Not so long ago, it seemed as though everyone was wondering what “UC” or “Unified Communications” were all about. In simple terms, UC simply refers to systems that allow us to access all the items we need for collaboration through a single service. Rather than using multiple different pieces of technology for communication, we use the same entity for everything from faxing, to email, instant messaging, and video collaboration.
So, what’s the difference between that, and UC&C? Unified communications and collaboration is a combination of tools for enterprise communications that has been integrated into a single management system. It may include more solutions for collaboration than a standard UC system, and it may offer solutions on smart devices such as smartphones or tablets to allow for an increasingly mobile workforce. The idea of UC&C, just like traditional UC, is to assist enterprises in overcoming the challenges and inefficiencies in their workplaces, that came from collaboration and communication solutions being segmented.
What to Expect from UC&C
Unified communications, or “UC” services might include multimedia services, and real-time communication solutions. These UC&C options contain many of the same features, they also include additional collaboration tools too. For instance, in a UC&C product, you might see:
- Email and voicemail
- Scheduling and calendars
- Telephony and voice communication
- Messaging and call screening
- Video, web, and audio conferencing
Altogether, just like UC, UC&C is intended to offer organisations a range of unique benefits that provide employees with a more productive and consistent working experience across various devices, enhancing the option for mobile or remote working.
How Your Company Benefits from UC&C
For organisational performance and efficiency, UC&C has plenty to offer. Your company can benefit from some of the following advantages of UC&C:
- Integrated Experiences: UC&C offers a single consistent, and cohesive experience by combining mobile, email, voice, and web-conferencing communications.
- Better collaboration and productivity: Conventional communications are often inconsistent and bulky, which means that your employees spend more time trying to learn the unique functionality of certain tools. With UC&C, you can give your teams the power to work together more efficiently through a host of channels.
- Improved user experience: By reducing a need for separate training, your employees may find that UC&C tools are easier to access and use.
- Reduced telephony and IT costs: With all communications integrated within a single platform, you’ll have fewer potential failure points and error risks – limiting your need for IT help
UC&C, just like UC solutions, can help to revolutionise business communication services by offering a flexible and all-encompassing suite of tools for collaboration. Today, it seems that options for communication have evolved beyond the average speakerphone or virtual whiteboard. Solutions are based around developing a culture for communication that is based on underlying professional goals.
UC is a means for simplifying work processes, and with the right culture, it can even evolve into UC&C by itself!
