Any business owner knows that the more productive employees are, the better the business is going to perform. One of the ways you can increase employee production is to use a unified communication system that allows people to instantly message each other. There are a number of benefits to using a UC system as well as a few drawbacks.
Doing a UC deployment at your business will allow your employees to communicate quickly and seamlessly. Systems such as Cisco Jabber or a chatbot are much quicker than using email, which means your employees can get questions answered quicker and get more done. Also, UC systems avoid the distractions that email can cause, because only work communications are going through them. By using a communications system, people can stay more focused on their work and get more done.
Another advantage of using a UC system such as Cisco UC cloud is the ability to communicate with employees at different sites or those working remotely. Whether you have employees working from home or at other business locations, a Cisco UC Cloud or Broadsoft Cloud solution can help them all collaborate productively.
One further advantage of UC systems is that they are easy to use and have few technical problems. That means no extensive training programs for employees, and it also means less time lost to issues such as technical problems.
You also can save time on meetings with a UC system. Studies show that employees spend 37% of their time in meetings, and 71% of managers say they find their meetings unproductive and inefficient. Using the UC system to distribute vital information to employees can cut down on the time spent in meetings.
UC systems are not without their own drawbacks. One of the biggest disadvantages of using a Cisco UC cloud system or another UC system is that it discourages face to face communication. When people can easily message a coworker, they are likely to do it, even if the person is sitting within easy speaking distance. This can hamper the development of relationships and lead to a lack of camaraderie in the workplace. And UC systems, while they save time if they work right, can cause big delays if they break down. For example, if a team of 10 is trying to hold a meeting via a UC system and it is delayed by glitches, just a six-minute delay will lead to an hour of lost productivity.
While it’s clear that UC systems can boost productivity in the workplace, it’s important to weigh all the pros and cons before implementing them.