2023 is here! With the champagne and fireworks comes a whole new year of trends that your organization must stay on top of – or you risk falling behind the competition. But what exactly does the new year hold for unified communications? We cover the top four unified communications trends that you’ll need to pay attention to if you want to keep moving toward the future in 2023.
1. Artificial Intelligence will Become Even More Prevalent
Artificial intelligence (AI) has already been an ever-increasing presence in our lives, both at work and at home. It’s set to command an even larger part of the stage in 2023, however. From virtual chatbots to integrated services, AI will become more commonplace and better able to serve employees, customers and the entire business. Not only do these technology resources improve customer service, but they also increase collaboration, efficiency and productivity.
How can Your Organization Take Advantage of AI?
Even if you’re new to the idea of AI in your organization, it’s not so scary! Virtual chatbots, for example, are an excellent place to start as they can answer customers’ frequently asked questions – meaning your employees can spend less time answering questions regarding location and hours of availability and more time on more pressing matters related to their work. Virtual assistants can also improve your or your team’s productivity, efficiency and accuracy.
2. EX and CX will Improve
Unified communications already improve the employee experience (EX) and the customer experience (CX), but that improvement will continue into 2023! UC, thanks to the increased productivity it provides, helps employees and customers save time and effort. Better technology will not only allow that trend to continue, but it will also raise the bar.
How can Your Organization Improve the EX and CX with UC?
UC brings many tools to the table that can improve the EX and the CX, including the aforementioned virtual chatbots as well as improved business phone systems. However, it’s important to explore what exactly your organization needs rather than just the latest trends, or else you’ll be doing a disservice to your employees and customers! Working with an experienced communications company, for example, can help you identify those needs to find the best on-site business phone systems without having to waste time or money.
3. Increased Focus on Hybrid Work and Communications Solutions
Hybrid work is here to stay. With many organizations now offering employees the ability to choose when and where they work, UC is here to continue bridging that gap and meeting new demands and remote work challenges head-on. Cloud communication solutions, for example, can improve the security, productivity, and storage of data. And hybrid work options mean that employees don’t have to sacrifice their efficiency simply because they chose to work from their home, the office or even the beach that day. New partnerships in the field are bringing new capabilities to hybrid work every day as well.
How can Your Organization Focus More on Hybrid Work Solutions?
An excellent place to start with your hybrid work operations is to talk to your employees! What struggles are they facing at home, at the office and during travel? You’ll likely find that several of your team members are having the same troubles. This survey approach can help you identify the right solutions for your team while also meeting the goals of your entire organization.
4. Unified Communications Solutions Continue to be More Common
UC is now the norm. There’s an expectation from employers to provide video, chat, email and telephony features on phones, computers, and cell phones. As we moved past Covid-19 and UC became prevalent, employees and customers now have an expectation to communicate in these types of channels. UC also provides productivity and value to IT departments that are looking to consolidate to one SaaS product. The benefit of utilizing one SaaS product is you can have one software tool that does it all that saves costs, inefficiencies, and headaches.
How can Your Organization Take Advantage of UC?
There is a lot to unified communications, however, it will provide companies, employees and customers with an easy-to-use application that will aid in customer experience and employee retention. Unified communications is also continuing to add features and functionality like artificial intelligence (AI), bots, and other features to help provide information to customers without human intervention.
Make Communication Easier and More Streamlined in 2023 with Affiliated
That’s where we come in. Affiliated Communications works with organizations like yours to identify the best tools, phone systems and trends that will fit your current and future business needs. Ready to get started with UC in 2023? Book a meeting with us today to start the year off strong!
