No doubt you’ve faced some version of this situation.
You’re trying to get in touch with someone. You usually text this person, but sometimes they respond right away, sometimes they don’t. You have three other messaging services integrated on your phone, but do they? Or do they have the same ones? Or do they only use messaging on their computer instead of their phone? You prefer to call but know for a fact they’ll let it go to voicemail nine times out of ten. Do they have Skype? And if you need to send a document, will they give you grief about email or do they prefer a file sharing service? And which one?
It’s hard to keep track of how some people use technology. And it’s especially hard to keep track of which contact prefers which method of communication. That’s the funny thing about the modern world. We have more and more ways of communicating with each other, but sometimes it gets harder and harder.
Unified Communication
There is a solution to this particularly modern communication problem and it’s called unified communication.
Simply put, unified communication is when multiple types of communication services and devices are pulled together so that the user can have a consistent experience. What kinds of services? Messaging, voice, fixed-mobile coverage, email, presence, virtual meeting rooms, and more. What kinds of devices? Smartphones, tablets, computers—everything except carrier pigeons. Imagine multiple forms of digital communication, integrated.
Say someone leaves you a voicemail. But you don’t have your phone on you. It’s charging somewhere else. With unified communications, you can choose to access that voicemail through your email. That’s the point: any method of communication to any device, all offering the same user experience.
Virtual Collaboration
Perhaps the best thing about unified communications is that it can include collaboration. What does that mean? Everyone’s device can become a meeting room at a moment’s notice. Setting up video or conference calls can get tedious. By using unified communication with collaboration, you have access to virtual collaboration spaces at all times. Start a video conference and bring in whomever you need, no real space required. And while you’re doing that, share documents or your screen with each other in real time. Best of all, it doesn’t matter that you prefer your trusty desktop while your coworkers are using smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Communication Should Be Seamless
The idea that a group of people need to be in the same space to work together is starting to seem quaint. Modern offices are getting more hub-like, with workers calling in from the field, from home, from other places—and with everyone everywhere, it’s more important than ever to make communication an easy, shared experience.
