UCaaS stands for Unified-Communications-as-a-Service, also known as Unified Cloud Communications. It’s an approach to unifying business communication tools into a single, streamlined platform; bringing together services such as VoIP, video conferencing, collaboration tools, file sharing, instant messaging, and more. The exact tools that comprise UCaaS can vary between organizations. However, UCaaS is defined by two things:

1. As-a-Service: Unified Communications apps are hosted and delivered “as-a-service” by a cloud communication tools vendor.
2. User Experience: Unifying communications tools results in a streamlined user experience that provides a single user interface and a consistent experience across devices, including sending and receiving messages in multiple forms (voice, text, instant message, email) through a single user app on multiple platforms–computer, tablet, or mobile device.

UCaaS is delivered through a service agreement with a Unified Communications vendor who will implement the necessary infrastructure and a Unified Communications platform, though some organizations do opt for an on-premises deployment of Unified Communications tools using private cloud resources. Adoption of UCaaS is soaring; Forbes projects that 80 percent of IT budgets will be dedicated to cloud apps and solutions within 15 months.

While adopting UCaaS can lead to remarkable cost savings and productivity gains, smart vendor selection and an eye towards process improvement can be key to satisfaction post-adoption.

If you would like to learn more about how UCaaS might benefit your organization, schedule a follow up call.