The Ultimate Guide for UCaaS: Complete Handbook for Unified Communications as a Service
Today, businesses are looking for ways to become more efficient and connect with their customers in a more effective way. One way to do this is through unified communications as a service (UCaaS). UCaaS can provide businesses with many benefits, such as enhancing customer engagement, improving communication among employees, and reducing costs. But before you can reap the benefits of UCaaS, you need to understand what it is and how it works. This guide will provide you with all the information you need to get started with UCaaS. So whether you’re an IT director or CEO, read on to learn everything you need to know about UCaaS.
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UCaaS: What is it?
What is behind UCaaS solutions?
The advantages of fully Unified Communications
The benefits and drawbacks of UCaaS
What has been shown to work
Considerations when choosing a UCaaS Provider
UCaaS:
what is it?
UCaaS stands for Unified Communications as a Service. It combines the best features of internet-based telephones and messaging into one convenient service. Businesses use UCaaS solutions to give employees collaboration capabilities so that they may work from anywhere. The functionality of UCaaS systems extends to a user's desktop phone, smartphone, and computer.
Numerous communications, including phone, chat, and video conferencing, are integrated via unified communications (UC). It increases productivity and gives people options to connect through different communication tools.
"As a Service" (aaS) is a delivery paradigm for cloud services and business software. UCaaS focuses on the delivery of communication tools and APIs.
Why UCaaS is becoming the new standard for small businesses.
An apparent reason behind UCaaS's popularity is that it enables businesses to provide the option for their workers to work from anywhere. However, it goes beyond that.
UCaaS eliminates the confusion that comes from having many different communication solutions. VoIP, video conferencing, instant messaging, and collaboration tools are all combined under UCaaS.
The On-Site PBX has served its purpose for many years, but UCaaS has changed business communications forever.
While VoIP is at the foundation of every UCaaS solution, it provides much more.
Over time, UCaaS has become the most reliable unified communications solution. There is no longer a need for businesses to have landlines for employees to communicate and collaborate. It also works in the cloud, which can withstand natural disasters.
Main UCaaS Capabilities
Voice: The phone service provides call recording, call forwarding, audio conferencing, and intelligent call routing.
Video: With capabilities for individual (1-on-1) and group meetings, video conferencing allows you to collaborate with others while maintaining face-to-face interaction. For meetings with a personal touch, use one-to-one and multi-participant video conferencing. Web conferencing also allows guests to join when needed.
Instant messaging: Enabling real-time communication between individuals and teams.
Collaboration: Loaded with tools promoting interactions between people that improve office communication, planning, and process management.
Cloud-based: Typically hosted in a geo-redundant, dedicated, and safe data center and served through the internet.
For instance, it simply requires a few clicks to adjust the call routing of incoming calls. UCaaS makes complex telephony tasks simpler. Unified Communications has quickly established itself as the standard in the business world, which is understandable.
UCaaS solutions may also offer additional integrations. You could have a system integrated with your CRM so that your staff members can access faster their customer data.
How does UCaaS function, and how does it support your digital transformation?
The enterprise's communication systems are streamlined using unified communications as a service. UCaaS service providers typically deliver capabilities for real-time video conferencing, chat, SMS, and contact centers.
Because UCaaS runs via the internet, no additional VoIP hardware is required to serve users. UCaaS providers are responsible for security, the back end, and telephony features.
It is impossible to discuss how UCaaS systems function without addressing VoIP phone service.
The telephony component of UCaaS is powered by VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). VoIP transforms sound into digital data sent to a UCaaS solution provider. Session Initiation Protocol is used for all phone numbers and voicemail alerts (SIP).
UCaaS leverages the advantages of VoIP without the complexities. Employees may work from anywhere, using innovative business apps on desktops and mobile devices.
Building your own unified communications platform can be expensive, but scalability and redundancy could be more critical. UCaaS data centers are resilient to extreme weather, power outages, and remote work surges.
Generally, unified messaging, teamwork and video conferencing apps are similar. UC solutions perform in a functional style. In essence, UCaaS presents innovation from large-enterprises solutions without implementation hassles or high costs.
Six Advantages of UCaaS
The reasons for using UCaaS are relatively simple. Here are the top reasons for switching from your outdated system to a UCaaS solution.
Reduced cost.
When a company migrates their business telephony to the cloud, they might save up to 65% of their business communications expenses, without counting savings generated for becoming more efficient.
In addition, enabling a work-from-anywhere environment allows your business to reduce costs related to service contracts, real estate, utilities, and premium add-ons. You pay a predetermined fee per user for corporate phone service.
You pay a predetermined fee per user for corporate phone service regarding your IT team. They are experts who would rather not deal with outdated equipment. It takes a long time to configure and maintain this legacy technology. They would much instead assist employees and scale your business for expansion.
You should also keep an eye on the messaging and meeting apps that could consume your technology budget.
You no longer have to deal with extra charges for:
Resources for audio conference
Online meeting resources
Text messages
File Collaboration
Team collaboration apps
Desktop phones
Third-party softphones
With a UCaaS solution, your productivity will increase, while your communication cost will decrease. You'll preserve cost control and also have management of your business communications.
The freedom to work remote
Employees need more freedom to do their jobs effectively, and this is something that traditional communications tools just can't deliver. Your remote workforce also depends on you to give them a robust communications platform. Don't ignore them.
Employees can work from home without any sophisticated equipment, thanks to UCaaS. This benefit frees employees from the constraints of an on-site phone system.
From a financial standpoint, this may result in reduced operational expenses. Additionally, recent studies have demonstrated that those who work from home are more productive.
It is crucial to have features like telephony, messaging, video and audio conferencing, and file sharing. You only require a reliable internet connection. Practically all broadband and cable internet connections are fast enough.
Simple communications channels
Your business probably has a variety of channels of communication. Maybe even one of your employees uses a fax machine to conduct some business.
UCaaS solutions combine various communication tools into one. You could have your suite of business communications tools faster than you think. Your technical team will like the convenience of its centralized administration.
Your team can function, provide for clients, and manage challenging tasks. Additionally, you'll cut your monthly spending.
UCaaS Technologies for secure communication
Endpoint security is becoming more of an issue as the number of remote workers increases. Every year, the price of data breaches grows. You can't take the chance of uninvited parties listening in on confidential company conversations.
The reason UCaaS providers employ preventive security strategies is to protect customer information. Thanks to features like TLS/SRTP call encryption and comprehensive call records, you can rest easier at night.
Greater accountability is an extra advantage when using a UCaaS service provider. Real-time monitoring of telephony utilization is possible. VoIP's call recording capability lets you discreetly listen to conversations whenever you want.
Scalability throughout the entire organization.
Nobody wants to ask IT to assist in a project, which is not said negatively. UCaaS platforms have shown their effectiveness as a cloud technology for large and small organizations.
Any size business may scale more quickly with UCaaS. How? You may grow your team while maintaining connectivity with only a few advanced communication technologies.
Internet access is the single item you need to think about. You won't need to set up phone lines, telephony equipment, or servers on your site.
UCaaS solutions operate without a hitch in numerous locations. Let's say you have offices in Miami and Houston. Anyone can cooperate in a single team. With remote employees, you can build and oversee a team regardless of their location.
Improve client experiences
You can finally deliver the best possible client experience now that communications are entirely unified. Consider your personal experiences. A poor customer experience is frequently the consequence of issues with staff and technology.
Your users can concentrate on customer happiness with UCaaS. You can lower turnover by polling clients at critical stages of their journey.
Gartner says that 80% of growing businesses use surveys to determine how their customers feel about them. As a result, businesses can provide more value and promote long-term growth.
Your staff may learn more about every client and lead through every interaction. The same excellent service is available to customers over the phone, by email, and even on social media.
Benefits and drawbacks of UCaaS
You should be aware of the benefits and drawbacks of UCaaS before making a final decision. The idea of changing your phone system can be a little scary. Considering all of these aspects will assist you in selecting the best option.
UCaaS benefits:
Less expensive than an on-site phone system
Enhanced mobility for staff
Improved team engagement and collaboration
Increased scalability and dependability
Increased general productivity
Unified technology architecture
Drawbacks of UCaaS:
It depends on a reliable internet connection
Change administration
Minimal emergency calls
UCaaS is a long-lasting innovation.
The cost of maintenance for conventional Phone systems is high. Even worse, they don't have the required elements for remote work. Over the past 20 years, traditional landlines have been gradually becoming obsolete. Simply put, COVID-19 sped it up.
The market of UCaaS providers has increased by a 25% annually. By 2024, some analysts predict that the UCaaS industry will surpass $100 billion, mainly at the expense of on-premises phone systems.
Employers have benefited from UCaaS throughout the previous year. Giving employees collaborative tools helps them stay adaptable in a changing environment. Additionally, there are other cost savings along the road with fewer workers in the office.
Employees were also exposed to the benefits of UCaaS. Examples include video conferencing, desktop sharing, and communicating with their supervisor. This wasn't always possible, but now it's the norm.
With outdated phone lines, neither of these events could take place.
VoIP business communications is just one service offered by UCaaS providers. The future of corporate competition depends on it.
Five considerations for transitioning to UCaaS.
After guiding hundreds of businesses in their transition to UCaaS, we have discovered numerous takeaways.
First, UC offers advantages to practically every business. It's not just for large enterprises. Startups and small businesses are well-positioned to benefit from UCaaS.
Here are some helpful guidelines to make your shift to UCaaS successfully.
1.- Evaluate the tools you are already using for business communication.
Discover the communication methods of your team in the business. It's more challenging than you might expect. Add up all the different applications and get ready for a surprise.
Look at how each department functions. Different people rely on CRM differently. Some individuals might frequently use web collaboration tools. This audit lets you get the ball rolling.
UCaaS platforms are intended to help your team's workflow, not the other way around.
2.- The UCaaS model is not universal.
No one offers you this fact, but here it is. You can skip using some of the UCaaS company's fancy extras. Many UCaaS providers provide you the option to modify specific features to fit the demands of your company.
Determine what essential requirements and core functions are. Don't worry if you don't use virtual whiteboarding today. Consider how UCaaS can benefit you overall.
3.- Documentation is everything.
As part of your business's redundancy plan, you should document the steps you take to manage your UCaaS service. Consider specific call routing, automated attendants, and other enterprise communication requirements.
Also, document any important phone numbers you require assistance with.
You'll be ready to withstand the following unexpected incident when it comes.
4.- Educate and empower your staff.
When you update your company's communications infrastructure, inform your workforce. Include an expected timeline and a summary of the main points. To ensure little downtime, your UCaaS provider should cooperate with you.
Assist both local and distant workers by giving them access to relevant guidelines. Think about rolling out in stages so you can get feedback as you go.
For instance, the business unit could implement UCaaS first if your salesforce isn't swamped with calls. Considering both the switch's effort level and the needs of the business.
5.- Don't overlook UCaaS's "Unified" element.
We've experienced several challenges as a result of partial UCaaS adoption. Here, taking half-measures leads to increased ambiguity and fragmented communications. Obtain feedback from all interested parties and deal with any early problems.
Don't take it for granted. Set a deadline for the entire team to adopt your new UCaaS solution.
They can benefit from UCaaS more quickly the sooner everyone utilizes the same system. This includes solid VoIP, simple video conferencing, practical call recording, and more.
Read more …
Controlling the UCaaS Spend Explosion
How to choose your UCaaS service provider
The communications industry is packed with many UCaaS vendors. Choosing the best-unified communications platform for you in the growing UCaaS provider industry is not always straightforward. We've put together a list to help you evaluate the performance of a UCaaS service provider.
Stability
How much of the time are they online? (99.999%)
Do they keep up a trust page?
Is there a trend of outages on social media (Twitter, Facebook)?
Customer care
How can I contact support (through phone, instant messaging, email, or social media)?
What services are provided for implementation?
How quickly can a live agent be reached?
Testimonials
Ratings and testimonials found online?
Trends in market sentiment (positive or negative)
Trusted by well-known companies?
Features
Do they provide unified communications bundles with all the features?
Collaboration tools, web conferencing, and native voice
Additional capabilities available as optional add-ons
Security
Cloud computing voice platform with accreditation (PCI, SOC 2, HIPAA)
Engages in a program to address security incidents
Accessible TLS/SRTP call encryption
Scaling
Possessing the flexibility to quickly expand or contract
Call center features available on demand
A network of data centers across North America
Are you ready to try Unified Communications as a Service - UCaaS?
See why TeleSwitch is Florida's preferred Unified Communications consultant. Since 1993, TeleSwitch has provided consulting and implementation services for Unified Communications, supporting hundreds of companies of different sizes and in multiple industries. TeleSwitch partners with leading UCaaS service providers in the enterprise communication and collaboration industry.
UCaaS solutions have revolutionized business operations. There is no doubt that it outperforms traditional phone service.
You can check it out by connecting with one of our consultants and requesting your free demo.
Invest less time selecting the right service provider.
Spend less money on unified communication solutions than you do currently.
You may effortlessly work from home or at the office with a UCaaS solution.
Work together on projects in a unified collaboration tool.
Give clients the best customer experience.
Streamline communications.
Still, hesitating?
Contact our cloud communications specialists for a consultation on your particular needs.
We have seen it all and would enjoy assisting you as well.
