The Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) market continues to grow, with estimates placing it on track to hit $70 billion by 2028. Demand keeps on rising as more businesses adapt to hybrid work, hire remote employees, and discover that unified communications are essential for productivity and collaboration.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of vendors with UCaaS solutions for businesses of all shapes and sizes. There are plenty of great options out there, the only hard part is figuring out which one is best for your business.
UCaaS isn’t a “one size fits all” solution. Each company will have different needs depending on their size, strategy, and industry, so it’s important to compare UCaaS platforms to see which one is right for you. With that in mind, here’s a helpful guide for comparing UCaaS technology:
1. What’s Your Cloud Strategy?
Before you even start looking at solutions, you need to have a strategy in place. Consider how much of your work and processes you’re planning on moving to the cloud and if you’ll want to keep everything in one cloud ecosystem.
There are vendors out there who combine multiple cloud solutions into one “consolidated cloud” ecosystem, containing multiple solutions as a service. This can include unified communications, contact center, and so on.
If you’re just looking for UCaaS, then you might not need to worry about that. But if you’re looking to implement UCaaS, CCaaS, and more (even if those will come further down the line), it pays to be prepared and look at vendors that can support all of these tools in one environment.
2. What Features Do You Need?
Different UCaaS platforms include different features, either as part of their core offering or available as add-ons. Depending on your business and how your teams communicate, some will be more essential than others.
Typical UCaaS features include:
- Telephony
- Web/video meetings
- SMS/Instant messaging
- Email integration
- Collaboration tools (such as file sharing and virtual whiteboards)
- Team presence (to tell at a glance who’s available and who’s busy)
- Call analytics
- Artificial intelligence
- Workflow automation
- Cloud file storage
- Online faxing
- Mobile apps (so users can access their accounts and business communications on their personal devices)
Depending on your business, you may need one feature more than another; some teams rely on instant messaging for group chats, while others need to send electronic faxes on a daily basis. Consider your company’s specific needs: do you need more flexibility? Low-code or no-code APIs? Will the solution work with the tools you use?
Once you know the specific features your teams need, you can prioritize them when comparing UCaaS platforms, to make sure you pick a solution that meets all your needs.
3. What Can it Integrate With?
On a similar note, consider the apps and tools your team uses. If you want a properly unified communications experience, you’ll want to make sure the UCaaS platform you use can integrate with them.
Many UCaaS platforms have a library of native integrations, as well as open APIs for custom integrations. These can include features like click-to-call functionality within a team messaging app, connecting the contact center and unified communications platform, or instantly adding scheduled calls and meetings to users’ calendars.
You’ll want to find a platform that can integrate with your business apps. Otherwise, your communications won’t be unified at all.
4. What’s New and Innovative?
While it’s important to think about what features you need currently, it also helps to see what new features are gaining traction, and how you can use them. UCaaS vendors are frequently adding new tools and features designed to add new capabilities and improve the user experience, so be sure to consider possible innovations.
Right now, for instance, artificial intelligence (AI) is the biggest trend in communications. So, when you look for a UCaaS provider, it can be helpful to see how they’re using AI, and how much they’re investing in it. Currently, UCaaS vendors are using AI for features like automation and transcribing meetings, but new uses are arising frequently.
When you compare UCaaS solutions, look at them with an eye to the future. Finding a vendor that can keep ahead of the trends will help make sure you’re getting the latest in communications technology and won’t fall behind the competition.
5. What Are Users Saying?
While a vendor will tell you all about the multitude of things their UCaaS solution can do, user reviews can help you find unbiased perspectives on what it does well or doesn’t do. Take the time to look up vendor reviews and see what users are saying.
Often, two solutions will seem very similar and check all the same boxes in theory, only to perform very differently. Looking at reviews will help you see how the solutions compare to each other, which ones customers prefer, and what potential problems you might have to watch out for.
6. Is it Compliant with Security Standards?
Security is the last place you want to cut corners, but all too often, companies overlook security compliance when transitioning to the cloud. A careful approach to security and compliance is essential for a good UCaaS solution.
Depending on your industry, you may have specific security requirements or guidelines that the communications platform you use will need to comply with. For instance, HIPAA compliance is essential for the healthcare industry, while financial institutions need to comply with the GLBA and FTC Safeguards rule.
Compliance isn’t optional, especially when sensitive data is on the line. You’ll want to make sure all your data is properly protected.
Consider how data moving through your communication ecosystem is managed, where it’s stored, and who can access it. Many leading UCaaS solutions offer a broader range of tools designed to improve security, like biometric two-factor authentication.
7. How’s the UX?
Nothing mentioned above matters if the user experience is poor. It doesn’t matter how secure a platform is, how many features it offers, or how well it integrates if the platform’s user interface and experience is so frustrating and unfriendly that none of your employees use it.
UCaaS solutions need to be flexible and easy to use across devices and operating systems, with a user-friendly interface and intuitive controls. In this age of hybrid work, it’s especially important that employees can easily access all their communications tools from any device.
8. How Much Are You Paying?
Finally, you want to make sure you’re getting the most value from your UCaaS platform. UCaaS solutions are offered as a subscription with a recurring monthly price. These prices tend to be set and predictable, although you’ll still want to watch out for hidden costs.
Also consider any additional features you may need. While most platforms will include a wide array of features as part of the basic package, there are usually add-ons available for an additional price. These can add up quickly if you’re not careful.
When comparing UCaaS solutions, look at what features you’re getting and what you’re spending on each of them. It could be that a solution that’s initially a more affordable option becomes more expensive than its alternatives when you factor in extra features that other services include for free—the last thing you want is for those monthly bills to be higher than your budget allows for.
Now that you know what to look for in UCaaS, you’re ready to start looking at vendors and their platforms. Be sure to carefully consider your needs, strategy, and budget, and you’ll be able to compare your options like a pro.
