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5 Things to Know Before Choosing a Cloud Based UC System
By: Scott Resnick
If you’re focused on enterprise mobility—and you really should be if you’re planning on staying competitive—you need a cloud based unified communications system that will provide your employees and customers with everything they need.
A lot of companies don’t want to spend the time, energy, and money needed for the right contact center system, but your email, data sharing, web conferencing, and phone communications will all depend on the proper UC system. Before you choose one, consider these five things:
1. Return on Investment
The amount you pay for your unified communications can affect your bottom line, so it’s best to find a cloud based UC option that provides you with the best return on investment. There are a number of low-cost options but some provide more overall value than others. With 75% of companies using cloud based services, prices will vary, as will quality. A focus on quality UC options for a good value can provide a business without paying too much. ROI is possibly the most important factor to consider first.
2. Feature Flexibility
The flexibility a company and a product has can make a difference in what your business can offer to its customers. When you choose a UC option, consider being able to add and remove features easily and conveniently. A number of companies offer UC options and provide different levels of service and options from which you can choose. If the system and company you’re considering isn’t able to change and adapt, it may not be the right one for your business to use.
3. Disaster Recovery
A disaster recovery plan is vital for your data. Accidents can and do happen, as do unexpected, catastrophic events that can damage your data or affect your ability to access it. No matter what takes place with your company and/or the company that controls your unified communications, you should be able to get all of your data returned to you quickly and accurately. Find a company you can rely on to properly manage a data disaster.
4. Consistency
Uniformity matters when you’re working in a very customer-focused business. It’s also important for employees who must connect with one another multiple times per day. With that in mind, having a uniform system can make a big difference when it comes to unified communications and the quality of your enterprise mobility. Transferring calls and finding information to provide to customers quickly and easily goes a long way in keeping your customers happy. Look for a cloud based UC solution that will allow you to give your customers uniformity. Customers will remember that, and your business will operate more smoothly.
5. Mobility
The importance of mobility can’t be overstated. You want your employees to be able to work with and communicate with one another all the time, just like they would if they were in the office together. They also need to be reachable in case of emergency, and in case they’re the only one with the answer to a particular customer’s question. That doesn’t mean your employees are on call 24/7, but any time they are “at work,” they should be reachable—no matter where they actually are. By having the right cloud based UC option, your employees will always be available to you, and to other employees and customers.
If you take a careful look at all those issues before you choose a new system for cloud based unified communications, you’ll be much more likely to pick the right one. That can help you increase your enterprise mobility, and the right contact center system will go a long way toward keeping both employees and customers happy. Happy customers mean higher revenue, and happy employees mean harder workers, both of which are valuable to your company both now and into the future.
This article was originally published by TTI Houston
Published: August 1, 2014
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