Professional applications are an important part of company culture. And corporate communication applications even more so than others. An inadequate accounting app will most likely cause frustration among the financial department, but an inappropriate corporate communication solution can lead to miscommunication, resentment and an overall lack of effectiveness that impacts the entire company. In short, by implementing a communication solution that does not cater to the true needs of employees, companies can create a toxic culture that hinders development.
Unified Communications: A user-centric approach to communication
Unified Communications systems are designed to be user-centric, enabling employees to access all the communication tools and information they need with just a couple of clicks.
UC solutions ensure that all employees have access to a vast array of communication tools, from internal chat to video conferencing and everything in between. With just a few clicks within the system interface, users can access the chosen communication channel and switch as needed, without wasting precious time going from one platform to the next. And, with various integration options available, employees can directly access information from other connected applications in seconds. In short, by providing a truly friendly interface and making the user experience a priority, UC systems help employees become more productive.
UC solutions are designed to truly cater to the needs of the modern workforce in more ways than one, so, in this article, we will explore how Unified Communications systems elevate user experience, enabling employees to meet company goals.
User Experience fit for the modern workforce
1/ Increased mobility and employee satisfaction
It’s no secret that employee needs and wants are different today than they were ten or even five years ago, and one of the key changes is an increased need for mobility and autonomy. A study conducted by Bentley University highlights the fact that 39% of millennials say that the ability to work remotely would help increase their productivity.
As such, given the challenges of the modern work environment, UC solutions have developed the technology needed to enable users to make and receive calls using the company communication system regardless of their location. In other words, UC software is no longer bound to computers or laptops and is now available through powerful mobile apps that help employees keep in touch with clients and coworkers even when they are travelling.
The Find Me and Follow Me features incorporated by some systems are also quite useful. Thanks to Find Me, users can receive calls in any location, be it their home office or HQ, while Follow Me allows a call to ring in multiple locations simultaneously or in a sequence. With the right UC solution employees never miss important calls.
2/ Improved workflow and effectiveness
Increased mobility does not mean being on-call 24/7. In fact, quite the opposite. UC systems are designed to help employees work smarter not harder. By offering numerous automation options, Unified Communication solutions can enable users to focus on the tasks that are truly worth their attention. For instance, IVR (Interactive Voice Response) makes sure that callers are automatically guided to the person best qualified to assist them, without the need for additional interventions from other employees. And when an employee needs a colleague’s assistance, he or she will know when that particular person is available thanks to the status and presence features. Needless to say, these features are even more important when collaborating with remote members of the team.
UC solutions also provide dynamic call and data reporting features that can help companies optimize their communication workflow. With up to date information about wait times, call durations, and the number of queued calls always at the ready, companies can choose to implement new technologies and features, modify the general workflow or hire additional personnel in order to improve performance before clients or employees become dissatisfied.
3/ Productivity: tools for better results
Today’s highly competitive business world encourages companies to focus on delivering quality results that make them stand out. The easiest way to make sure your company provides the best solution to a client’s problem is to make sure that the entire team is contributing to its development. That’s why UC solutions enable users to manage communications easily, offering the ability to click-to-call, and a number of highly useful features such as call queues, messages and coworker status information.
Plus, all the features and functions are available through the same interface. And, UC systems even facilitate access to important information through powerful integrations. By connecting the communication system to other essential apps and systems like CRM platforms, email-clients and other professional applications, companies make sure that employees can not only communicate with ease but that they also have access to the information they need in order to make the best decisions.
While the ability to seamlessly connect multiple communication channels into a single interface is a feat in itself, UC solutions have more recently become an obvious choice for companies looking to attract and retain high-performing employees, thanks to their focus on user-experience and their ability to adapt to varied employee needs