If you have been looking at cloud-based communication solutions for your business, there is one area that has probably stood out to you, there are a lot of options out there to choose from. On top of the many options there are also a lot of acronyms tossed around that you might be unfamiliar with.
Today we will be discussing two of those acronyms, UCaaS (unified communications as a service) and UCCaaS (unified communications and collaboration as a service). While they may appear to be very similar, there are small differences that you must know before finalizing which one to go with.
What is UCaaS and UCCaaS?
Before we determine which communication solution is best for you, it is important to understand what we are even talking about here. UCaaS and UCCaaS are both cloud-based solutions, as is any solution that ends with "as a service" or "-aaS."
The goal of switching to a cloud-based solution is to outsource the technology to a third-party so that you can avoid the maintenance that would come with having the solution in-house, which has the benefit of always having an updated system and potential for cost savings.
Now, what are the differences between these cloud-based solutions?
UCaaS
UCaaS is the more limited of the two options. This solution consists of a set of business communications that offers all the essential tools that you need in one centralized platform. These tools consist of voice, email, video conferencing, IM, and even faxing.
UCCaaS
UCCaaS is also a set of business communications that comes with everything that UCaaS does with one major difference, it comes with collaboration tools. These tools help support your teams ability to work much more closely together and can consist of file sharing, screen sharing, real time editing, project management tools, and much more.
Having collaboration tools built into your cloud-based UC solution allows for a more unified solution that results in increased productivity and efficiency by eliminating the need to jump between a variety of different programs. This also comes with the benefit of being able to avoid training your employees on multiple platforms by having the collaboration tools integrated with the communications platform.
Which One Should You go With?
The Case for UCaaS
UCaaS, as we stated above is limited. That is why many of the major players in the UC industry like RingCentral, Mitel, Microsoft, etc., are not just focusing on the communications aspect of UC.
If we are looking for an example of a company that would only benefit from communication tools, such as voice, email, video, and IM but, at the same time wouldn’t benefit from collaboration tools, it’s difficult to find that example.
A company that could benefit from just communications would be a company like a small auto repair shop that only needs a way to book appointments and have ways to confirm them. Another example could be a small hotel.
But, once a company expands and discovers a need for multiple different business departments like a larger finance team, marketing team, sales, etc., it becomes more important to adopt a solution that allows for those departments to work together through collaboration tools.
The Case for UCCaaS
UCCaaS, on the other hand, is for a work culture that would benefit more from tools that allow employees to work together. If you have projects that are being worked on by many departments and/or teams at the same time, you need the advanced collaboration tools that come with this solution.
The kind of work environment that would benefit from the tools that come with a UCCaaS solution would be one that functions off teams that closely work together.
For example, a marketing agency would be a good candidate for UCCaaS because they have employees that work on several different projects at the same time. Not only does this environment require a higher need for tools that help in the collaboration process, but it also needs more organizational tools that can keep all the different projects in check.
A scenario that comes to mind would be a company’s marketing and sales team collaborating. This relationship between the two teams require a lot of files being passing back and forth that are relevant to each other’s operations. If this back and forth were done without the proper collaboration tools, files could be lost and teams may become disorganized.
RingCentral’s Glip application, as an example, can prevent this by allowing for communication tools like screen sharing, as well as real-time text, voice, or video from any device. It also allows has unlimited file sharing and integrations with other business communication programs that you and your team may have grown accustom to.
Where to go From Here
As you may have gathered from seeing the differences, UCCaaS comes to the table with a lot more. We are currently seeing a race in the UC industry where vendors are claiming to offer the best suite of communication and collaboration tools. With constant improvements and acquisitions happening, companies are fighting tirelessly to be your communications provider.
But who should you go with? That is where we can help. We have done the research already and want to share our findings with you through our free consultation services. We will point you in the right direction and prevent buyer’s remorse that could come with going with the wrong solution.
If you are ready to get that conversation started, we would love to talk with you.
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