Do you run a global company? Are your operations expanding via partnerships or services you’ve outsourced to businesses overseas? Or, are you just looking for ways to make communication more effective at your home office?
There’s one thing all of these situations have in common: the need for unified communications as a service. This is a cloud-based tool that is transforming how businesses operate.
It may be the missing piece you didn’t realize was available. Large-scale corporations and businesses who are still in early growth stages are implementing this practice everywhere.
For a better understanding of what unified communications as a service is, and how it can be of benefit to you, keep reading.
Not everyone understands the strong, lasting effects made possible by cloud-based resources. The cloud is where most business operations are headed.
Such automation makes everything from accounting and marketing to communication and even team building easier. You just have to find the right technical tools to match your company initiatives.
The Definition of Unified Communications as a Service
Unified communications as a service is one cloud tool that offers a wide variety of communication systems. It can host online meetings via telephone or video conferencing. It serves as a team collaboration facilitator, as well as a call routing tool and can also benefit customer relationship management.
Basically, when it comes to internal conversations, there is something unified communications as a service can do for you. It’s just a matter of getting familiar with this kind of tool, the various vendors out there, and putting it to work.
Single-Tenancy and Multi-Tenancy Structures
Unified communications as a service is also referred to as UCaaS, for short. It has two basic kinds of technical build – a single-tenancy form, or a multi-tenancy form.
A single-tenancy form is basically a private server. No other user is sharing the UCaaS system you’ve invested in. It is your own communication tool to talk about everything from hiring initiatives and team travel plans to sensitive information like new product lines and client details.
A multi-tenancy form works like a shared server. The UCaaS is sourced from a computer that’s offering one service to multiple users at a time. This runs the risk of running out of storage, having a slow server, or worse, some sort of information breach.
The latter is extremely rare. But, to get the most peace of mind (and efficiency) possible, it’s usually best to go with a UCaaS model that uses a single-tenancy approach.
Single-tenancy versus multi-tenancy is not the only factor to consider when choosing a UCaaS for your business. Take your time to find the absolute best option for your communication needs.
Then, give yourself and your team some time to adjust. Ease into using this as your main form of communication, rather than going from no UCaaS at all to relying on it for every little thing.
Once your system is fully up and running though, you can expect the following benefits.
Simple Scaling and Managing
As your business grows, you can expect to change and upgrade communications. It just comes with the territory of expanding departments, opening new offices, and entering entirely new markets.
This can be quite the headache if you have to change your system every time the lines of communication develop. With UCaaS, though, the process is much easier to manage.
Think of it like adding a new user. All you have to do is give new employees and partners access to the conversations they’re meant to be a part of. Train them how to use the calling and messaging functions, and let them take it from there.
Don’t forget, as you do so, you can refresh those who are new to the conversation on what has previously been stated. This saves a significant amount of training and catch-up time. Rather than having to go back over a certain subject from start to finish, you can refer someone to the highlights and keep the conversation going with all parties involved.
On the Go and Worldwide Access
Sometimes, playing catch-up in a conversation isn’t a matter of being added to the discussion. Instead, it’s about touching base with conversations that are going on in different time zones.
With a UCaaS system, it’s much easier to jump in and out of a conversation. Users are free to see what others are saying and offer their own opinion while riding in a car, on the subway, or waiting to board a plane.
Wherever your team is traveling to/from, or where they’re based in, you can rest assured they’ll be caught up on all the key points they need to know.
Stronger Collaboration
When it’s easier to have everyone on the same page, it’s much easier to collaborate. This goes for global businesses as well as teams who all work within the same building.
Think about it: do you have people popping into your office all the time for quick questions? How often does this turn into small talk, or just take away from daily to-dos in general? Chances are, more often than not.
For teams who work from various distances, UCaaS allows them to keep all kinds initiatives on track. Whether this is a hiring decision, an approval for a packaging design, or upper-level conversations, the cloud can facilitate all of these conversations and more.
Safety and Reliability
If you’re still understanding what “the cloud” really means, don’t let this hold you back from making valuable improvements to business operations. Technology is the way of the future, and the quicker you hop on board, the better.
UCaaS may take some getting used to. But, once you get the hang of it, managing team communications will feel more natural than ever. That’s an investment worth making.
Stop wasting precious time juggling your emails, phone calls, and meeting minutes. Put them all in one place for you and the rest of your team, and watch how much better all your communications become.
First, you need to find the right UCaaS setup for the business. You may not need all the advanced features offered, or, maybe you need more than you think.
To get a full overview of everything that’s available, click here.