There are a lot of businesses that use cloud computing. In fact, the latest figures say that over 80 percent of businesses are now using some type of cloud platform for their operations. Of course, there are a lot of different options available to organizations, but one particularly useful solution that may not get a lot of attention is the unified communication platform. This month, we’ll take a look at the cloud-hosted communications platform.
How the Cloud Helps Businesses Communicate
Having a strong communications strategy for your business can go a long way. With the options that are now available through the cloud, your business can significantly cut your communications costs by utilizing technologies like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and video conferencing. Today, there are complete communication platforms that integrate all necessary communications into one easy-to-control solution.
This comprehensive platform, called Unified-Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS), combines your business telecommunications and messaging with your web and video conferencing and collaboration. UCaaS gives your business the technology it needs along with the following options:
- Disaster recovery
- Managed support
- Thorough analytics
- Management software integration
- Regulatory support
- Global service delivery
- Available support
Available Technology
Below are some of the technologies a UCaaS platform offers:
Telephone
A powerful and feature-rich telephone system is one of the most important parts of a business’ communications platform. A VoIP system uses your organization’s bandwidth to deliver reliable voice services at a substantial cost reduction. Each VoIP platform can offer a whole cache of features, including:
- Call Management / Auto Attendant
- Call Queue
- Call Routing/Screening/Transferring
- Call Forwarding/Voicemail
- Call Park/Presence/Pulling
- Call Recording
- Custom In-Call Music
- Custom Ringtones
- Do Not Disturb
- Three-Way Calling
- Extensions
- SIP Trunking
- Find/Follow Me
- Voicemail Services
Aside from these features, a hosted VoIP platform offers users the ability to use the system on their own mobile phones through the use of a mobile app, effectively making any smartphone a work phone.
Text and Instant Messaging
The UCaaS also integrates a lot of other useful messaging features. Many people would rather get a text than a call, and with a UCaaS, your organization’s messaging will integrate with other software to provide a useful collaborative option.
Video Conferencing
Today, having a video conferencing solution is a must. With more people working outside of the office, and with businesses outsourcing work to remote contractors, having a solution to run meetings over the Internet is extremely useful.
Collaboration / File Sharing
Collaboration is the name of the game in the information age and a UCaaS can provide a solution for secure file transfer and document sharing.
With integrations with CRMs and other management platforms a UCaaS can make your business be more efficient and productive. To talk to one of our IT professionals about the possibility of integrating a unified communication solution into your business, give us a call at (877) 638-5464 today.
