Improving business efficiency with unified communications

With remote working on the rise, many companies are looking to improve business efficiency by implementing unified communications solutions. These include integrating and upgrading previous systems to meet the growing demand for secure and centralised virtual working spaces.

Today’s world is one of rapid technological transformation, which is driven in part by unified communications. These integrated platforms enable freedom from the limitations of location, and synchronous collaboration among teams. Unified communications relies on the use of multiple communication methods and gathering all data into a single cloud-based environment.

Unified communications boosts efficiency

Regardless of the size of a company, choosing the right unified communications services can improve business productivity and collaboration. It increases mobility, enhances user experience and dramatically reduces IT costs.

It goes beyond individual functions, like telephony, email and messaging. It incorporates these and the various other essential operations into a smooth-running application that integrates processes. This creates greater ease of working together and improved access to tasks, information and projects.

Implementing a unified communications platform as an integral part of your ICT strategy will help to save time and money. Businesses can improve profitability and productivity by improving internal processes and workflows. Unified communications can help businesses in a variety of ways, including the ability to work more efficiently through better collaboration and data sharing.

What is unified communications?

Unified communications is a collection of technologies that are combined into a compatible application. Its main components comprise voice calling, messaging and web conferencing. Team members and departments can interact via instant messaging, simultaneous collaboration on documents, high definition conference calling and smart scheduling. This all takes place on one centralised platform.

Cloud-based unified communications applications deploy a range of advanced security tools to offer a secure online environment for groups to meet and exchange information, without risking cyber breaches or leaks. Software-as-a-service (SaaS) products, like Microsoft 365, offer identity and access management, threat protection, information protection and security management.

Microsoft 365 is a collaboration app for business and is offered along with its other common programs (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Microsoft PowerBI, Microsoft Exchange Online, as well as OneDrive). This comprehensive service includes the licensing and setup of all software.

Simplifying employee operations

Research shows that substantial amounts of time is misspent by switching between applications while fulfilling various operations. Workers switch apps more than 1100 times per day, on average. These time-consuming actions notably hamper productivity.

Deploying unified communications (UC) solutions reduces the need for multiple channels of interaction and collaboration. Processes are simplified, fostering a more efficient work culture and saving time.

Unified communications, such as Microsoft Teams, improves efficiency by making all modes of communication and resources easily accessible. Diverse applications incorporated into UC allows employees and departments to connect in a way that cultivates team collaboration.

Reduced costs of communication

Applying unified communications infrastructure is more cost-effective than developing in-house software, thus resulting in a reduction in IT expenditure. Consolidating many different and overlapping applications into one also reduces the spend on various licensing fees.

Cloud-based unified communications systems do not generally require specialised hardware. Another money-saving advantage is in administrative costs - it is quicker and easier to manage a cloud network.

Companies should consider a communications service provider that ensures streamlined implementation, management and maintenance of all tools. These solutions should deliver compatibility, efficiency and reliability to enterprises. Most importantly, the software should be stored on a secure cloud-based server.

Businesses need to carefully check service level agreements (SLAs) when choosing a service provider. SEACOM Business offers industry-leading SLAs, ensuring maximum performance and security. For more information or to get a quote for our unified communications services, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.

SEACOM owns Africa’s most extensive network of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, including subsea cables and secure internet connections. We offer a diverse range of flexible, scalable and high-quality solutions for businesses that meet world-class standards for connectivity.

SEACOM is privately owned and operated, making it agile and adaptable to the needs of the customer. This makes us the preferred ICT and internet connectivity partner for African businesses and peripheral service providers. We can guarantee high-speed, low-latency and secure internet connections to corporates and small enterprises.

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