Over the last few years, the workplace has undergone considerable change. The move towards hybrid working has accelerated and businesses have had to adapt their communications systems to meet changing needs – sometimes without the time to put in place an optimised, long-term strategy.
To be able to manage this new workplace organisation effectively and to make the most of the benefits it offers, it’s essential that companies implement a simple, flexible and secure business communications solution that integrates all the new interactive channels required by employees in today’s world, whilst also reducing costs.
Fortunately, such solutions do exist! In this series of five videos, our unified communications experts share their insights and tips on how to simplify and optimise your business communications – in just two minutes.
Why should you migrate your phone system to the cloud?
According to Gartner, 40% of enterprises have planned to increase their budget for cloud platforms. Traditional on-premises PBX are gradually being replaced by cloud phone systems, which are set to be deployed on an increasingly large scale. UCaaS solutions – cloud-based unified communications systems – provide a single solution that allows users to manage all their business communications in one place, including telephone, team messaging, video meetings and fax.
Why are businesses choosing the cloud? Benefits including ease of use, straightforward accessibility requiring only an internet connection, flexibility, security and simple administration all clearly justify the decision to migrate phone systems to the cloud. What’s more, moving to a cloud phone system and cloud-based unified communications can be a very smooth and straightforward process.
Niall Carter, Senior Manager Expansion Sales, tells us more…
How to integrate your communications system to optimise your business workflows more effectively?
The development of digital tools has resulted in an abundance of new software programs and online services. Confronted with such a large number of different tools, employees and administrators can find themselves becoming less productive. Communications tools clearly highlight this phenomenon. Most companies use two or even three different communications solutions for video meetings, messaging and phone calls.
However, unified communications systems which integrate all interactive channels (phone, fax, messaging, video meetings, etc.) are available. These can also be easily integrated with other business applications as well as with office tools, enabling companies to automate some workflows. This day-to-day fluidity is something that is particularly sought after by employees.
Karen Patalay, Lead Solutions Engineer, tells us more…
How to ensure the security and reliability of your communications system?
The mass move to remote working created security vulnerabilities in businesses’ IT systems. Communications systems, in particular, proved to be an easy gateway for attackers, revealing an urgent need for more robust protection. With the development of hybrid work, security remains a key issue for IT departments.
Companies who choose to migrate their communications system to the cloud experience numerous benefits in terms of security. From the application of good practice and the systematic use of security patches through to regular updates and recovery plans – UCaaS providers are obliged to ensure that the platforms they offer their customers are secure. Often, these providers have undergone certification based on international standards and comply with current international regulations. With on-premises PBX and a multitude of different communications applications, these protective measures become much more difficult and expensive to implement.
Amir Sahranavard, Solutions Engineer, tells us more...
How to improve team collaboration and productivity with unified communications and AI?
Most of organisations have seen productivity gains from remote or hybrid work, largely due to advanced communication tools. Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) is central to this improvement, integrating various communication channels into a single platform. Additionally, UCaaS’s compatibility with other business applications, like CRM systems, automates tasks and further boosts productivity.
The incorporation of AI into UCaaS platforms significantly contributes to task automation and the enhancement of user experience, thereby improving collaboration and efficiency. A key functionality of AI within UCaaS systems is its summarisation of video meetings and phone calls. This is just one example of the AI features built into UCaaS that have a direct effect on productivity.
Laura Winnan, Senior Campaign Manager, tells us more…
How to optimise investment in your communications system?
Companies are becoming increasingly vigilant when it comes to costs as they try to maintain their profit margins even during a time of crisis – and rightly so! However, monitoring “business communications” expenditure can be complex if the company does not have in place a modern, unified solution.
In the short term, cloud-based communications solutions help to reduce the number of providers and infrastructure costs by moving away from traditional on-premises systems, which, in turn, lightens the load for IT teams. In the long term, the concrete benefits of these systems include the fact that they are both intuitive and easily integrated with other business tools, resulting in a significant increase in productivity and turnover. The savings generated by UCaaS solutions are substantial and justify the initial investment. In the end, they generate an excellent ROI.
Ross Reeves, UK Marketing Director, tells us more…
Originally published Mar 13, 2024, updated Mar 14, 2024
