Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) has gained significant traction, with almost 30% of surveyed companies adopting it as their primary platform for calling, meetings, and messaging, according to Metrigy’s “Workplace Collaboration: 2023-24” global research study of 440 organizations. Among those using on-premises UC applications, 31% also incorporated or planned to integrate UCaaS by the end of 2023.
The adoption of UCaaS is driven by the dual desire to save costs and access new features. Approximately 38% of IT leaders find the availability of new UCaaS features compelling. Here are seven key UCaaS features that can substantially enhance productivity within your organization:
1. Integrated Team Messaging:
UCaaS providers prioritize team messaging as a central collaboration interface, with 68% of companies adopting it and 53% considering it a hub for work. The integration of other applications into the team workspace streamlines processes, including product and task management, business intelligence, and CRM. This fosters collaboration in context, allowing employees to chat and work seamlessly within the team space.
2. Generative AI:
UCaaS vendors are incorporating generative AI features, leveraging technologies like ChatGPT, for intelligent note-taking, transcriptions, meeting summaries, content creation, and querying data from other applications within the UCaaS interface. This fast-evolving space promises additional collaboration features in the future.
3. Contact Center Integration:
About 74% of research participants are integrating their contact center and UC platforms, leading to improved customer service and measurable benefits, such as an 11.6% improvement in customer ratings, a 7.7% reduction in operational costs, and a 13.7% improvement in agent efficiency.
4. Improved Performance:
With approximately 45% of employees working remotely, UCaaS provides a solution to improve voice and video performance by enabling remote access through local internet connections, eliminating the need for VPNs.
5. Application Integrations:
UCaaS vendors offer off-the-shelf plugins to facilitate seamless integration with other apps within organizations, supporting features like project and workflow management integration and third-party whiteboard apps for ideation.
6. Integrated Text Messaging:
Many UCaaS providers offer SMS text messaging integrations, allowing employees to use their business numbers for texting, capturing texts for compliance purposes, and integrating with CRM platforms.
7. Mobility:
UCaaS providers offer mobile apps for calls, meetings, and messaging. Additionally, fixed-mobile convergence options enable the use of native dialers and messaging apps for business communications, further boosting employee productivity.
These seven UCaaS features are instrumental in enhancing productivity, but they are not exhaustive. When selecting a UCaaS provider, consider their support for these capabilities and potential future developments to maximize the value of your UC investments.
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