Change is in the air. Cloud based unified communications as a service (UCaaS) is a fast-growing industry that is taking over the communications sector by storm (no pun intended). A recent market analysis conducted in 2016 by Small Business Trends revealed upwards of 85 percent of companies have either already moved their communications to the cloud or have plans to do so in the near future. Their decision to move to the cloud is based in their desire to streamline their communications and to cut costs. Legacy on-premise systems can be expensive, and with recent improvements in IP security, they are no longer more secure than cloud based networks.
The industry has been moving toward the cloud for some time. Companies like Boeing have already made the transition, but small businesses have lagged behind large corporations in part because of the perception that the cloud is costly and less secure than an on-premise network. Recent improvements in security, however, have changed how small business owners view cloud based unified communications.
What is Unified Communications (UC)?
Unified Communications is a bundled service that includes voice, chat, text/SMS, presence monitoring, video and Web conferencing, email and fax. The goal is to streamline communications and to be able to control and access all systems from a central point. UC systems give businesses more control over their communications networks, and a means to better monitor costs. Additionally, companies who use UCaaS tend to see a rise in employee productivity, which stems from improved collaboration in real-time across an organization.
Such systems have been offered to businesses in the past as on-premise networks, where business had to invest in and maintain their own local network. Since the advent of cloud services, traditional on-premise systems can now be hosted by an off-premise third party and deployed over an IP network.
What Are the Benefits of Cloud Based Unified Communications?
First and foremost, cloud based unified communications lower costs for businesses. Because communications services are hosted off site, businesses no longer need to worry about on-site maintenance, technical support, or network costs. This is a tremendous value to small businesses because they get the backing of an entire support team at a fraction of the cost of hiring a team to manage communications in-house.
Second, a cloud based unified communications system is cheaper, easier and faster to deploy than an on-premise network, which reduces the initial investment and time to market for small businesses. Most unified communications as a service (UCaaS) providers require no up-front investment, and take care of the entire initial setup and deployment.
Third, cloud based unified communications systems offer more flexibility and scalability than a traditional on-premise system. This means that as a business grows, its unified communications system will grow with it. No need for redeployment, server upgrades, or software and technology changes, all of these considerations are handled by the provider.
How to Get Started
Moving to a cloud based unified communications system drives business productivity and future-proofs operations. MIX Networks specializes in helping companies like yours update their phone systems without increasing their monthly telecom spend.
- Get New Phones & Equipment for your office at No Upfront Cost
- Use your Mobile Phones as Extensions of the new phone system
- Lower your Phone Bill by migrating to MIX Networks Hosted PBX phone system.
- Manage services via your new Web Portal
- Enjoy outstanding US-based Customer Support
