Mar 5, 2024 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
Remote work has existed for decades, but got a big push just a few years ago, with so many away from the office. And some workers are staying remote, part of companies facilitating hybrid work environments. Business telecommunications needs to be up to the task, equipping workers to collaborate and communicate to get things done. Read on to learn more about the benefits of telecommunications technology for a connected workforce. The Growth of Business Communications Remote work has happened for years (the term “telecommuting” was coined more than 50 years ago), and tools for connection and collaboration have grown in sophistication. In the past, telephones have operated independently of the Internet, and other tools like email and conferencing have been separate. The market for Unified Communications has grown in the last few years, and is expected to grow to about $50 billion globally by 2025. Little wonder, considering the business benefits it brings. Benefits of Integrated Telecommunications Integration of modes of telecommunication like Voice Over IP (VoIP) telephony, customer relations management software, and web conferencing can improve communication and collaboration while saving your company money. With Unified Communications, a package of communication tools in the cloud is available with an internet connection. The cloud service provider handles the infrastructure, freeing businesses from the capital expense of purchase and maintenance of hardware. With more workers having the capacity to work remotely, businesses can cut spending on office space (though depending on its needs, a company may choose a hybrid workplace). Ability to connect with new clients virtually can even help you break into new markets near...
Apr 13, 2023 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
What if, instead of being limited to an in-office phone system with its possibly rough connection and dropped calls, you could experience seamless communication via the cloud? This is possible with Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP, for short), an Internet-based unified communications solution. Read on to learn more about VoIP’s benefits and considerations, and about looking for a potential provider. Benefits of Unified Communications Telephone technology has come a long way since the time calls were transmitted over copper wires. Nowadays, with VoiceOver IP, users can call each other using an Internet-based cloud solution. With this different interface, the provider handles back-end infrastructure and all the customer needs is the internet connection. This technology is flexible and scalable, and can be integrated with your company’s applications to help speed business processes. Lines can be added easily via your company’s internet router to accommodate more remote workers, and they can access your network and its applications. Like with other cloud offerings, VoIP can convert the capital expense of phone sets to a flexible internet-based subscription model. Preparing Your Network for Unified Communications No matter your company’s needs, considerations remain when considering cloud-based phone technology. First, is your company’s network strong enough, with sufficient bandwidth, to support more traffic? Does your network and all connected devices have the most current antivirus and anti-malware definitions? Another question to answer: have you considered what features of a provider’s plan would best align with business goals? Considerations When Choosing a Provider Numerous providers exist, and offer internet telephony packages with varying features. Some can furnish you with things...
Nov 11, 2021 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
Unified Communications, or UC, is an Internet-based way to bring together your company’s communications–telephony, web conferencing, email and more. With its benefits, it requires a reliable and secure network to keep your employees connected and productive. Read on to learn about Unified Communications and what you need to do to prepare. The Benefits of Unified Communications Even before 2020, the use of Unified Communications was growing; since then, it has become even more popular. In a nutshell, Unified Communications is a way of integrating multiple modes of communication–including VoIP telephony, email, web conferencing and more–via the Internet. These new and integrated technologies save time and money by allowing businesses to seamlessly connect and collaborate with colleagues, cohorts and customers with ease. Unified Communications can also help a company gain a competitive advantage, connecting with customers regardless of location. Workers can work anytime, anywhere, with just an Internet connection, communicating and collaborating with each other and customers from work, home or on the road. Integration with CRM can help them obtain information about customers easily, and they’ll never miss a voicemail by routing to email. When UC is supported by software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN), traffic can move easily because if one carrier goes down, another can pick up the slack without any downtime. Prepare Your Business and Network for UC with SD-WAN Adoption of Unified Communications provides multiple benefits, yet requires planning and consideration. First, you’ll need to examine how it will support your company’s business goals. Second, you’ll need to assess your network’s strength and security; do you have the internal bandwidth it takes...
Sep 15, 2020 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
In our current situation, the ability to work anywhere is even more important. Whether at the office, on the go–or quite commonly these days, at home–unified communications (UC) supports the ability to communicate by voice or email and send information back and forth. Read on to learn more about how this technology can help your business always be available. According to a recent Gartner report, Unified Communications is expected to grow by $167.1 billion over the next five years, an average of 16.8% per year. This technology brings together various modes of communication–phone, text, web conferencing and email, providing a streamlined way to keep businesses connected. Employees working at home can collaborate via web conferencing, send data via email, and communicate with customers by phone. Voice Over IP (VoIP) supports this technology by providing phone connections via the Internet. Companies no longer have to rely solely on analog or private branch exchange (PBX) systems. Chat and email with customers and other employees is made easier. Applications like CRM can be integrated to expedite service, too. The Need for Software-Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN) Unified Communications technology, enabled by the cloud, needs a fast and reliable network. Software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN) uses multiple carrier service providers to furnish a wide area network with failover; if one part of the network experiences a bottleneck, another can pick up the traffic. Not only does SD-WAN provide a highly available network, but it can also save costs over legacy MPLS with added flexibility and a variety of carriers. Unified Communications can test the limits of your company’s network. With SD-WAN, your company’s...
Feb 18, 2020 | SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, SMB Technology, Technology News
More than ever, businesses are seeking new communications solutions. Instead of old methods, such as analog phone and private branch exchanges (PBX) and a separate computer network, companies are seeking the benefits of more streamlined, economical solutions. Read on to learn what Unified Communications–and its foundation, VoIP–can do for your business. Unified Communications Provides Greater Efficiency More and more businesses are moving into the future, using an Internet-based communications platform. According to research firm Gartner, adoption of Unified Communications (UC) is expected to grow to $167.1 billion by 2025, with an annual growth rate of 16.8%. The foundational technology, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), allows businesses to make telephone calls using a broadband Internet connection, sometimes right from the computer and sometimes with an adapter connected to their current equipment. Other modes of communication, such as chat and email, can be done over Internet connection also, eliminating the need for separate phone and computer networks. Other capabilities include going from chat to video conferencing, and integration with CRM. Employees then can be current on customer service, projects and confident of processes moving forward. Considerations Before UC Adoption With all its benefits, Unified Communications can benefit your organization greatly. Not all solutions are equal, however, and it is wise for a company to evaluate its goals to determine what UC services will work best for them. How will this tool help streamline customer service? Which features are most important to have? How many employees does the business have? This last is a key consideration, for many vendors base their rate on the number of employees using the service per month....
