5 Ways Your Small Business Can Benefit from UC

Briefly put, Unified Communications (News - Alert), or “UC” is the integration and melding of real-time communication services. These can encompass instant messaging (IM or chat), multiple forms of telephony, the growing trend of videoconferencing, any type of data sharing and more.

UC is not necessarily a single product, but a set of products that provides communication across multiple devices and media types.

The technology has been strongly embraced by the enterprise, but it makes sense for businesses of all sizes to look into it, and embrace it as well. The following are just some ways an SMB or SME can benefit from incorporating UC into its communications channels:

PRODUCTIVITY

Every business is under pressure to do more with less, so effectively utilizing UC can help it become more productive. “The ability to access data, information and knowledge at digital speed can be the difference between an enterprise soaring or stumbling,” said CIO Insight’s Sam Greengard. “UC aims to address many of these challenges by connecting people in more efficient and intuitive ways. It can reduce overlapping work and errors, spur innovation, speed development cycles and improve service levels.” The benefits of better collaboration are obvious.

Image via Shutterstock

COST SAVINGS

How many times have you had to send a staffer on a road trip to deal with a client, when you all could have saved money and time by meeting digitally instead? By utilizing UC, especially videoconferencing, you can save time, money, aggravation and productivity by setting up digital meetings. The technology for doing so continues to drop in price, and the benefits far outweigh the initial outlay

CLEAR MESSAGING

Emails are a great way to communicate quickly, but the nuanced meaning of someone’s message can be lost in the translation of mere bits and bytes. How much clearer would your message be if those you’re contacting can hear your voice and see your message at the same time? By utilizing UC effectively, whether it’s through a comprehensive videoconferencing system or simply by holding a Skype (News - Alert) meeting, your message gets across and you can instantly see the reaction it gets. Nothing is lost in translation.

A TRACEABLE TRAIL

When deadlines are on the line, it helps to keep everyone on task and on target by tracking what was said, or done, and when. By incorporating UC into your meetings process, you can better track when meetings were held, and know what was said and agreed upon at those meetings. It may not seem so at the time, but if you should need to go back in case of a dispute, you can refer to when and where past meetings were held, and agree upon what was discussed. It’s like a “digital paper trail.”

ACCESS FROM ANYWHERE

The real beauty of the Internet lies in its ubiquitous accessibility. The same holds true for UC. You don’t have to be at a desk in some office to join in a call, videoconference or remote meeting. Given a simple login and passcode, you can join the meeting anytime, from anywhere, and participate as if you were really there, in person. You ARE, just not physically so. But it’s your ideas and input that matters most, right?