Expert Insights: 2023 Unified Communications Predictions

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Today, unified communications (UC) technology is more than just IP phones and simple features like live chat. You’ll want to partner with a local provider who can help guide you toward the right mix of today’s solutions and evolve with you in the future.

TCI has been supporting the DC Metro Region for 40 years and we’re here to help. As we look toward the new year, we know many organizations will be modernizing their communications systems to streamline operations and keep employees and customers connected.

Our strategic technology partner, Mitel has weighed in on what UC will look like in 2023. Here are their predictions.

Generative AI will take off.

Generative AI can create content automatically. It has the potential to revolutionize certain aspects of business, specifically when it comes to content marketing and contact center communications.

The technology can improve the chatbot experience on websites and provide personalized content to customers based on their history. In the contact center, Generative AI can produce content for agent coaching. It can also document and summarize interactions between agents and customers, creating content that can be used for training and development.

Organizations and UC providers need to stay on top of the role Generative AI will begin to play and be able to incorporate the content produced by it into their UC technology stacks.

CISOs will focus on recruiting employees to play a bigger role in preventing attacks and securing edge devices.  

Phishing attacks rose in 2022 and organizations are concerned about unauthorized access or leaks of their proprietary information. Business leaders need to raise employee education and vigilance in avoiding ransomware, phishing, and other threats coming in email, texts, and social media.

Another challenge is securing a rapidly expanding universe of edge devices, both professional and personal. Most employees work on multiple devices, and you can’t protect what you don’t know about, so auditing and securing a widely dispersed infrastructure will be essential.

Mitel and TCI offer a software assurance (SWA) subscription that keeps your UC up to date on the latest software, security fixes, and compliance requirements.

A one-size-fits-all approach to delivering UC will no longer work. Organizations are demanding customized solutions.  

Customers have many communication technology choices today, and many use a mix of infrastructures. In 2023, the world’s business communications will occur across a panorama of on-prem, private cloud, hybrid, and UCaaS systems.

Currently, deployed on-premises solutions lead the pack, but Mitel’s survey found that over 40% of enterprises are combining their on-premises solutions with a cloud solution, and almost half are either evaluating or currently moving their on-premises communications to the cloud.

UC providers need to fully embrace Customer Lifecycle Management as organizations look for the right communications solution to deliver long-term value for both the customer and employee experience.

With so many choices regarding technologies and deployment options, organizations need more than just a drop-ship phone provider. They need a local partner who can support them on-site and guide them toward solutions that support shared workspaces, file and screen sharing, and a mobile-first design. Businesses are looking for a quick and sustainable ROI that empowers their customers to collaborate and complete tasks from anywhere.

Our local team of experts is ready to advise you on the best path forward as you implement your 2023 plans. Contact us at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.

 

7 Office Trends Redefining Online Team Collaboration

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The way people use technology continues to shift quickly, and consumer behaviors and expectations are bleeding into business environments, creating new requirements and methods of doing business.

Here are several important office trends redefining how businesses and people collaborate online.

1. Using More Outsourced Resources – Freelancers and consultants fill various roles depending on a company’s size, priorities, and policies. Whether enterprise or SMB, some companies use the expertise of outside resources to provide a necessary perspective, service, or advice to help businesses. Other companies use outsourced workers to quickly scale up and down, improving their agility and flexibility. Businesses using freelancers, consultants, or other types of remote support need robust online collaboration tools to connect these outsourced workers and the company’s staff to work effectively and efficiently.

2. The Rise of Solopreneurs – The trend of companies using more outsourced workers and the rise of solopreneurs go together. Solopreneurs run their single-person businesses, often relying on contracting or consulting work for employment. They’re usually experts in niche areas. As more workers become solopreneurs, companies will increasingly have to look outside of their walls to fill needs in those specialties. Your online collaboration tools should be user-friendly, so solopreneurs don’t need to become experts in obscure software to get on board and pitch in.

3. Cloud Enablement and the Rise of Mobility – With increased connectivity, the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, and a global economy, mobility changed the game for many companies. With today’s cloud-based technology, work is an activity, not a location. Files and other resources once chained to the office are now available from anywhere with a decent Internet connection. Online collaboration tools are more important than ever to connect those in the office, those traveling, those working remote or hybrid, or outsourced resources to keep work moving productively.

4. Real Estate Consolidation and Savings – Real estate can be pricey for businesses, with some urban areas commanding $100 or more per square foot of office space — a 10×10 office costs a staggering $10,000 per year in some places. Enabling remote workers can help keep real estate costs under control by reducing your need for space, avoiding relocation, and more. Without a good online collaboration tool designed for remote workers, it’s tough for workers to connect with their in-office counterparts to get work done.

