The Business Case for Unified Communications: ROI & Productivity Gains

Introduction 

While communication technology has exponentially evolved over the past few decades, many businesses have not kept up with the changes. Nearly 2/3 of companies still operate with legacy communication systems, and the productivity loss this generates comes with rising costs.   

Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) offers a streamlined experience for team collaboration and data sharing. It is not just a tech upgrade—it’s a strategic investment in your organization’s agility, productivity, and profitability.  

Keep reading this article to learn about the practical use cases for UCaaS and how to implement these services for the best ROI and operational impact.  

What Business Leaders Want from Communication Systems Today 

Modern workplace environments require modern communication solutions. While physical phone systems and email used to be sufficient in keeping teams connected, remote and hybrid work environments require more advanced systems. Business leaders are searching for communication tools that offer: 

Measurable Productivity Gains: UCaaS streamlines workflows by integrating multiple communication tools into a single platform, enhancing collaboration and minimizing downtime across your organization. This results in tangible productivity improvements, especially for remote and hybrid teams. 

Flexibility for Remote and Hybrid Teams: Employees enjoy the flexibility of working where they want with reliable communication. Thanks to features like instant messaging and video conferencing, coworkers can seamlessly collaborate and keep each other updated on new developments. 

Enhanced Internal and External Collaboration: Because documents are stored in a single, secure platform, employees can easily share and collaborate on files with other internal users and external partners or clients.  

Scalability with Predictable Costs: UCaaS allows your business to add new users as it grows, meaning every employee has the right tools to stay connected. These services are typically offered on a pay-as-you-go subscription plan, which is more affordable and easier to predict than a traditional pricing model.  

Better Support for Compliance and Security: To implement UCaaS solutions, your business needs a strong cybersecurity strategy. Important security measures include data encryption, identity and access management, and compliance with industry regulations. Regulatory compliance is especially important in industries like law and healthcare. 

Breaking Down the ROI of UCaaS 

How Unified Communications Improves Productivity 

Inc. reports that communication inefficiencies throughout your company could cost you over 18% of yearly salaries. With UCaaS, you can eliminate this cost and the downtime commonly associated with traditional PBX systems to keep your business running efficiently. Here are some ways UCaaS improves operational productivity.   

Less Context-Switching: A UCaaS system keeps your communication functions in one unified platform. This reduces users’ time hopping between applications like Zoom, Teams, email, etc.  

Improved Meeting Quality and Scheduling: Better call quality ensures all team members can contribute to meetings and hear important information.  

Greater Access for Mobile/Remote Users: As long as employees have a reliable internet connection, they can communicate with the rest of the team. This keeps remote users responsive while allowing them to enjoy the flexibility of working from home. 

Centralized File Sharing and Chat Threads: Employees can quickly locate important documents and messages they need to reference. This reduces “lost” communication and unnecessary time spent searching for information. 

Security, Compliance, & Control in a Unified Platform 

In an increasingly digital workforce, security and compliance should be at the forefront of business operations, not afterthoughts. As the number of cyberattacks continues to rise year after year, cybersecurity needs to be built into the foundation of your business to ensure safety, especially in industries like healthcare and financial services. 

UCaaS allows your organization to protect your most valuable assets with key security and compliance features. These include: 

Data Governance and Retention Policies: Managing data within a UCaaS environment involves establishing rules and controls for who can access information and what steps they must take to receive access, such as data encryption, multi-factor authentication, etc. Data retention policies ensure that data is only stored for a period specified by the admin and is disposed of safely.   

Role-Based Access Control: Policies like identity and access management ensure that only authorized users can access certain channels and documents. Access can be assigned in numerous ways, including by role within the organization. This is a more effective way to limit data access because it only grants access to resources essential to each user’s work.  

HIPAA or GDPR-Aligned Configurations: An effective provider will ensure your UCaaS system adheres to all industry regulations. This includes implementing policies like data encryption, access controls, MDR, and regular compliance audits. Your organization is also responsible for training employees about compliance policies to minimize the threat of employee error.  

Reduced Shadow IT: Shadow IT occurs when employees use unapproved IT programs or devices without prior approval from an IT department. After establishing a strong security strategy, your business minimizes the opportunity for unsanctioned app usage. 

Who Benefits Most: Use Cases by Department or Industry 

While all businesses can benefit from UCaaS platforms, certain industries or teams may be more suitable for implementing these services. Plow Networks can align your UCaaS solutions with client workflows and needs. We help departments and industries like: 

Sales: Sales teams will experience more reliable communication with clients and partners, ensuring they receive important documents and information quickly. This also leads to faster deal cycles.  

Helpdesk: Support teams can stay organized with a unified ticket and invoice handling system, boosting productivity and improving customer satisfaction.  

HR: UCaaS is great for HR teams because it helps unify onboarding, training, and employee engagement.  

Healthcare: As mentioned earlier, UCaaS is easily integrated with HIPAA and other compliance regulations in mind. It offers a secure way to communicate with clients and store patient data.  

Finance: Companies in the finance industry should consider UCaaS to boost team collaboration and external communication with clients. UCaaS is also great for finance businesses because it supports remote and hybrid work environments.  

Why Now? The Business Risk of Waiting 

If you are considering moving your organization’s communication to a UCaaS platform, now is the time. Waiting can cause unintended costs and threats to your business, such as: 

Conclusion 

Unified Communications platforms provide significant advantages to businesses across various industries, enhancing communication, collaboration, and compliance. By partnering with Plow Networks, organizations can benefit from tailored solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing workflows, offering long-term value through managed services.  

Delaying the adoption of UCaaS can result in higher costs and risks, making now the perfect time to act with a strategic partner like Plow. Ready to quantify the ROI of unified communications for your business? Contact us to get started.