Unified Communications (UC) is a framework for integrating various real-time and asynchronous communication tools, with the goal of enhancing business communication, collaboration, and productivity. UC combines multiple communication methods within a business, and can encompass the following:
- Voice Communications:
- Voice calling (including VoIP)
- Voicemail
- Messaging:
- Instant messaging/chat
- Conferencing:
- Video conferencing
- Audio conferencing
- Web conferencing
- Mobility:
- Smartphone and tablet integration
- Remote office connectivity
- Collaboration Tools:
- Screen sharing
- Document sharing and collaboration
- Whiteboarding
- Presence:
- Real-time presence information to see if contacts are available, busy, or away
- Contact Centers:
- Customer contact center functionality like automatic call distribution (ACD), interactive voice response (IVR), and customer relationship management (CRM) integration
- Integration:
- Integration with other business applications and processes
Here are some benefits of deploying a Unified Communications solution:
- Enhanced Productivity:
- Employees can communicate and collaborate more efficiently, using the best method for each interaction.
- It allows for smoother workflows with integrated messaging, voice, and conferencing tools.
- Cost Savings:
- UC can lead to cost savings by consolidating communications services, reducing travel expenses through video conferencing, and lowering telephony costs with VoIP.
- Improved Mobility and Flexibility:
- Allows employees to work from anywhere, anytime, and on any device, which is especially useful for remote or mobile workforces.
- Better Customer Service:
- Integrated contact center functionality can lead to improved customer service through efficient routing of calls and better handling of customer interactions.
- Streamlined Communications:
- Having all communication tools integrated into one solution can simplify the management and administration of these tools.
- Scalability:
- As the business grows, UC systems can easily be expanded to include more features, users, and locations.
- Faster Decision-Making:
- Real-time presence information and instant messaging can expedite decision-making by allowing quick interactions.
- Enhanced Competitive Advantage:
- Improved communication and collaboration can lead to faster innovation, better decision-making, and a stronger competitive position in the market.
- Reduced Carbon Footprint:
- By enabling remote work and reducing the need for travel, UC can contribute to an organization’s sustainability goals.
- Unified Messaging:
- Consolidates email, voicemail, and fax messages into a single inbox which can be accessed from many different devices.
Unified Communications represents a significant shift from isolated, individual communications systems to a more integrated and cohesive communication environment that enables users to communicate more effectively and effortlessly.