5. Hyper Specialization – When you need an expert in a particular field, there’s a good chance they won’t live near your office. Some are willing to relocate. But many are not. If your much-needed expert feels like staying put, you may need to make concessions to bring them on board. Or you might have to offer them work-hour flexibility as a perk to seal the deal. Either way, it makes hyper-specialization another factor putting pressure on companies to use reliable online collaboration tools to stay competitive.

6. Wanderlust and the Rise of Ex-Pats – Have you seen House Hunters International? It’s not just showcasing ex-pat retirees settling into another country to spend their golden years with an exotic sea breeze tickling their noses. More people on the show are working professionals who want to travel or live abroad while continuing to work. This trend is growing, and innovative companies are leaning on online collaboration to help enable staff to work where they want to keep key talent on board.

7. Bring-Your-Own-Device – BYOD shouldn’t be a big surprise when it comes to identifying trends that are redefining online collaboration. Bottom line: companies that enable BYOD must find an online collaboration tool that works across various platforms, including smartphones, tablets, and computers. This trend points to the need for a user-friendly interface that’s intuitive and easy to use. If it’s not easy to use, workers will be quick to abandon it, hurting productivity or spawning pockets of shadow IT.

Adapt to Stay Competitive

The workplace is changing fast and leading to a revolution in how we collaborate online. Innovative companies and savvy tech providers adapt to stay competitive and ensure work gets done. Whether you’re affected by one of these trends or all of them, it pays to know the forces reshaping the landscape. Because the more you know, the better you can respond.

Let’s talk about your business and how you can exploit better Online Collaboration tools. Contact TCI today at: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.

 

Improving Operations with Better Technology Starts with Your 2023 TCI Planning Session

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With budget season here and 2023 right around the corner, now is a great time to start evaluating your office technologies and setting strategic goals.

A TCI Technology & Business Review gets you prepared for the new year, whether you’re connecting a Hybrid Workforce or thinking about Faster Broadband, Online Collaboration, Disaster Recovery, Cloud, or Managed Services.

Not familiar with the latest innovations or apps? We’ll get you up to speed so your business can connect more easily and become more productive than ever.

Schedule your 2023 planning session with TCI today. Contact us at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.

Act Fast… RingCentral Promotion for Mitel On-Premises Customers

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This offer expires December 31, 2022

Upgrade to the #1-rated cloud communications and collaboration solution – RingCentral MVP (Message. Video. Phone.) service – ranked as a market leader on the Gartner Magic Quadrant.

For existing Mitel on-premises customers moving to the cloud, you’ll receive:

  • 20% discount off RingCentral MVP service
  • 2 months free for a 2-year term or 3 months free for a 3-year term
  • May be eligible for free phones (up to 50)

Why is RingCentral MVP So Popular?

  • Unmatched SLA-backed reliability – 12 quarters at 99.999% uptime
  • Class-leading security / Advanced analytics and insights
  • Advanced team messaging, video meetings, and telephony features
  • 275+ integrations with mainstream business applications
  • Global footprint with local and toll-free in more than 110 countries

For more details and to take advantage of this limited-time offer, contact us today: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.

 

Too Busy? How Cloud Phone Systems Provide Time Saving Solutions for IT Managers

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Often working with limited resources and a small team, IT managers shoulder an immense set of responsibilities. In addition to implementing new growth initiatives, there are multiple systems to maintain and often multiple locations to support. With more users on the move, their jobs have only become more complicated.

Moving to a cloud phone system can go a long way toward alleviating this heavy workload and give your IT team more time to focus on higher level business initiatives. Here’s how…

  • Reduce Multi-Vendor Management – Managing multiple vendors not only impacts daily productivity, but outdated systems that are patch-worked together typically cannot deliver a consistent user experience, especially when you add different devices to the mix. Troubleshooting problems is more time-consuming, and because the systems may not be integrated, you’re not getting a consolidated view of your operations.
  • Lower Total Cost of Operations – Managing to budget is a core responsibility for every IT leader, and a cloud phone system can help you predictably meet departmental targets. By working with just one vendor instead of many, you’ll lower the total cost of operations by reducing the complexity of day-to-day management and time spent troubleshooting. You can also mix and match the customized features you need without paying for ones you don’t.
  • Future-Proof Your Business – One challenge with traditional phone systems is that the technology ages quickly. With a cloud system, you can always take advantage of the latest features and applications. Plus, there are increased opportunities for integration with other business applications. Employees can leverage new capabilities as they need them, without ever involving the IT team.
  • Headache Relief – By reducing complexity, a cloud phone system will save you time and allow you to focus on mission-critical IT tasks that drive productivity across the business. With easier implementations and uniform deployments, your IT team can spend less time training users and more time working on high-value projects. You might still have headaches, but they won’t be caused by your phone system.

If you’re an overworked and understaffed IT manager, wouldn’t it be nice to stop worrying about at least one of your systems?

If you’re thinking “yes,” then consider transitioning your business phone system to the cloud… Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

 

 

Get to Know TCI’s Latest Cloud Communications Service… RingCentral MVP

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Our solutions line-up expanded earlier this year with Mitel’s rollout of RingCentral MVP cloud service. It’s become a popular option for organizations that are ready to transition to the cloud from their Mitel on-premises systems.

And, if your current cloud provider is falling short, MVP is ideal for anyone looking to streamline internal collaboration and better connect with their customers.

With integrated Messaging, Video Meetings, and Cloud PBX, RingCentral MVP offers:

  • A unified, collaborative hub for team messaging, video meetings, and telephony
  • Enterprise-grade security and unmatched reliability with a 99.999% uptime SLA
  • A global footprint in 100+ countries and localized in 15+ languages
  • 250+ out-of-the-box integrations with business apps and open APIs for custom needs
  • Simple and centralized web-based user and system administration
  • Advanced analytics and insights
  • Access from anywhere on your device of choice — desktop, tablet, or mobile.

Here’s more on each element of MVP — Message. Video. Phone — and how the service integrates with the Business Apps your team uses every day:

Message

  • Message colleagues and clients from your PC or mobile device. Invite guest users to collaborate for free.
  • Set a custom status to indicate your availability.
  • Create teams around projects, specific topics, and departments.
  • Assign tasks to individuals or project teams.
  • Share links and files with no size or storage limits.

Video

  • Join meetings easily — no downloads or plugins needed.
  • Enjoy HD audio and video, and screen share with up to 200 interactive video participants.
  • Easily schedule meetings with calendar integrations with Office 365 and Google Calendar.
  • Switch a live meeting between devices with one click.
  • Get in-meeting chat, virtual backgrounds, closed captioning, cloud recordings, and powerful background noise reduction technology for a great participant experience.

Phone

  • Use one business phone number for calling, business SMS, MMS, and fax, so your personal number stays private.
  • Customize settings such as business hours and greetings, and route incoming calls efficiently to specific departments with a multi-level auto attendant.
  • Manage active calls efficiently with advanced call controls to transfer, record, flip, or park the call.
  • Flip live calls between your desktop and cell or switch a call to video in just one click.

Integrations

  • Bring advanced communications functions into the productivity apps you use every day like Microsoft and Google.
  • Automate your sales cycle and enhance delivery and customer support through integrations with Salesforce, Zendesk, and ServiceNow.
  • Back up your communications data with RingCentral Archiver to your preferred cloud storage provider like Smarsh, Google Drive, Dropbox, and more.
  • Build custom integrations with open APIs to meet your business’s specific needs.

Bring your teams and customers together on the industry’s #1 business communications platform. Let’s talk about your business and how we can connect you to achieve more success. Contact TCI today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

The Power & Business Benefits of a Single Platform UCaaS Solution

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Create new opportunities to boost efficiency, improve employee experience, and better serve customers.

For all the power we now carry in our pockets with our phones, many businesses still struggle with enabling seamless communications and collaboration in the world of remote and hybrid work.

Apart from the fact that talking — real-time audio conversation — has become one of the least popular communication methods, and collaboration platforms are incredibly diverse, there’s a wide variety of solutions for messaging, video conferencing, file sharing, whiteboarding… the list goes on.

Many businesses have invested in a Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS) platform to replace their old fragmented systems. The next step is to integrate communication and collaboration into one platform.

The Benefits of Bringing it all Together

Bringing communications and collaboration into a single, purpose-built platform delivers four key benefits.

1. Remote work. Recent research from the SMG Group shows that hybrid work environments are a crucial differentiator when people are looking for jobs. This helps businesses attract and retain top talent and makes it easier for employees to collaborate.

2. Business-app integration. Having communication and collaboration tools all on one app makes it much easier to integrate with your other business apps and processes. Why? It gives you a single integration point rather than having to integrate with multiple apps in a patchwork solution.

3. Cross-channel communication. A universally compatible platform works, regardless of device or operating system. This lowers the burden on your IT staff to troubleshoot compatibility issues and is another enabler of productivity and collaboration for your employees.

4. Asynchronous and live communication. Real-time communication is sometimes essential. But not every discussion or workstream must, or can, happen in real-time. Asynchronous chat helps everyone stay current between live calls no matter the time zone or hour of the day.

How to Choose the Right UCaaS Solution

Once you’ve decided to move to UCaaS that combines communication and collaboration tools on a single platform, remember that not all of these solutions are created equal.

Here are the must-haves to consider as you evaluate moving to a new UCaaS solution…

  • Ease of onboarding. Is the platform easy to use, with a friendly user interface? Will the vendor help with change management as you migrate?
  • Security. How does the vendor address issues like encryption and authentication? How do they keep your data safe from cyberattacks?
  • Reliability. Does the service have guaranteed uptime? How robust is their customer service in the case of an adverse event?
  • Versatility. Is the solution compatible with the other business programs you use every day? Do they offer a comprehensive suite of integrations and/or API availability to draft your own?
  • Global integration. Will the platform be as reliable and responsive in Europe and Asia as it is in the United States?

Together is Better

If your business is experiencing barriers to working together across the office, remote and hybrid work environments, your local TCI team can help bring your communication and collaboration together. Contact us today: (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

How Successful SMBs Are Exploiting New Opportunities in the Future of Work

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Coming out of the disruption of the past few years, how the world of work is changing is becoming more apparent. Challenges remain, but there are also opportunities for small- and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) to set a course for sustained success.

Successful SMBs are adapting to the shifting terrain. A recent SMG Group study reveals two main challenges to navigating ongoing changes and preparing for a prosperous future…

  • There has been a significant power shift from employers to employees. It has, in many ways and many sectors, become a seller’s market for employees’ skills, expertise, and time. As a result, competition between businesses to attract and retain the best people is intense.
  • There is a need for longer-term strategic thinking. Businesses are reviewing the decisions they made to survive during the pandemic. And many are realizing those decisions have led to disjointed technology solutions, overly complex processes, and inefficient systems.

Factors making successful SMBs optimistic about the future…

1. Resilience

Many digital transformation strategies adopted over the past few years were applied reactively and ad hoc. Businesses implemented disjointed technologies, putting multiple systems in place that don’t necessarily play nice with one another. Many of the solutions were needlessly complex and may buckle in a changing environment.

Unified and simplified technologies have played a role in making businesses more resilient. This is particularly true for Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) options. Industry-leading UCaaS systems bring features like advanced messaging, phone, and video together in one app, centralizing and simplifying communication. By bringing internal and external communications together, teammates can collaborate more efficiently and communicate more effectively with customers.

2. Putting People First

As important as technology is, it is simply an enabler. Running a successful business is about people: your employees and your customers.

The SMG report identifies people as a significant priority for businesses that want to future-proof their operations and continue to thrive. Hybrid work, once a rare offering for unusual circumstances, has been fully embraced by both employees and employers: 90% of SMBs that have adopted hybrid work find it valuable. And for job seekers, hybrid work is a significant priority: over 80% of applicants to a well-known job board said they’d feel more loyal to their employers if their work environments were flexible.

When many businesses switched to a digital workplace, much of the focus was on the technology needed to facilitate it, not on the people who would be using that technology. Working remotely exposed significant gaps in the digital employee experience, with some employees feeling they have been left on their own to manage multiple incongruous technologies without timely support.

Simplified UC tools that bring together multiple modes of communication make it easy for people to work together and work flexibly. Collaboration across geographies is faster and easier for employees, ensuring they feel supported no matter where they work. Using centralized, cloud-based tools eliminates the hassle of deploying and managing systems in multiple locations and helps keep your business agile.

3. Getting and Staying Agile

The agility that new technologies provide has proven to be a fundamental enabler of SMB growth. The SMG report shows that 80% of SMBs committed to technology adoption and investment anticipate revenue increases. The reason is simple. Many businesses have discovered that the customer experience is directly correlated to the employee experience. Happy, productive employees have happy, productive interactions with customers. And agility enabled by new technologies is fundamental to employee happiness because it allows them to work effectively from anywhere and still deliver excellent customer service.

Giving employees the ability to quickly adapt to changes like this while still working in a hybrid or remote environment, without struggling with outdated technology, is crucial to an employer’s ability to attract and retain top talent.

Plan Now for a More Prosperous 2023

Let’s talk about your Future of Work. Your local TCI experts are here to help you create an agile, successful work environment. Contact us: (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

Focus on K-12 Education… 6 Technology Trends Schools Are Preparing For

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Digital transformation — the rapid evolution of technology to connect people, things, and information — has been a business trend for years. Upon graduating, many high school students will enter a workforce where employees spend more than six hours daily using digital tools to communicate.

