The best customer service and fast response times are crucial for business success today. Communication solutions play an important role in this. They combine business telephony with collaboration tools such as chat or video telephony and are highly integrated into business-critical applications such as ERP or CRM. In this way, they ensure good accessibility and smooth processes and support teams in their collaboration. There are many challenges when introducing a new unified communications (UC) solution. This article summarizes the most important steps for switching to a UC solution: From planning to going live, you will receive practical tips to make the transition seamless.
Unified communications - integrated communication in all processes
Investments in unified communications (UC) pay off. This is confirmed by several studies such as those by Forrester and Gartner:
- Forrester: Response times in communication with customers are reduced by 15-20%*.
- Gartner: Customer satisfaction increases by up to 10%**.
What does Unified Communications (UC) mean?
UC stands for the seamless integration of different communication channels in a single platform. This includes business telephony, e.g. as Voice over IP computer telephony, video conferencing, messaging and chat. UC solutions centralize all means of communication in one application. They can also be connected to ERP, CRM or industry solutions in order to optimize business processes within the company. The possibility of linking with collaboration tools improves employees’ workflows.
How to make a smooth transition to modern UC solutions
The following steps are recommended to ensure that the introduction of a new UC solution is successful without downtime:
The individual steps in detail
Step 1: Analysis and requirements planning
The first step in introducing a new UC solution, including business telephony, is to analyze the current system. Interview the users and those responsible for the system.
The following questions will help you to take stock:
- Which applications do you use for communication?
- How are they networked with each other / in your IT landscape?
- What is currently going well?
- Are there any malfunctions or interruptions?
- Do you know the causes of communication problems?
- What specifically do you want to improve?
- What are must haves / your knockout criteria when selecting a UC solution?
- What are requirements that are not critical but would be good?
- What resources are available during and after the project?
- Would you like to operate UC in-house as on-premises or use it from the cloud?
- What budgets and timelines have you set for UC implementation?
- What key figures do you use to measure successful implementation?
Tips from the field
Involve all relevant departments at an early stage. Sales has different requirements for telephony and collaboration than customer service.
- Also consider future requirements and long-term scalability: How will requirements change as your company grows? What happens when locations are added?
Tip for cloud solutions
Check the bandwidth and stability of your Internet connection in good time.
Define how data packets are prioritized by your systems in day-to-day business to ensure the best call quality at all times.
If necessary, plan an upgrade of the network infrastructure to ensure trouble-free use at all times.
Step 2: Choosing the right UC solution
There are a large number of unified communications solutions, telephony software and collaboration tools on the market. Not all of them are suitable for your requirements. In addition to the required range of functions, integration with existing systems such as ERP and CRM is also crucial. This enables you to achieve highly customer-oriented and efficient communication.
The following questions will help you choose the right UC solution for you:
- Is the solution available in your preferred operating model (on-premises, cloud, hybrid)?
- Are your essential communication channels covered (telephony, chat, video calls, etc.)?
- Are all the functions required by the users covered?
- Can your central customer data be connected for efficient business telephony (e.g. from different data sources)?
- Can your business applications be integrated (ERP, CRM) or are there interfaces for a connection?
- To what extent is the solution scalable (up- and down-scale) and how flexible is it (on-site, mobile, remote)?
- To what extent are your data protection and compliance requirements met?
- How innovative is the manufacturer? Is it also thinking about future added value, for example through AI in telephony?
- To what extent are your support and maintenance requirements met?
With estos, you have the option of choosing both on-premises and cloud-based or hybrid solutions. These solutions offer integration with systems such as SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce and Microsoft Teams.
Tips from the field
Compare different providers.
Test demos or pilot versions.
Determine and document how well the solution covers your requirements and can be integrated into existing processes.
Check whether the safety standards meet your requirements.
An evaluation matrix, for example, can be used for the evaluation. In this matrix, you award points for fulfilled requirements and set them in relation to importance.
