Cloud and collaboration technologies have changed both the way we work and the workplace itself — and closer integration of these technologies will create new opportunities for innovation, efficiency and profitability. For smaller organizations, unified communications (UC) solutions provide the logical platform for seizing these opportunities.
Many small and midsized businesses (SMBs) still rely on a disparate array of communication tools — email, phone systems, messaging apps and more — which can lead to siloed information and fragmented communication. According to a recent global survey of more than 1,300 organizations, 78 percent of employees agreed that they need better communication and collaboration tools to help them do their jobs.
UC fits the bill by integrating multiple communication channels into a unified platform. That provides SMBs with a powerful tool to streamline operations, connect remote employees, enhance collaboration and increase efficiency. Here are some of the ways UC can help smaller organizations thrive in the coming year:
Multichannel Communication
UC breaks down communication barriers and fosters improved collaboration among increasingly distributed workforces. Employees can switch between channels effortlessly, leading to quicker decision-making and enhanced productivity. This helps create an agile, engaged and connected workforce through the delivery of a consistent communications experience across multiple devices and locations.
Enhanced Collaboration
UC systems enable employees to connect from anywhere, breaking down geographical barriers and facilitating remote collaboration. Whether it’s a team member working from home or a sales representative on the road, access to unified communication tools ensures that team members can share documents and ideas in real time without the need for multiple applications. This approach ensures that everyone is on the same page, reducing the risk of miscommunication and enhancing overall productivity.
Increased Efficiency
According to a RingCentral study, workers today use an average of four communication apps, with nearly 70 percent wasting up to 60 minutes a day toggling between those apps. UC removes the need to switch between multiple applications, resulting in improved workflows, increased efficiency and improved productivity.
Application Integrations
Integrating UC with core business applications such as customer relationship management (CRM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems eliminates communication bottlenecks, streamlines workflows and enhances productivity. This integration facilitates quicker decision-making processes by allowing team members to access relevant data and communicate instantly within their work applications. Additionally, the integration of project management tools within UC platforms allows SMBs to streamline workflows and manage tasks efficiently. Nearly 60 percent of organizations that have adopted UC say application integration was a key consideration, according to a Metrigy study.
Improved Customer Service
UC features such as integrated CRM tools, call routing and automated response systems ensure that customer service representatives can access customer data in real time and collaborate with team members swiftly to respond to customer inquiries efficiently. This leads to faster issue resolution and improved customer satisfaction. Additionally, omnichannel communication allows reps to work with customers on the platform of their choice, whether through email, phone or live chat.
Cost-Efficiency
UC is a cost-effective alternative to legacy telephone systems. With multiple communication tools consolidated into a single platform, UC reduces the need for multiple standalone solutions, which can deliver significant savings on licensing, maintenance and support. In addition, UC systems can easily scale to accommodate more users and additional features without incurring substantial infrastructure costs.
How Verteks Can Help
As we head into the new year, improving team communication and collaboration should be a high priority for smaller businesses — particularly those that are still supporting a patchwork of different voice, video, messaging and file-sharing applications. Contact the UC experts at Verteks to learn how standardizing on a single platform can help your organization address the communication challenges of an evolving workplace.
