Choosing a Unified Communications Partner: 4 Considerations

Finding the right Unified Communications (UC) partner may not be as life-defining as finding a match on eHarmony, but the decision will certainly have a major impact on your business, regardless of the size. It may seem very easy for small businesses and medium-sized businesses to find the right UC partner, IT provider, security partner, etc., but many businesses that contract any type of service or provider are less than satisfied with the services they receive. Finding the perfect match is not as easy as it may seem.

There are many considerations your business or organization should remember when it is time to evaluate a new UC provider, or when you are thinking about reassessing your current provider. These are four of the most critical ones:

Multiple Channel Accomodation

If your business or organization prefers a particular type of hardware or collaboration tools, it could make perfect sense to find a provider that has the ability to effectively implement and maintain that particular product. On the other hand, if there is ever a new acquisition, a merger, or a change in networks, you may want to find a provider that is capable of accommodating multiple UC channels and platforms.

We encourage you to find out how many UC channel options a provider is able to handle. You may only want to use mobile channels and video services, but if you inf a provider that is able to provide other options, you will have a great amount of flexibility. 

Organization Mission and Goals 

A UC provider that only works with larger clients may not have a full understanding of the goals and needs of small businesses or medium-sized businesses. When there is a lack of understanding regarding small businesses, there can be problems within the businesses, including the following:

• Project Conflicts
• Implementation Delays
• Unworkable Products

A provider that has a full understanding of your current processes and your future processes will have a less complicated time navigating through your business operations while creating a solid roadmap for your business to follow. 

Consistent Updates

When you are looking at all your options, we want you to try to find out how often the potential UC provider will introduce new services and products. A provider or partner that is fully aware of the latest trends in web conferencing, audio conferencing, mobility, etc. will be in a much better position to help you access the best solutions for your business. 

A competent provider should be willing and able to provide your employees with the resources your employees need when it comes to technology. A good UC partner should be creative and innovative enough to provide you with the latest and greatest solutions in technology. The provider should also be very observant of everything else technology has to offer.

Value of Additional Services

The UC provider you choose should know the comings and goings of your operations, your systems, and all your UC implementations. It is very important to learn about any type of other services that are not related to technology or science. A potential UC provider that delivers various types of support and consultation will generally go above and beyond your expectations and become the business partner you have been looking for.

You are likely seeing a provider that can provide you with the UC channels so you can get rid of as much internal frustration and stress as you can. You should like for a provider that will offer you the services that can help your business and not hurt it. Be open and honest about what you need and what you expect from the potential partnership. 

Are you ready to find a UC provider that can meet your needs? Connect with CallTower today to see if we're the right fit for you: