Why Business Needs Unified Communications

Author: John Shepler

There was a time when there was only one form of electronic communication. On your desk was a heavy black phone. Look what we have now. Sure, you still have that black phone on your desk, but thanks to modern plastics and solid-state electronics, it's lighter. There are many other ways to communicate electronically. How many of them do you use: emails, texts, phone calls and video chats? What about platforms: desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones and soon...watches?

One of the biggest communication challenges, especially in business, is that all these different platforms and apps don't always work well together. One solution is to make sure everyone is with you. That means a pager on your belt, a cell phone in your pocket, a laptop in your bag, and someone texting you from your desk when you're away. A better solution quickly became an urgent need.

Let's put it all together
The answer you are waiting for is the integration of all these communication methods into one. This doesn't work. There is no single platform that can handle all jobs equally. A desktop phone is like a desktop computer with a nice big screen. The smartphone screen is too small for serious work. The tablet is a fun phone to hold to your ear.

There are still forces pulling in that direction. Enter "phablet". It's not too big for your pocket, but it's almost a big phone. Tablets now have detachable keyboards, so you can type in a cafe. Laptops are getting smaller, lighter, and some have separate screens with keyboards to look like tablets. If only there was a way to have a phone with a really big screen you can see, buttons that fit your fingers, and the ability to make personal calls, emails, texts, and all that fit perfectly into a shirt pocket.

Oh no. There is nothing on the horizon for this statement. One day, a QWERTY typewriter keyboard may look as good as a mechanical telephone. Siri can be your best friend by reading your mind and understanding your every whisper. Something like Google Glass can put that big screen anywhere in front of your face. But not today. Today, we need a solution that allows us to communicate no matter where we are.

This is called a composite link
A development that takes what we have and comes as close as possible to what we want is an integrated relationship or an integrated relationship. The "uniform" part doesn't mean trying to find a platform to do everything. Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses. The key solution is to do all these things well together. So good that you don't have to worry about missing something because you don't have a dedicated platform with you.

A simple example is the humble phone call. All businesses still rely on the telephone because it is the only universal means of voice communication. For a long time, this meant having the business number printed on your business cards and a separate personal phone number printed "in the book." If you were at home, you wouldn't get business calls unless you had a secretary who was late to give the caller your phone number or transfer the call. When you arrive the next morning, you find a stack of pink flyers on your desk when you "don't go out".

The advent of mobile phones made the situation worse. Now you have a third phone number that only a few people know. What if you could call the office instead of your cell phone when you're away from home? Missed the sale? Can be.

Unified communication begins with the replacement of paper and telephone messages with voice mail. You don't have to worry about missed calls because they leave voicemails that you can take anywhere. Even better is the "Follow Me" service that routes your calls to your location. With this type of automation, you can provide a phone number and have it call a landline, cell phone, or voicemail. They can even email you the rich audio file. Toll free number? Direct it to your unique business number.

unified communication technology
The most popular platform for implementing unified communications is the cloud. Why? Because the cloud offers a common space where everything can be collected and shared with unlimited resources. All this computing power can easily handle anything from a freelancer to a large organization. No need to invest heavily or try to install the latest features. The cloud provider takes care of it.

Cloud Unified Communications is powered by computing power, and computing power supports IP or Internet Protocol. The "Internet" part of IP does not necessarily mean the public Internet. It is simply a technical protocol used on the Internet. For security and high sound quality, you may never want to use Intercom over the Internet. However, you need internet at the office and on the go. It can be moderated so that you can use the internet when you want and private channels when you don't.

What UC can do for you.
Integrated communications can be the gateway to productivity and cost reduction. It complements or replaces your internal PBX phone system with a more powerful VoIP system that shares a common network with your computers and other digital devices. You'll find tools that make employee collaboration easier, as well as the obvious benefits of a single phone number. Your laptop becomes your desktop with remote desktop access. Audio and video conferences can be held anywhere in the world with different teams in offices and hotel rooms.

Is it all worth it? It could be cheaper than you think and offer all the new benefits for less than what you're paying now. There's only one way to find out. Find a competitive UC pricing package and explore the benefits and costs specific to your situation.



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