UC red flags: How to know if your business needs a communications upgrade

Unified communications is no doubt a staple in today’s business community. However, you’d be surprised at the number of companies that don’t have a full-fledged UC program in place. Enterprises can find themselves in this situation due to a number of reasons, but chief among these is the simple fact that administrators haven’t yet realized that their firms are in dire need of a better communications platform.

In this spirit, let’s take a look at some of the top red flags that can signal when your business is ready for a communications upgrade:

Employees aren’t using their desk phones
Back in the day, the desk phone reigned supreme. If you were a corporate worker 10 to 15 years ago, you knew the feeling of being chained to your desk simply because you had to wait for an incoming call or have access to the phone. Now, however, times have vastly changed.

If you’re a company leader and you look out onto your sales floor and see that your workers are not using their desk phones, it leaves you wondering. Obviously your staff is still communicating, but how are they doing so? Adtran noted that if this is taking place within your company, it could be a good sign that it’s time for an upgrade. Instead of letting employees fend for themselves, or leverage shadow IT methods of communicating, it’s your responsibility to provide them with avenues that suit their preferences, and that go beyond the desk phone.

The company is moving or adding locations
Whenever a company moves to a different location or simply adds a new office branch, it’s a prime opportunity to update communication methods. Why extend an outdated legacy system when you can install the latest and greatest UC platform? Besides arming employees with the best technology, adding UC at this time can also help reduce expenses and boost productivity throughout the enterprise, West IP Communications pointed out.

The contact center isn’t performing as it should
If your business model includes a contact center that seems to be underperforming, it could mean it’s time for a new communications system. A contact center that still uses legacy technology likely isn’t assisting customers as well as it could. Just think about it – some clients may prefer email or messaging as opposed to voice calls. In some cases, a disability prevents a person from being able to properly communicate over the phone. Shouldn’t these customers have another way of connecting with your business?

This is where proper unified communications becomes so valuable. Instead of simply speaking over the phone with customer service agents, clients can choose a wide range of channels according to their unique preferences or capabilities.

If you see any of these red flags within your business, it’s high time for a new system. Contact a leading unified communications provider today to find out just what UC can do for your enterprise.