Part of:Uniting the enterprise with integrated UCaaS and CCaaS
How the convergence of UCaaS and CCaaS affects businesses
The UCaaS and CCaaS markets began to converge so organizations could handle internal and external communications on one platform. But integration requires planning and consideration.
A focus on improving CX, the growth of cloud platforms and overlapping needs between different types of communications platforms have brought UCaaS and CCaaS together as a single platform.
Vendors in the unified communications as a service (UCaaS) and contact center as a service (CCaaS) markets follow various strategies to support the convergence of these platforms, including acquisitions, strategic partnerships and internal product development. Examples of vendors that offer or plan to offer UCaaS and CCaaS together include RingCentral, Vonage, 8x8 and Zoom.
Vendors are moving in this direction because the market has signaled that a converged UCaaS and CCaaS platform can improve CX and customer service.
What does a UCaaS and CCaaS integration mean?
UCaaS and CCaaS platforms can individually streamline interactions, drive efficiency and enhance CX -- regardless of whether the customers are internal or external. Integrating these platforms means all users get the features and functionalities of each platform.
Integrating these platforms means all users get the features and functionalities of each platform.
Organizations shouldn't worry about whether a single vendor offers the converged platform or if different vendors develop a tightly integrated platform. If an organization chooses the latter, it must ensure a level of comfort with support from different vendor teams.
Business benefits of a converged platform
A converged UCaaS and CCaaS platform can benefit organizations, internal business users and customer service agents.
Because both platforms are cloud-based, cloud-related benefits include the following:
Contact center agents would gain access to tools previously only used by internal business users, including the following:
Team collaboration tools to get support from experts outside of the contact center.
Video conferencing as an alternative communication channel with customers.
Considerations before adoption
Even with the benefits available from a converged UCaaS and CCaaS platform, organizations must still perform due diligence to ensure that this strategy can work for their operations.
Before deciding, organizations should take the following actions:
Develop business requirements for users and contact center agents to ensure the system can support their needs.
Ensure the converged platform's value is greater than the sum of two individual services. Don't only move to a converged platform because it's popular.
When selecting the platform, organizations need a single point of support when issues arise. Reaching out to references and researching can help.
The convergence of UCaaS and CCaaS is in motion. Vendors are moving quickly to develop new offerings in the marketplace. Organizations must determine how a converged platform could improve the experiences of internal and external customers and take advantage of this opportunity.
