If you’re a mid-market business, odds are you’re hearing the term UCaaS thrown around a lot…specifically as a result of the current Coronavirus crisis. This staple in the up market enterprise world is becoming increasingly available down market, with 82% of North American technology companies moving or planning to move parts or all of their voice communications to the cloud by the end of 2019.
As usual, when something grows so quickly, misinformation around it follows, so we’re here to debunk some of the most commonly believed myths about UCaaS and what it really means for your businesses.
Myth: Our business is doing fine using in-house communications services.
You hear a lot about video conferencing, cloud solutions, and other shiny new methods that some other businesses have adopted–but work still seems to get done without having those things, so it’s business as usual.
Verdict: False
Sorry to be blunt, but no; if you’re complacent with operating on outdated communication solutions then your business that is “doing fine” won’t be doing fine for long. As the speed of doing business continues to accelerate, the workforce becomes more geographically diverse, and as the status quo for how we work rapidly evolves, you will surely start to lose out on potential profit if you don’t advance with the times.
The business continuity issues surrounding Coronavirus are the perfect example. Hundreds of thousands of businesses have temporarily closed their doors to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. But how do you carry on without access to the people and information you need? Face-to-face meetings are out of the question. Mobile phones and laptops will only get the distributed workforce so far. But for organizations already utilizing UCaaS solutions, it’s meant business as usual…aside from a change in location (hello kitchen table).
Imagine another, more mundane scenario: a potential client is spread across multiple locations, so they want to do a multi-party video conference that connects you with all of their stakeholders to make the final decision to use your business. But uh-oh, your legacy communications hardware can’t support this type of interaction. The frustration to easily connect and communicate is a red flag to the client, which prompts them to take their business elsewhere.
This loss in opportunity is a slippery slope to eventual loss in business as your competitors become more accessible, appealing options; This type of scenario is easily avoidable by implementing a UCaaS solution.
Myth: Our business is too small for UCaaS.
It’s often thought that enterprise solutions, like UCaaS, are reserved for big businesses up market. This belief stems from the old days of communication that was built on costly hardware, installs, and usage fees.
Verdict: False
The game has changed, and UCaaS has expanded the range of availability for communications solutions for businesses of all sizes.
A variety of options, price points, and incentives has made UCaaS not only a viable option for small to mid-sized businesses, but a no brainer, opening up potential for mobility, remote work, and increased production thanks to higher communication bandwidth and possibilities. That hard-to-follow phone call or expensive business trip can now become a highly productive video conference that’s done better, faster, and at less cost.
Myth: We’ll have less control of our communications.
A surprising amount of people think that UCaaS solutions means adopting proprietary software that limits the flexibility and inhibits the unique communications needs of each business.
Verdict: False
Simply put, UCaaS takes all of the hardware and services you have and moves them to the cloud. This change not only means you transition from hardware to software, but the platforms you switch to are extremely user-friendly and equally as flexible–allowing for self-administration and management. Also, upgrading your services come in the form of software updates rather than hardware replacements, meaning they are more frequent, automatic, and cost effective.
Myth: UCaaS is new and we don’t want to be early adopters to an unproven technology.
It’s understandable that when a new technology presents itself, the best thing to do is sit back and let it get stress-tested in the wild. Over time it will either fail and be surpassed, or get refined and succeed–and that’s when it’s a good decision to safely adopt it. We totally agree with this assessment, but that’s not the case for UCaaS.
Verdict: False
UCaaS is not new at all. It’s gone through its paces and is incredibly reliable. So why does it seem “new”? Because small- and mid- sized businesses are now able to afford it thanks to better pricing and options–making it appear like “new” technology.
The truth is UCaaS has been around and used in enterprise environments for over a decade. Remember the term “Unified Communications”? So not only is it not new, but it’s already evolved from a “nice to have” to a “must have.”
The Final Verdict
Coronavirus has pushed any type of technology that enables a distributed workforce to the front of many business wish lists. With the solution being more affordable, flexible, and available than ever, the small and mid-market companies that adopt it now will be able to continue operating with some sense of normalcy. Those that hesitate will quickly find themselves trailing behind. It’s time to make a decision. Still unsure? Perhaps these 5 benefits of adopting cloud communications will finally convince you.
Moving swiftly presents its own challenges, such as expertise in navigating the UCaaS environment and positioning your business on a path to success. Fortunately, aligning with trusted partners like vCom and utilizing tools like our vManager are a great way to ease into this more efficient way to business communication, and have a guide that helps you realize all the amazing truths associated with UCaaS.