To prepare students to thrive in these digital environments, elementary and high schools must embrace digital transformation, passing on benefits to administrators, staffers, and parents. Amid this transformation, schools have several considerations about how digital transformation is altering the educational experience. Here we look at the top six education technology trends your school should prepare for.

1. Increased Parent Interaction with Teachers and Administrators

Parents often have meetings several nights a week with teachers and administrators. Beyond meeting in person, parents look to digital media for important contact from teachers and administrators.

Important messages can get lost when a parent receives 300 or more emails from teachers in a year. Instead, collaboration and communication tools can help parents, teachers, and administrators better communicate in one location using one app for messaging, to-do lists, and even submitting homework.

2. Students Expect More Out of Their Education

The world is becoming increasingly digital, and many school-aged children have known nothing but digital. Even college students can be considered digital natives. If the technology in the traditional classroom isn’t there to facilitate their learning, they have STEM, charter, and private school options that will afford them the technology they need.

Whether offering your on-campus students the technology they need to learn and succeed or providing the technology for massive online open courses and distance learning, a phone system that can support these tools is essential.

3. Staff Can Utilize More Resources

District staffers often look for open educational resources and try to accommodate new curricula like common core. Teachers now turn to YouTube, Google, and other online tools for help.

But they also need more from their communications or PBX systems than “hello, goodbye” functionality, and voicemail being the main application. Today’s communications systems are more evolved than ever, including capabilities like automatic call distribution, hot desking, twinning, reporting, and a range of unified communications applications. Ultimately, teachers have a right to expect that their PBX system will have a wide range of functionality.

4. Legislation Demands Changes

More oversight by state and federal governments often has school districts scrambling to find the money and resources to comply – and that even applies to communications.

It’s a common requirement for your communications system to tell 9-1-1 responders exactly where an emergency phone call is coming from within the building. If it doesn’t, the school district could be liable.

New laws regarding education for children with special needs also require time-sensitive communications and hours of meetings and collaboration. Teachers, therapists, and principals need communications tools that comply with these laws and help them do their jobs.

5. IT Directors Face New Challenges

IT professionals have long dealt with an environment that is rapidly changing. But only recently have those changes made their way into the classroom. Many classes now use Chromebooks, Macs, PCs, Smartboards, and a Wi-Fi infrastructure that allows them to access cloud software, like the G Suite.

They are also expected to provide functional and updated communications software for their districts. But with E-Rate shrinking and eventually going away, administrators and elected officials are looking to do more with less regarding technology and communications. But just as there are grants for student technology, there is also help for IT directors in the form of Sourcewell, which takes the burden of RFPs off of government, education, and nonprofits.

6. People Need to be Notified on a Large Scale

Schools are also expected to communicate minor and significant announcements to large swaths of parents, students, and staff. Emergency alerts, weather alerts, and even schedule reminders or changes can now be communicated from one central district location to any combination of groups that deal with the district. Whether parents need to fill out prom paperwork or students need to know the next football game has been rescheduled, mass notification is essential today.

Digital transformation is changing how students, parents, teachers, and administrators interact. Let’s talk about what’s next for your school’s technology. Contact us: (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

Look to TCI for a Tailored Cloud Voice Service, White-Glove Deployments, and Outstanding Support

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Powered by technology from global leader Mitel, TCI Host is our “Unified Communications as a Service.” TCI Host fills a crucial gap in the DC Region’s fast-moving Cloud Voice market. Whether you’re a small or large business, we custom design and manage every solution specifically for your unique requirements.

Every TCI Host client is provided a complete, dedicated arrangement that doesn’t share resources with any other customer. Unlike “One Size Fits All” offerings, our service will not restrict your access to advanced features or limit your deployment options.

Flexible Deployment & Acquisition Options

Exploiting the flexibility of VoIP technology, your virtualized UC platform can be deployed on your premises, in a public or private cloud, or any data center location, including TCI’s. You can Rent, Lease, or Purchase, and we offer Fully Managed or Self-Managed support.

We’re Proven & Experienced

  • Providing service and solutions for 40+ years
  • More than 3,500 systems installed – local, nationwide, globally
  • Over 37,000+ lines under service contracts
  • Mitel Certified Voice & Data Technical Engineers
  • 24 x 7 x 365 Live Answer Customer Service

A Seamless, Professionally Managed Transition

Unlike other Business VoIP providers, TCI takes care of all the important details for you, from delivering phones to network testing and set-up, feature programming, training, and ongoing support. Are you ready to simplify and improve your business communications?

Learn more about TCI Host and The TCI Advantage. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.