7 Things Your UCaaS Solution Needs

Unified Communications (UC) is here to stay -- as evidenced by a recent report from Frost & Sullivan, where almost two-thirds of companies report that UC is deployed within their organization. But it isn't perfect. Companies continue to struggle to align their IT strategies with their business goals, effectively handle security and privacy concerns, and manage a web of multi-vendor solutions.

Why You Should Consider a Cloud-Based Solution:

Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC&C) tools can help mitigate these challenges and support corporate goals for investment. But many businesses struggle to provide a complete suite of UC tools to all end users, across campuses and home offices, geographies and time zones. Enter UCaaS: Unified Communications as a Service.

Moving communications and collaboration applications to the cloud allows companies to see significant, measurable benefits across a range of areas. But, not all UCaaS solutions are alike.

If you're evaluating potential UCaaS providers, make sure to look for key criteria:

1. Secure, reliable performance. With more than 50 percent of employees routinely working remotely, and with companies competing on a global stage, make sure your cloud-based solution can deliver on its SLAs.

2. Cap-ex savings and cost consistency. If you want to reduce up-front investment and move to an Op-Ex model, make sure your chosen provider offers a subscription model in which prices are consistent.

3. Advanced features. Businesses look to cloud-based UC services to deliver cutting-edge capabilities as soon as managers and end-users want them. Make sure you'll be able to turn on advanced functionality as needed, without incurring unexpected costs or needing a contract renewal.

4. Quick deployment. To stay competitive, you need to move on a dime. Make sure your chosen cloud-based solutions can be up and running in hours; that users will always be on the latest version of the software; and that it is easy to configure for new users and use cases.

5. Scalability and flexibility. Cloud-based UC services let companies add and remove new employees as needed. This supports fluctuations in staffing needs and helps growing companies quickly catch up to larger competitors. Make sure your solution provider can offer the kind of flexibility and scalability your business needs today in any location, and on any network or device.

6. Support for multiple locations and remote workers. Few businesses can afford to have IT staff at all their corporate offices, and none can personally support home-office and traveling workers. Look for a cloud solution that can be deployed and managed from anywhere.

7. End-to-end solution set. A single provider makes management a breeze and ensures consistency across applications and platforms. One of the biggest challenges IT managers face is handling the myriad tools in place at their organizations-some of which are brought in by employees themselves, without input from IT. By deploying a single solution with end-to-end capabilities, companies can give their employees everything they need to get work done-all while streamlining contracts, billing, support and management.

UCaaS delivers numerous benefits to businesses as they fight to stay competitive in an increasingly global, collaborative, and always-on world. Make sure your chosen solution can deliver leading-edge capabilities without the need for up-front investment, is easy to deploy to all employees, offers access to advanced features, helps maintain security and compliance, and delivers 24/7 management and support everywhere you need it.

To find out how your business could profit by deploying a UCaaS solution please give us a shout today.

The Advantages of Using a Telecom Broker

As a telecom consultant we are often asked, "What is the difference between using you and a direct telecom rep?" If you have ever wondered, we hope this provides some insight: 

• A telecom broker/consultant has years of experience in telecom. They also understand the processes and products of not just one carrier but many. You will get a professional who can understand your business and needs and partner you with the best carriers to help reach your goals. 

• A typical telecommunications company will have over 50 percent sales turnover each year. This results in hiring individuals quickly with much less experience. These candidates do not have the perspective or experience of a consultant who has worked with many carriers. 

• Telecom brokers are paid a small residual by the carrier. This means they are invested in the long term happiness and satisfaction of their clients. A direct rep is paid upfront and moves on, with no reason to stay engaged or be concerned in regard to the customer's satisfaction. 

• Telecom brokers are a neutral party, they can provide completely unbiased advice and perspective 

• With a broker you will get you the best pricing available and will be there for the long term to support your account. 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your services, please give us a call. I would love to help you out!

Integra Telecom’s Broadband Bundle Service Today

As of today, Integra Telecom's Broadband Bundle includes:

• Business Lines (1 to 6 lines)
• 1 Premium Voicemail Box (per line)
• Calling Feature Package (per line)
• Unlimited Nationwide Outbound Long Distance
• 60 Minutes of Audio Conferencing with $.14 per participant per minute overage (per account)
• Internet Service (Up to 20 Mbps download/Up to 2 Mbps upload)
• ISP Package with 100 1-GB email boxes, web hosting, single domain name hosting (per account)
• 10-GB Online Data Storage (per account)

Caisson is the better way to buy and manage this service. Contact us today to learn more.

It's time to replace your phone system. Here's how.

If it was Y2K when you last bought your business phone system then it's time for a new one. Two reasons why:

1. The average life of a phone system is 8 – 12 years. After that, the equipment becomes fail-prone.

2. Innovation and demand have made old phone systems antiquated and new phone systems cheap.

A lot of businesses are in the market for phone systems right now. At the turn of the century, there was a tech bubble. Businesses across the country were growing fast and their IT budgets were amble. Plus, everyone was worried about Y2K. I know I was. As a result, thousands of businesses updated their phone and data equipment. Now, 11 years later, all of those systems are being replaced.

More reasons to buy your new phone system today:

Performance features come standard

If you bought a system 11 years ago, you’ll pay the same or less today. But what you’ll get is more powerful and has way more features. Take voicemail for example. No longer just a box on a computer tower with spinning disks, voicemail empowers unified communications through features, like voicemail-to-email and visual voicemail. Features like find-me-follow-me, remote worker support and application to software tie-ins allow you to get rid of all those phone numbers, and make is easier for your customers to call.

You can rent a phone system now

The market allows you to rent a phone system as a service now. It’s called hosted or managed PBX. More and more carriers deliver it. They do all the maintenance. You avoid buying a system that will become outdated. Plus, you consolidate services so that same company that delivers your phone service also manages your phone system. In this way, you eliminated the frustrating finger pointing that can go on between service carriers and phone vendors when problems arise.

I’m here to help you

For small and mid-size business, internal telecom departments dissolved when the tech bubble burst. That means business owners, office managers and IT managers carry the load. Let me do that for you. In this way, you get time to complete more important tasks.

At Caisson, we deliver phone systems and managed PBX services, including VoIP phone systems, SIP trunking and SIP phone systems, and Mitel, Avaya, Cisco and NEC products.

For more information, give us a call at (206) 420-0140.