Imagine all your business communication tools were in one place. Picture gliding between voice calls, instant messages, email, and video conferencing without logging into each app with a different password. This is what you can achieve with Unified Communications (UC).
Pretty cool, right? But even UC has limitations. On-premises UC requires constant attention from your IT team (who have better things to do) and can only be managed from one location (not ideal in the ever-growing world of remote working).
Now imagine you can harness the power of the cloud to achieve even more. New employees can be instantly onboarded without opening countless support tickets that frustrate and overwhelm your IT team. Simple administration tasks are put back into the hands of your employees, freeing up your IT team for more important technical tasks. And all you needed to access this miracle of integration was an internet connection. Welcome to the wonderful world of Unified Communications as a Service.
What is Unified Communications as a Service?
By now, I’m sure you’re familiar with the term Unified Communications (UC), but what on earth is UCaaS? UCaaS is a term exclusive to communications and APIs and it’s one you need to know. Let’s break it down.
Unified Communications is the concept of bringing together all the communication tools used by your business such as voice calls, email, and instant messaging.
As a Service refers to the cloud-based delivery model that facilitates this integration. UCaaS is UC hosted by a provider, which means your IT team no longer needs to spend their time on installing and maintaining dozens of servers. Moving UC off-premises and leveraging the cloud means greater security, flexibility, and scalability.
With me so far? Great, let’s go deeper.
What is a UCaaS Platform?
What makes UCaaS really special is that all that integration is made possible by one easy-to-use platform that you can start using straight away. There’s no software development required and no tricky technical stuff to get your head around because it’s all taken care of by your UCaaS provider.
A UCaaS platform has three main features:
- User interface– every employee can manage their communications apps through a self-care portal. Without geographical restrictions, your employees are free to collaborate wherever they are.
- Internet-based communication– UCaaS technology utilizes Voice over IP (VoIP) communication instead of relying on analog phone lines meaning there is no additional physical infrastructure to maintain. Video conferencing, messaging capabilities, and other collaboration tools are also integrated for maximum connectivity.
- Presence- employee schedules are embedded with the system, so if someone is in a meeting they are automatically shown as unavailable. No more time wasted waiting for someone who is already tied up.
Now for the really cool part. Because UCaaS technology leverages the cloud, communication and innovation can happen anywhere there’s an internet connection. Let’s say one of your senior managers has a stellar idea over breakfast while away on a business trip. Thanks to UCaaS, they can communicate this idea to their colleague back in the office and get the ball rolling before they even finish their second coffee.
And what’s more, the cloud keeps your data safe and secure, even in the event of a disaster, ensuring business continuity even if the worst should happen. Cloud-based UC is easily scalable and can save you time and money.
What Should I Look For When Choosing a UCaaS Provider?
In the world of UCaaS, there’s no such thing as one size fits all. Every business has its own unique requirements and UCaaS providers offer a range of different packages to suit.
That being said, there are a few things that anyone looking for a UCaaS provider should consider. When you are looking for a UCaaS provider, don’t be afraid to ask questions. If they’re the right fit for you, they’ll have the right answers.
- Integration – how well will your new UC solution integrate with existing enterprise systems?
- Features – does the UCaaS provider offer all the features you need? What about optional add-ons?
- Reliability – what are their uptime statistics and response times? What happens in the event of a disaster?
- Migration – What is the migration plan? What data can’t be moved? Will there be any downtime?
- Customer service – What support do you get during migration? What about after implementation?
- Security – how is your data kept safe and secure?
Enjoy the Benefits of UCaaS with Tuki
Plan for the future with the complete flexibility and infinite scalability potential that comes when you harness the power of UCaaS.
Get started with Tuki’s migration service to take full advantage of the benefits UCaaS offers and take the first step towards next-level business efficiency.
Enjoy the convenience of being able to access all your communication tools through one easy-to-use interface. Take control of your UC without having to rely on busy in-house engineers. You’ll no longer have to go on-site to make changes; access and manage everything from anywhere at any time.
Migrate to the cloud with no disruption and rest easy in the knowledge that you have access to 24/7 support, troubleshooting, and upgrades.
We helped one client reduce their operational costs by 80%, connecting 69,000 employees across 21 countries in only 3 weeks with zero downtime.
Ready to get started? Talk to Tuki today, we’ve got you migrated.
