Who would have thought COVID-19 would make such an impact on business? First, we needed to scramble to figure out how to allow our workers to complete their jobs remotely. Now, we need to figure out how to help our workers and customers transition back to an in-person work model. Well, UCaaS may be the answer we are all looking for!
UCaaS, or Unified Communications as a Service, allows workers to collaborate and communicate easily, whether they are still working remotely or have returned full time to the office.
In this piece, we will look at how UCaaS helped us transition to a remote work model. We will also look at how UCaaS can help us transition back to “normal,” no matter what that normal will look like.
During the Shutdown
When the pandemic hit and workers went remote, businesses needed to find a solution that made their information accessible from anywhere. Most decided on cloud-based communications to continue their work. Cloud-based communications allowed remote employees to have access to all the data they needed to work effectively.
With UCaaS being a cloud-based system that gives any employee access to work communications from anywhere on any device, UCaaS was the ideal solution for businesses that had employees scattered. Cloud-based communications solutions helped telework popularity jump during the pandemic.
Workers found unexpected perks when they started working remotely. Some perks for remote workers included eliminating commute time, lowering transportation costs, and reducing childcare costs with increased work-life balance. While perks for employers included lowered costs for building expenses, lower travel reimbursement costs, and most surprisingly, increased worker productivity.
We’re Halfway There, a Hybrid Work Model
As workers started going back to the office, some businesses have found that there are workers who do not want to go back to in-person for a variety of reasons. In fact, one study stated that up to 99% of respondents wanted to stay remote in some capacity for the rest of their careers.
Due to the wants and needs of their employees, offices have begun to adopt a hybrid model of work. A hybrid model includes both remote and in-person workers or even workers who are partially remote. This flexibility is helping employers keep their hardworking employees.
UCaaS Features Promoting the New Normal
Now that we have a “new normal” where workers can be remote or in-office, it’s important to focus on the cloud-based solution features that make this possible. Video conferencing, messaging and automation are just a few UCaaS features that really help promote remote and hybrid workers.
Video conferencing is a great way to bring several workers together from miles apart. Screen share, file share, messaging, and recording are all vital to great collaboration. With a UCaaS solution, these functions are a part of video conferencing.
One of the best ways to collaborate with coworkers is through messaging. This lightning-quick form of communication takes the wait time out of talking with coworkers. No more waiting for email replies and getting stuck on a project due to a lack of response from coworkers; messaging is instantaneous.
UCaaS automation has become more prevalent in businesses. This allows for better customer service even if you may be short-staffed. Auto phone attendants can help cut down on customer wait-time while directing them to the correct customer service representative. Auto-responses can help improve internet customer service, as the automation is 24/7. UCaaS can help clients even when customer service representatives aren’t available by redirecting calls to those available.
How Does This Affect You?
It is important to keep in mind this “new normal” as you go about your business. Your old tactics of selling UCaaS may need to be updated. Gone are the days when you need to focus on uniting workers in the same office building. Post pandemic, you need to focus on how they can unite all regardless of work location.
NUSO makes selling a unified communications platform easy. Our solutions are built with your customers and their employees in mind. We know that your relationships with your customers are of utmost importance to your business. This is why we build reliable solutions on a network you can count on. Contact us today to add our cloud-based communications solutions to your box of tools!
