Location, location, location was once a mantra reserved for property developers. In the era of rapid digital transformation, ‘location’ takes on an elevated business meaning as customers demand communication channels wherever they are. This enhanced focus on engaging with customers on their own terms has led to the rise of Unified Communications as service – vital to businesses competing in a fragmented communication landscape. Aimed at ensuring convenient and responsive channels to engage with customers and curbing capital costs, through a future-proof strategy, companies are actively embracing the benefits of embarking on their digital communication journey.

On-demand business solutions, such as BCX Voice & Unified Collaboration, are offering much-needed unified communications architecture with voice as a foundation, messaging that streamlines teamwork, conferencing that broadens reach, mobility for a hybrid world, and video, which has rapidly increased in popularity. With human-to-human connections expanding exponentially, implementing an approach that provides a singular point of visibility is vital. In 2021, almost half (47.3%) of the 476 respondents to the 2021-2022 Metrigy Workplace Collaboration Study said they are using Unified Communications as a Service for at least part of their business needs.

The demand for flexible systems and collaboration tools is driving the adoption of Unified Communication solutions across all market segments. Additionally, cloud-based communication is continuing to grow as more companies consider a hybrid working model, which has proven to be effective across industries. These remote workers will undoubtedly constitute a core part of a company’s customer base, which further entrenches the need for an omnichannel communication strategy that can adapt to an array of device and communication preferences, from video calls to interaction on social media platforms. Your customer that may have previously called while at work could now be searching for a response while scrolling their social feed.

A forward-thinking digital communication strategy offers a collaborative and productive directive for sales and service teams, enables businesses to shift IT staff away from siloed tasks, and creates a seamless move from legacy platforms to more strategic roles that directly impact business profitability. While the question of whether to use a Unified Communications model is being answered by data that supports its myriad of benefits, it’s essential that companies consider key factors. For example, on-premises models require greater dependency on in-house skills for maintenance and management, while a cloud-based option relies on robust connectivity, WAN links and service provider costs. Fortunately, financial directors have seen the value of moving Unified Communication budgets from Capex to Opex, with an additional fiscal eye glancing at eliminating the costs of upgrading existing hardware to the inevitable arrival of new communication channels. Scalability and security concerns must also be discussed with service providers and addressed at the outset of any SLA.

The level of support required by businesses must be openly discussed upfront with no question left unanswered. A business may, after all, require varying degrees of technical and user support or additional features and functionality. The aim must be to consider initial implementation costs while anticipating and planning for future needs such as a shift away from conference rooms or to greater use of emerging AI technology and trends to better engage customers. It is all about making the call to connect meaningfully with your customers wherever they are, and wherever they are going to be in the future.