Unified communications (UC) has really proved its value as COVID-19 lockdowns have seen workforces across the world socially isolate at home. However, the value UC has provided in the early weeks of the pandemic is now starting to be offset by inconvenience as users juggle between multiple applications and devices. What’s needed is a way to unify communications and collaboration experiences and a means to bring third party applications together in a single app.
"When the pandemic first hit, the priority was setting up remote working in order to keep businesses going but, as time has progressed, the conversation is no longer about quick fixes,” said Sunny Dhami, senior director of Product Marketing for RingCentral – a company which has recently launched a new iteration of its Unified Desktop app. “It’s now more about long-term strategy and it’s clear that when we return to work it will be a long and staged process."
"The individual user needs their day-to-day activity to be made easier if they’re going to work from home until the end of the year or beyond"
The RingCentral unified desktop app, which is available now, offers four key attributes to enable simpler video, messaging and phone communications on Windows PC, Mac, and on Android and iOS mobile devices. The contextual and collaboration-centric app includes the RingCentral Message, Video, Phone (MVP) capabilities in a single solution.
Dhami explained that the unified desktop app has four key capabilities that differentiate it from standard UC&C offerings. First, it offers real-time switching between modes of communication so users can seamlessly switch between messaging, video and phone interaction as their session develops. Often a quick query via a message can lead to a more complex discussion or explanation so being able to jump onto a video or voice call has obvious benefits. Today, users might have to inconveniently switch from a messaging app to a video call with all the attendant downloads and updates for each system.
Next, the new app enables users to switch at will from one device to another while continuing to participate in a video meeting. Imagine needing to switch to a different location in your home while maintaining presence in a meeting and the value of being able to seamlessly switch device is clear.
Sunny Dhami[/caption]
