How unified communications can benefit SMEs

Unified communications — it’s a term thrown around a lot nowadays, frequently cited by key management whenever the conversation turns to strategies for making things ‘better’ and ‘more productive’.

And that’s a fair assessment for managers to make. Unified communications do indeed improve the way daily operations are handled, but it’s also helpful to understand why.

This is an important distinction. Many smaller to medium-sized businesses can sometimes overlook unified communications as a viable strategy — specifically those under the assumption that they’re simply too small to benefit.

However, the reality is actually very different.

Unified communications explained
Put simply; unified communications bring together a company’s various lines of communication, including telephony, email, video conferencing and instant messaging.

Unified communications can also integrate with various company-wide systems, such as collaborative applications for sharing and co-authoring documents and systems for billing, accounting and customer relations management.

Unified communications can be managed on-premises or via software hosted in the cloud as a service, typically referred to as UC as a Service (UCaaS). In either case, a single suite of software allows for seamless unification of all your communication channels.

Okay, now we’ve cleared that up, let’s circle back to where we started. How can unified communications help SMEs?

There are plenty of accumulative benefits, perhaps a little too generalised to simply mention, so we thought we’d break things down:

1. Unifies teams
Maintaining multiple systems for different aspects of the work environment only makes collaboration more difficult.

Even across smaller to medium-sized businesses, it’s important to make sure teams are always synced. Having a unified communications infrastructure keeps everybody aligned regardless of whether they’re on the other side of the office or the other side of the country.

2. Scalability
When lockdown first hit, many companies found their existing systems unable to cope with remote workers suddenly trying to use them simultaneously. This was because these systems were either too limited or not designed for remote access to begin with.

Cloud-based unified communications can quickly scale to accommodate changes inside or outside a business. For growing SMEs, this is particularly useful as it allows businesses to increase operations without worrying about compromising performance.

3. Flexibility
Because all communications are managed via a single platform, users can move effortlessly between devices and operating systems. This provides incredible flexibility and means that employees can switch seamlessly between messaging, live audio, and video. It also prevents users from being denied access to certain work documents or files whenever they don’t have a specific device to hand.

4. Strengthens security
It’s far easier to maintain a single platform’s security than it is to secure multiple applications and user accounts. By reducing the number of log-ins an employee is required to make, you’re also decreasing the likelihood that one of those systems will be compromised due to their using a poor password. On top of that, UCaaS typically come with additional cybersecurity and various encryption protocols specially designed to prevent fraudulent activity and data loss.

5. Improves customer service
Customers expect a seamless experience whether they call, message or email. Unified communications make it easier for businesses to provide an exceptionally high level of consistency regardless of where or how these interactions occur. Bolster this with some of the productivity benefits we’ve already listed, and businesses can better satisfy their customers without drastically increasing resources.

Why choose Fidelity Group as your unified communications provider
Here at Fidelity Group, we understand that communication is the lifeblood of any business or organisation. Whether you are customer-facing, industrial or governmental, it’s important to have the right infrastructure to support those lines of communication at every level.

We deliver unique, tailored solutions that are designed to nature your communications, improve operations and strengthen your business. We then bolster this with 24/7/365 dedicated technical support and customer service. We won’t have you on hold for hours trying to get hold of an agent, you will have a dedicated account manager who is supported by a full technical and engineering department. Our goal is to keep you connected and communicating always. Building relationships that last. Everything is handled under one roof, including energy.

Get in touch with our team today and see how we can implement unified communications across your workplace.