Looking for the best unified communications software? Our comprehensive buyer's guide takes out the guesswork and provides everything you need to make an informed decision. Find out more now!
Unified communications (UC) software has emerged as the go-to technological solution in the present business landscape, offering organizations a seamless communication solution that unites different modes of communication such as voice, video calls, and messaging, into a single platform.
The rise of COVID-19 in 2020 meant the unified communications market grew rapidly at 29.2% compared to 2019. With the continuing trend of remote and hybrid work now the new normal, 74% of new UC licenses are expected to be cloud-based by 2024.
Yet, with a plethora of UC solutions available on the market, finding the right fit for your business can be a difficult task. Whether you're a small business seeking to streamline operations and increase productivity, or a large enterprise looking to optimize collaboration and teamwork among teams, selecting the right UC software is a crucial decision that can significantly impact your success.
In this buyer's guide, we'll explore the essential factors that buyers should consider when selecting a unified communications solution.
What is unified communications software?
Unified communications is a powerful tool that enables businesses to effortlessly communicate and collaborate with their clients, partners, and employees across multiple devices and platforms. At its core, unified communications solutions blend different communication channels such as instant messaging, video conferencing, voice, email, and more into a single unified platform. The software provides clear visibility and flexibility between different communication channels, allowing businesses to streamline their communication process and stay connected no matter where they are. Common use cases for unified communications software include:
Remote work: Unified communications software is designed to break down the virtual walls between remote employees, making it easy for teams to work together from different locations. This has become even more crucial with the rise of the remote workforce.
Customer service: With a UC platform, customer service teams can deliver a better experience by seamlessly switching between different communication channels, such as phone calls, email, and chat. This reduces response times and improves overall customer satisfaction.
Collaboration: UC provides the ultimate team collaboration tool with features such as real-time file sharing, video conferencing, and screen sharing. This promotes collaboration between teams, departments, and business partners.
Mobility: With unified communications, businesses can stay connected on the go, with support for mobile devices, tablets and laptops. This allows employees to work from anywhere and anytime, increasing productivity and flexibility.
Unified communications software is widely used by companies in various industries, including finance, healthcare, education, technology, and more.
Any company looking to stay ahead of the competition and improve its communication and collaboration process can benefit from adopting a unified communications strategy.
Key benefits of unified communications software
Unified communications software enables organizations to streamline their communication processes, breaking down silos between various communication platforms, and fostering better collaboration among team members. With its ability to combine an array of communication tools into one platform, businesses can enjoy a wide range of benefits, including:
Increased productivity
UC software enables employees to access all communication channels from a single interface, providing greater efficiency and reducing the need for hardware flipping or window switching between apps to communicate. This saves time, allowing employees to focus on more strategic projects.
Better collaboration
Unified communications also makes it easier for teams to collaborate by providing them with real-time access to each other, regardless of their location. It eliminates communication barriers by allowing team members to interact via video or voice calling, instant messaging, email, or even file-sharing, making cross-team collaboration more efficient.
Improved customer service
With a unified communications platform, businesses can integrate their customer's inquiries, notifications and other information into one central platform, allowing agents to share relevant information quickly and offer more personalized customer service.
Enhanced mobility
It eradicates geographical barriers by enabling workers to access the communication platform via their mobile or tablet device, allowing them to communicate with colleagues and clients on the go.
Increased cost savings
Implementing a UC platform can reduce operating expenses and eliminate the need to invest in multiple communication systems. In the long run, this saves businesses thousands of dollars in infrastructure costs and boosts budget efficiency.
Overall, UC software empowers businesses to communicate continuously and collaborate more effectively, resulting in more efficient workflows and improved productivity. With its many benefits, it's an investment in technological infrastructure that no business should overlook.
10 core features of unified communications software
Unified communications software has become an essential tool for businesses of all sizes, allowing them to establish seamless communication channels to increase productivity and efficiency. Here are 10 core features that organizations should consider when choosing the right solution for their business:
1. Voice and video conferencing
UC software allows users to hold virtual meetings with their teams, partners, and clients around the world. It offers high-quality audio and video, multiple participants, and screen-sharing capabilities.
2. Instant messaging and presence
UC software provides instant unified messaging capabilities that empowers users to chat in real-time with their co-workers or team members. Additionally, presence indicators inform each user about the availability of their colleagues.
3. Integrated voicemail
It should include an integrated voicemail system that enables users to receive voicemails, listen to them online, and forward them to others via email.
4. Call management
Unified communications platforms help manage inbound and outbound calls, allowing users to transfer, redirect, and screen incoming calls to reduce spam.
5. Mobility
Employees should be able to access their communication tools on their mobile devices, making it easy to stay connected while on the go.
6. File sharing
The right unified communications solution will facilitate the sharing of files, documents, and presentations during calls, making it easy to collaborate and work together.
7. Integration with other applications
Modern UC solutions need to be able to integrate with other business applications such as CRM, ERP and collaboration tools.
8. Recording and transcription
Unified communications provides the ability to record calls and transcribe them so they can be shared with other team members or reviewed to better understand if critical information was missed during the call.
9. Analytics and reporting
UC software analyses call and chat data to create detailed reports that provide insights into how teams communicate with each other using the platform.
10. Security and compliance
UC solutions ensure communication security with end-to-end encryption, secure access controls, and compliance with all regulatory and contractual requirements. These are just some of the core features businesses should be aware of when choosing unified communications software. Selecting a solution with the right combination of features can help increase productivity, improve communication, reduce costs, and drive success.
6 considerations when choosing unified communications software
In today's fast-paced business world, unified communications are essential for streamlining communication and collaboration among employees, teams, and partners. A good unified communications system integrates a wide range of communication tools into a single, easy-to-use platform, simplifying conversations, and increasing productivity. When it comes to purchasing the right software, there are several factors you should consider to ensure you have the right tool for your organization. Here are a few essential factors to keep in mind:
1. Collaboration features
It's crucial to choose a UC system that allows for seamless communication and collaboration features like video conference calling, screen sharing, instant messaging, and file sharing. Identify the needs of your team and ensure the UC software you choose has all the features necessary for your organization.
2. Scalability
As businesses grow, their needs change. Ensure the UC software you choose can scale with your business and can support the number of employees and the volume of communication you need.
3. Compatibility
You need a UC platform that is compatible with your existing IT infrastructure, including phone systems, servers, and software. This will make integration seamless and avoid any unnecessary headaches and downtime.
4. Security
Cybersecurity is a significant concern, and it's essential to choose a UC system with strong encryption and secure connections to protect your sensitive data.
5. Reliability
When it comes to communication systems, reliability is paramount. Look for a UC system that minimizes downtime with redundant systems, backup power, and disaster recovery protocols.
6. Cost
Unified Communications software can range significantly in price. Identify your budget and choose a system that meets your needs without breaking the bank. Unified communications is a crucial tool for businesses of all sizes, and choosing the right software can make all the difference in achieving seamless communication and collaboration.
Software trends for unified communications
Unified Communications has become an essential business investment due to increasing customer demands and digital transformation. Here are the biggest UC software trends for 2023 and beyond:
Cloud investments will unify in one place, and unified communications as a service (UCaaS) will be a digital work hub.
AI-powered service management solutions will become popular and be used to manage the diversified workplace.
Multi-experience, customer, user, and employee experience will become central to UC planning.
Adoption of bring your own carrier (BYOC) will increase as companies look for more flexible communication strategies.
API integrations will become more sophisticated.
As hybrid and remote work strategies evolve, businesses will rely more heavily on UC software to align and synchronize teams with communication and collaboration tools.