Unified Communications (UC) is an integration of real-time communication services such as instant messenger; presence information; telephony call control and speech recognition with non-real-time communication services.
It also can be described as a set of products that provides a consistent unified user interface and user experience across multiple devices and media types.
Determining Business Needs
The first step to implementing UC is to determine business needs. This involves an audit of all of your current communication tools and also identifying any gaps the implementation will need to address.
It’s important you get representatives from different departments at this stage so you can understand what the organisation as a whole needs. A collaborative approach helps ensure the UC solution can help improve overall comms efficiency across the board.
How to Choose the Right UC Solution
Picking a winning solution is only half of the battle – you need to also locate and hire an experienced partner that has a solid reputation within the industry and known for their impeccable support services.
Planning Your Implementation
Get your infrastructure ready for UC: There may be some upgrades required like network or bandwidth scaling that will help accommodate new requirements associated with the implementation of this new system. Although it can be quite challenging, pilot testing should always be done with a small group before rolling out to everyone as additional preparation from potential issues found during this time frame helps ease transitions down the road.
Training & Support
Training and supporting staff is crucial for successful UC deployment. Conduct robust training sessions; provide detailed documentation; or both to help employees understand how the new system will work.
Mitigate resistance to new technologies by highlighting the benefits of UC such as it makes people capable of connecting from anywhere at any time and helps them become more efficient in their work.
Monitoring and Optimization
Continuous updates and maintenance are required to prevent problems and improve system functionality over time – this assures that the UC solution continues to meet your business’s evolving needs.
Conclusion
Unified Communications is an operational strategy that requires planning, execution and continued management. By following these steps — businesses will be more assured that their UC system can help improve productivity and communications while also laying the groundwork for future digital transformation initiatives.