Streamlining any aspect of a business will always offer up advantages. Time savings; boosted productivity; a more contented workforce; enhanced customer service and, quite often, reduced operating costs. When it comes to the communications element of your business, something that can make a significant different is Unified Communications. What this means, and precisely how it can transform the way a business communicates both internally and externally, is precisely what we’re about to explore.

What are Unified Communications?

Unified Communications (UC) brings together a range of communications, allowing users to access and share data via a single, fully-integrated interface. It’s an empowering way to manage multiple communication streams, from voice and video calls to live chat, emails and faxes, all from the same supplier, for a single, easy to manage monthly cost per user.

Unified Communications telephony systems, such as the 3CX PBX platform, offer a huge range of benefits for businesses of all sizes. It’s an all-in-one solution, packed with features such as PC and mobile device call management, video conferencing for unlimited users, and an affordable, cost-cutting enterprise class IP telephony (VoIP) system that can save up to 80 per cent on telecoms costs.

These are added advantages, all of which are capable of elevating even the smallest business to the next level. But let’s get back to the actual benefits of Unified Communications.

What are the benefits of Unified Communications?

When your workforce is able to access all the communication tools it needs from one simple-to-use application, one that is available round the clock because it’s fully remote-working ready, you can prepare to enjoy everything from boosted competitive edge to increased profits and enhanced brand reputation.

Why embrace unified communications?

1.     Improves productivity

When communications are unified, it’s so much easier for everyone to do their jobs. With incoming calls routed to the user’s preferred phone – office, mobile or PC app – the potential for lost important calls is considerably reduced. And, with faxes and voicemails delivered to users directly by email as PDFs and audio files, everything really is right there in the same place, easily accessible and more efficiently managed.

2.     Reduces costs

UC runs on Voice over IP (VoIP) technology, making it possible to bring together a range of comms platforms without the need for line rental. This is precisely why savings of up to 80 percent are possible on switching to a UC platform.

3.     Enhances customer service

A frustration-free experience is what keeps customers coming back. Especially in times when remote working has become part and parcel of everyday working life, a system that appears seamless to the caller is absolutely vital.

Unified Communications systems allow you to take and transfer calls, on any device, regardless of where you are. Plus you get to see precisely which of your colleagues are available, so there’s no wasted time on fruitless transfers. Calls can be transferred from office to home, office to office, country to country. There really are no limits. Many systems allow contacts to be synced across a corporate network via a central portal too.

Ring groups can be put in place so that calls can automatically be sent to the next available person should the first choice not be on hand. This means that callers still get to speak to someone in the know, rather than be fielded around operators who cannot directly answer their queries.

4.     Eases admin

One supplier for all your communications needs means admin time is considerably cut.

Having a common provider means to support all come from one place, and there are fewer contracts and invoices to be concerned with.

5.     Empowers remote working

UC allows anyone to work remotely with ease, switching between locations, without the need for intervention from the IT department.

Of course, remote working is a major consideration nowadays and is set to become a way of life for the foreseeable.

The great thing about the VoIP phones that come with the 3CX Unified Communications platform is that they are ‘plug and play. This means all workers need is an internet connection and they can be up and running on your communications network, literally in seconds.

And there’s no need for customers to call a different number and no waiting while a call is diverted. Just a seamless, pleasant caller experience. No one would ever know they were speaking to a call operator who’s sitting in their lounge.

Unified Communications from AK Telecom Solutions

3CX from AK Telecom Solutions empowers workforces in ways you may never have imagined. Incorporating live web chat, video conferencing, group voicemail, fax and voicemail to email, call recording, advanced call management via desktop or browser, and with the option to host in the cloud or on-premise, this really is the ultimate flexible communications platform.