December 02, 2021
What is enterprise connectivity and why is it important?
Being well-connected means a lot in modern commerce. Strong connections mean more business, and just as interpersonal networks of partnerships create a sturdy base for businesses to flourish, so too do the digital networks and virtual connections. Enterprise connectivity is vital for all businesses, although the level of connectivity certainly varies from one company to the next.
The demand for enterprise-grade connectivity is rapidly increasing, especially in South Africa where access to world-class fibre internet is becoming more widely available and affordable. Even small businesses have significant bandwidth requirements for internal collaboration and external communication. Always-on connectivity gives businesses the competitive edge, ensuring that employees, customers and remote teams are able to communicate and work together at all times of day or night.
The growing trend of cloud-based digital architecture has resulted in digital transformation across all industries in South Africa. Enterprise-grade connectivity requires a robust network. SEACOM Business’s extensive fibre grid and corporate connectivity solutions are ideal for any organisation, whether it be a start-up looking to take their business up a few notches, or a well-established large enterprise with multiple branches across the country.
The ever-changing landscape of digital technology is driving businesses to level up their online offerings and operations. With this, comes the need for robust enterprise connectivity. But what exactly is enterprise connectivity and why is it so important?
How enterprise connectivity is changing
Just a few years ago, an email address and a landline telephone would suffice for most companies. They could get by interacting solely via phone and email. They could even have fixed operating hours; switching things off at night or on weekends. Nowadays, this is no longer the case. Cloud computing, web-based applications, e-commerce and remote working have changed the face of enterprise connectivity.
In 2015, small businesses with eight to ten employees could cope with a 30 Mbps line. Fast-forward a few years, and organisations need at least 10 to 15 Mbps per employee. Even the majority of small businesses need a 100 Mbps line in order to run internal operations and to interact with their clientele.
Competition has driven radical change, especially in terms of digital infrastructure. For businesses to be agile and resilient, they need appropriate networks that can grow, evolve and expand on demand. Digital transformation goes hand-in-hand with accelerated growth.
More and more organisations are providing data-rich services. Products and services can be delivered via digital platforms and the growth in mobile technology has created an even greater need for innovative technologies which connect businesses with their customers.
VoIP connectivity has been around for a while but is only now able to earn the reputation for being a reliable alternative to traditional landlines. VoIP needs to run on robust fibre lines in order to allow for high-quality calling. Direct access to fibre optic cables running into business premises means that companies can take advantage of cost-effective VoIP technologies.
Digital business operations
SEACOM Business offers various connectivity solutions for organisations, depending on their size and needs. The one thing that companies have in common is that no matter their size, there is a demand for scalable connectivity. Expanding and evolving networks need to happen seamlessly as business requirements expand and evolve. In this day and age, business growth is accompanied by a growth in connectivity.
Recent innovations and advances in technology have been key factors driving organisational change. Machine learning, automation and mobile applications are becoming commonplace in any successful organisation. These technologies all require ultrafast, reliable connectivity. Manual data entry is a thing of the past. Instead, the relationship with digital tools has allowed organisations to focus on efficiency, sustainability, transparency and expense reduction.
Having a cutting-edge technological approach supports innovation in business. This adds value and drives growth. Improved employee connectivity means more efficiency and productivity. Social networks for business operations have more or less replaced boardroom and coffee machine catch-ups. Having a high-speed, reliable network helps teams to work better together, giving them access to all the data they need, even if they are working remotely.
Improving the customer experience
More companies are turning to machine learning models to gain insight into their customers and their needs. Providing a world-class digital experience for customers is essential for brand reputation. Having enterprise-grade connectivity ensures that customers are engaged and that the organisation can track and monitor the full customer experience from sign-up to check-out.
Disruption to the communication system is bad for business. It translates to reputation costs as well as lost revenue. Providing real-time customer engagement and being able to resolve customer queries quickly and efficiently are key business practices. Customers expect to be able to contact companies not only during traditional working hours. Businesses need to be up-and-running at all times of day or night if they wish to provide a modern service.
Why enterprise connectivity is important
Having a clear digital agenda is a feature of any forward-looking business. Being able to take advantage of emerging technologies facilitates business growth. It's important to be able to communicate with clients, customers, employees, as well as deliver products or services via digital platforms. With this comes the need for enhanced connectivity.
Enterprise connectivity ensures mobility, flexibility, affordability and scalability. Gone are the days of long-term contracts with data capping and throttling. Expensive hardware and maintenance are being replaced by virtual systems that are easily and effectively managed at any time of day or night. For more information or to get a quote for any of our enterprise connectivity solutions, 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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