Example of an evaluation matrix for selecting a new UC solution:
Step 3: Planning the implementation
Good planning is the key to a successful introduction. It ensures that the implementation runs smoothly. You avoid unnecessary downtime. Create a detailed project plan at an early stage. This plan includes all steps from preparation to installation and go-live. A proven approach is to continue using the existing solution in parallel with the new UC solution. This gives you a backup at all times.
Tips from the field
Create a precise schedule with milestones.
Make a conscious decision to allow sufficient buffer for unforeseen problems.
- A gradual introduction is advisable. Start with a pilot project in a small department. Only then can the solution be used company-wide
Step 4: Integration and test phase
As soon as the implementation of the UC solution is complete, integration with other systems follows. This includes your ERP and CRM tools, for example. This step ensures that your telephony not only remains isolated, but is integrated into the overall business process. Linked customer data from the CRM helps, for example, to recognize and address callers directly or to quickly contact the right person. This saves everyone involved valuable time.
Tips from the field
Carry out intensive tests before the final changeover.
Test runs with a small, key user group are helpful as a first step. This makes problems visible at an early stage.
Training for employees ensures that the functions of the new solution support efficient working.
Step 5: Smooth commissioning without downtime
The transition to the new UC solution must be designed in such a way that daily operations continue without interruption. Unexpected problems jeopardize your communication. Limit these with a prior test phase. Parallel operation of the old and new systems further minimizes this risk. Inform everyone involved about the changeover at an early stage. If everyone knows that changes may cause problems for a short time, acceptance is greater.
Tips from the field
Have a backup system ready to take over in an emergency.
Inform everyone involved about the changeover process so that there are no surprises.
Plan a fixed contact person – e.g. in the IT team – for queries and problems.
Step 6: Check customer and employee satisfaction
After implementation, it is crucial to ensure that the new solution not only works technically flawlessly. It should also bring the hoped-for added value in day-to-day use. A check shortly after commissioning identifies minor stumbling blocks promptly. If you eliminate these, acceptance and trust in the new UC solution will increase. Satisfied employees will also use your new unified communications systems more efficiently.
Tips from the field
Remember to continue systematically surveying customers and employees in the future.
Direct feedback on your communication reveals potential for improvement.
This allows you to continuously optimize your UC solution and continue to offer a very good customer experience.
Conclusion: Your path to the successful introduction of a UC solution
The introduction of a new Unified Communications solution requires careful planning and implementation. This will help you avoid downtime and ensure a smooth transition. Make sure the solution is scalable right from the start. The better the integration into existing systems, the more smoothly all users will work with it. It must also offer optimum performance. This applies regardless of whether you operate the solution on-premises or cloud-based. The use of backup systems minimizes the risk of downtime. The parallel use of old and new systems as part of an intensive test phase also contributes to this.
Your checklist: Successful introduction of a new Unified Communications solution in 6 steps
- Analysis and requirements planning: Evaluate your current communication systems and identify requirements and opportunities for improvement.
- Selecting the right UC solution: Compare different providers and choose a solution that meets your functional requirements and can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems.
- Planning the implementation: Create a detailed project plan with clear milestones to ensure a smooth transition.
- Integration and test phase: Integrate the new UC solution into your existing systems and carry out comprehensive tests to ensure functionality.
- Commissioning: Use the new solution productively while operating the old system in parallel, if necessary, to avoid downtime.
- Check satisfaction: Collect feedback from users and customers to evaluate the success of the implementation and make possible optimizations.
Ready for the next step?
Would you like to find out more about how a new Unified Communications solution can optimally support your company? Let us analyze your requirements together and find the right solution. Contact us for a non-binding consultation!
Sources:
* Forrester: By integrating UC&C tools, customer support teams were able to reduce resolution times by an average of 15-20%, significantly increasing responsiveness and customer satisfaction. (“Customer Experience Improvement Report” Forrester)
** Gartner: Companies reported an average increase in customer satisfaction of 5-10% following the effective implementation of UC&C tools, highlighting improved communication quality and reduced wait times in service channels. (“Drive Growth With Proactive Customer Service Metrics,” Gartner)