, any other location can handle the business communications needed if something is happening in one location. The winner is your customers because you were there when they needed you.
Security
Cybersecurity concerns aren't limited to the most prominent companies anymore; everyone is potentially susceptible. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, there were 2,365 breaches due to cyberattacks and 343,388,964 victims. The priority given to security with UCaaS ensures the highest possible protection across your business communication environment. Since your MSPs are technical experts, they keep up with the evolving cybercrimes and will plug any security holes.
UCaaS Benefits All Aspects of Business; Gamut Can Deliver That Benefit to You
Hopefully, you've moved from UCaaS-curious to a UCaaS champion. The benefits of UCaaS are as great as they seem on paper. You can expect a positive change in client communication concerns and a better collaborative working environment with your employees. Gamut is here if you're ready to move to the next step of your UCaaS journey. Contact us today, we’ll help you take the next step.