8 Things You Need to Look for in a Unified Communications Solution

1. Call management

High quality call management is an essential aspect of your UCaaS solution. Unified Communications must enhance and improve your call management capabilities. Your solution may incorporate a wide range of additional features such as click-to-dial, CRM integration, call recording, call forwarding, call logs, and notifications. Everything is centralized in a single location so all agents can access the information they need when a call comes through.

When selecting a UCaaS vendor, their call experience should be vital to your decision. Ensure any vendor you’re considering has industry experience and a proven track record. Reliable vendors will publish case studies, testimonials, and reviews on their website and may be able to provide further examples at your request.

2. Cloud operation

Solutions like unified communications as a service are reliant upon cloud computing. A suitable vendor should make it easy to deploy your solution via cloud technologies. This ensures it’s highly secure and protected by the latest technologies and deterrents as it is housed as a location-independent data center. Cloud deployment ensures access to your solutions aren’t dependent on being in the office; instead, they can be accessed on any device from any location with a reliable internet connection.

3. Instant messaging

Instant messaging is undeniably popular with modern consumers, and offering this allows your business to reach them where they are, conveniently. Meta research shows 61% of people say messaging is the easiest, most convenient way to contact a business. Consumers want to communicate with your business via their chosen messaging app and the right UCaaS solution should integrate easily with their preference. While you may not currently have a significant demand for instant messaging, it’s becoming a predominant choice amongst consumers, so opting for a solution where it’s possible is sensible.

4. Unified messaging

One of the main reasons companies switch to UCaaS is due to a need for unified messaging. Unified messaging combines all business messaging formats and types into a single, manageable system. It means your emails, voicemails, video messaging, SMS and instant messaging is accessible in a single, easy-to-use interface. This helps to streamline communications and minimizes errors in selecting the right messaging tool for the right customer. It also cuts back on time wasted switching between communications channels.

5. Multidevice support

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) isn’t as much of a trend as it once was, but hybrid and remote working is and, in many instances, employees utilize their own hardware, making it vital your UCaaS is accessible on a wide range of devices.

Unified communications isn’t limited to your on-site employees and easy access via an individual login ensures employees can access everything they need, wherever they’re based. TrackVia found up to 80% of employees use personal technology for business due to efficiency and familiarity amongst other reasons, and a reliable UCaaS solution makes this easy. UCaaS solutions often come with user-friendly mobile apps that ensure employees can access their work wherever they choose to work from.

6. Video calling capabilities

Video or video conference calling are usually a must-have feature for your UCaaS solution. It is especially vital for organizations with a remote workforce, and helps cut back on costs such as transportation and even accommodation when employees come together for important meetings or conferences. With video conferencing, everyone is (virtually) in the same room, with the click of a button.

Video conferencing software is much more straightforward and user-friendly than it used to be. All you need to succeed is a reliable UCaaS solution, high-speed internet, and a compatible device. This could be a full desktop setup including headset and speakers, or it could simply be a smartphone, depending on usage.

7. Collaboration tools

The challenge of connecting office-based and remote employees has always been a concern for many companies. This has become more significant with the rise in hybrid working. Collaboration tools have become vital in bridging this gap and ensuring the same employee experience for those on-site and working remotely.

With team collaboration tools such as RingCentral, employees can access all the features they need to work effectively with their colleagues via a single interface window. Collaboration is quick and effective and can easily incorporate video interactions so remote employees feel as much a part of the office as those there in person.

8. Scalable pricing

Unified communications solutions are an investment for your business, but no one should be priced out of the market. Many solutions are designed to scale with your business, and should you need a smaller or larger package, a transparent price is available to ensure you can compare this to your available budget.

Unlike legacy communications systems and solutions, the use of cloud technology in UCaaS makes scalability very easy. Smaller organizations may only need a basic package to begin with but as their business grows, more advanced features may be useful. You can factor this in easily with a reliable UCaaS solution as packages are priced on a sliding scale to meet varying budgets and requirements.

Investing in unified communications for your organization is an effective step forward in our cloud-led world. Shifting to the cloud and UCaaS promotes collaboration and improves productivity within your organization, while also being easier to budget for and offering increased reliability.

Further reading

• Unified Communications as a Service for Dummies
• Security: What to Look for in a UCaaS Provider
• How Good is Your Communications System?