The pandemic has changed business communication over the past two years. This has led to the need for new strategies and technologies that can keep the lights on. We are beginning to return to the office and begin to make some adjustments to our business culture. A few trends are emerging to address the effect these changes have on internal and external business communications. These are the technologies that will ensure future success.
Top 5 Trends Shaping the Future of Business Communication
1. Workplace Transformation
COVID-19 was born. Schools and offices closed, forcing us to find remote workspaces. There was a lot of uncertainty. We have a better picture of 2022 and it is clear that WFH for many people is not only possible but also welcomed and productive. According to a Harvard Business School study, 81% of workers don’t want to work in the office full-time anymore.
The rapid shift to remote work has created the need for a digital workplace toolbox that includes tools to support collaboration, communication, and day-to-day operations. These technologies are more important than ever and must be integrated into a digital workplace strategy that aligns with business goals. A platform that allows cloud convergence of customer experience technology and employee technologies is becoming increasingly popular with businesses. This platform provides the foundation for collaborative workflows and allows employees to access their communication tools from anywhere.
Also read: Ways To Optimize Your Internal Communications Toolkit
2. Focus on User Experience
Many businesses are becoming more comfortable with remote employees. This makes it less necessary to bring people back to work. Intuit, United Health Group, and Facebook are just a few of the industry leaders that have made work from home (WFH), a permanent option. Others have also adopted flexible working arrangements. Amazon, for example, allows some employees to work remotely twice a week.
Many workers and businesses will eventually return to work, so it is important to have simple applications that are easy to use by both admins and users. A cloud-based, converged communications solution can make this possible by delivering a seamless experience for all employees.
Contact center applications and unified communication tools, such as voice, group/team messaging and web conferencing, can all be used through a single platform. They can also be used from anywhere, whether it is at home, work, or remotely. All users can access the same information in real-time from any device.
3. Flexibility/Simplicity
These past two years have shown the importance of simplicity and flexibility. Businesses grow, change and evolve. Legacy communication technologies can often hinder their progress. A legacy system can make it difficult and costly to add new users, locations, or capabilities. Old networks are unable to handle an increase in demand or the addition of new channels.
Flexibility and simplicity are today’s top business drivers. Technology is essential for businesses to provide connected experiences to customers and employees. They can easily scale or contract to meet future and current needs. Businesses can have unmatched flexibility when it comes to how they build their communication networks. To simplify billing and operations, vendors, hardware, software, peripherals, and other items can all be consolidated. Businesses only pay for the services they use, since costs are as-a-service.
Avaya customer ACT, for example, was searching for a solution when it experienced a huge increase in calls during the pandemic. It was the central point for all calls to its clients, and it went from receiving 2,000 calls per day to taking 40,000 calls in a matter of minutes. Unanticipated growth required a flexible consumption model, such as Avaya OneCloud Subscription. It also allowed for flexibility in how the company could shrink or grow.
The company worked hard to standardize its current systems and make them available in real-time via centralized tools. ACT saw an increase in productivity, decreased redundancy, and higher user satisfaction by consolidating its meetings, video, and collaboration platforms with AvayaOneCloud. This was all while reducing overall costs.
4. Security and Compliance
No matter how diligently an IT team protects a network’s security, outages and downtime can still cause problems that affect workers’ ability to communicate and perform their jobs. Businesses that depend on communication as their nexus can find interruptions extremely costly and disruptive.
Security is another aspect that can be complex. Users can switch to alternative communication methods if their communication channels fail. This can lead to security problems. Older systems are often not able to keep businesses in compliance with regulations such as HIPAA and PCI DSS. Reputation damage and heavy fines can be a result of regulatory violations.
Businesses can create a network that meets all their regulatory requirements and provides a seamless experience by choosing technology that offers integrated capabilities. A platform that integrates contact center and unified communications capabilities can help you maintain both security and compliance, no matter whether it is sharing medical records or tracking customer calls.
Also read: How Automation Helps Your Supplier Cyber Risk Management Process
5. Platform/Service Enhancements
We have learned a lot over the past two years. All businesses are subject to uncertainty. Technologies and strategies that were sensible five years ago may not be relevant today. One platform offers businesses a cost-effective and efficient way to stay current with the latest software and technology. This eliminates the need for businesses to fight over the budget and invest in new versions. It also offers the latest versions and capabilities. Businesses can use the technologies that are most appropriate for their business environment.
We will all get past the COVID-19 epidemic over time. As we move forward, it becomes increasingly clear that a platform that delivers cloud convergence of customer and employee experience technologies is a strategic benefit. It may even be the best way to promote change and prepare for the future. The platform provides the flexibility, scalability, and security that businesses need and can make them stand out from their competitors. It may be the key to success in the future, as it provides access to an endless stream of new functionality and capabilities.
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