In a rapidly evolving and competitive retail environment, agility has become a critical component of running a successful business. Brands that know how to adapt and change quickly to suit the needs and preferences of their customers can differentiate themselves from their competitors and potentially avoid the race-to-the-bottom price wars that leave many companies in financial trouble.
As a solution designed for flexibility, versatility, and scalability, the cloud communications environment is the perfect way for brands to get ahead with a more agile approach to connections. With the cloud, organisations can engage in valuable conversations with their stakeholders, suppliers, customers, and colleagues—all within a simple central location.
So, how exactly can cloud communications help retail businesses become more agile?
An anytime, anywhere communications strategy
The traditional on-premises approach to communications has always been restricted by the need to use physical hardware. Legacy desk phones needed to be plugged into a wired network, and staff members needed to be sitting at a company desk to tap into the collaboration and file-sharing tools they used with their colleagues.
The cloud removes the barriers to agile communication by giving everyone access to the same communications experience wherever they are. This means that team members can enjoy the same tools and resources from any device, perfect for a growing remote workforce.
Simple, centralised communications
A retail company can naturally be more agile if they don’t have to worry about training employees to use disparate systems. Because the unified communications as a service (UCaaS) network means that everyone can access the same communications platform in a virtual platform, CIOs and communications experts can run a uniform network in business settings around the world.
All a company needs to access the benefits of their agile communications service is an internet connection and the right credentials. This means that brands don’t have to worry about working with different providers, carriers, and expenses for long-distance calls. What’s more, because the UCaaS model removes the complications of installing new systems, all you have to do is sign up and you’re ready to go. With the cloud, you can simply add new locations, new users, and transform your communications strategy all without any up-front cost or complexity. Everything is managed from a single, centralised location on the cloud.
A range of future-ready tech solutions
Today, the cloud communications world is about a lot more than just voice calls. Although you may still need to hold regular audio conferences with members of your team, a cloud-ready communication strategy allows you to be more agile in an ever-improving digital space. In the cloud, you can embrace new forms of communication and innovative tools without having to worry about excessive capital expenditure.
For instance, many of today’s UCaaS services come with access to collaboration tools that help bring your company teams together regardless of where they are in the world. There’s also the option to tap into video conferencing and even AI-enhanced communication services.
Quick and effective communication
Cloud communication solutions are designed to give companies plenty of reliability through consistent uptime and quality management. This means that you can rest assured that your team members will always have a way to connect with their colleagues when they’re in need of help or support.
UCaaS is all about generating exceptional agile communications. Because deployment is simple, you can give your employees and partners access to the tools they need when and where they need them. For instance, if you need to set your staff member up to work remotely, then you can simply make sure that they have a mobile device that’s set up with all the cloud tools they need to perform well in their role.
Is it time you make the most of your own cloud communication benefits?
Originally published Apr 18, 2018, updated Jan 17, 2023
