Top 7 UCaaS features to enhance productivity
Enterprises have historically used UCaaS to reduce operating costs. No longer. Today, due in part to AI, companies view UCaaS as the most efficient way to boost collaboration.
There is no question that unified communications as a service now dominates the workplace collaboration landscape.
Consider: Almost 59% of companies surveyed in Metrigy's "Workplace Collaboration MetriCast: 2025" global research study of 797 organizations labeled unified communications as a service (UCaaS) as their primary platform for calling, meetings and messaging. Of those using on-premises UC applications, 33% also used UCaaS or planned to do so by the end of 2025.
UCaaS adoption drivers have shifted. Reduced operating costs is still a primary consideration, but access to improved collaboration features, especially those driven by AI, is the primary reason why companies adopt UCaaS.
To that end, here are seven key UCaaS features, in no particular order, which will help boost productivity and employee efficiency within your organization.
1. AI virtual assistants
Most every UCaaS platform now provides an AI-based virtual assistant. These tools provide a variety of capabilities, including summarizing chats, messages, meetings and calls, as well as aiding in how responses might be composed. Vendors are rapidly rolling out new AI capabilities, with many adding AI interactive voice response to handle missed calls.
Workflow studios enable individuals to create agents to automate or support specific activities. Basic AI capabilities are usually built into UCaaS apps, while more advanced capabilities, such as custom agent creation and access to external knowledge bases, may require additional license purchases.
2. Integrated team messaging
Most UCaaS providers have made team messaging the centerpiece of UX, and for many companies, it is now the primary collaboration UI. Metrigy research data showed that 81% of companies have rolled out team messaging, with 61% viewing it as a hub for work. Team collaboration capabilities have rapidly expanded with vendors now offering integrated task management, connectors to third-party data sources and AI agents to manage work. More recently, vendors have begun to embed AI agents directly into chat channels, enabling them to function as teammates to capture action items or respond to inquiries.
Using team messaging as a hub for work also means integrating other applications into it, making the team workspace a one-stop shop for a wide range of resources, including product and task management, business intelligence and CRM. This enables collaboration in context; employees don't have to switch out of the team space to pull in a report they want to share with other team members. Instead, they can chat and act -- all within the same space. Connectors also let employees manage data within other apps through the same interface.
Finally, most team apps now support cross-company chat, replacing email to bring contextual communications for both internal and external engagement.
3. Contact center integration
Almost 83% of research participants are integrating their contact center and UC platforms to simplify management, reduce costs and improve customer service. Integration delivers measurable business improvements, including enabling agents to quickly find answers to customer inquiries and simplifying telecom infrastructure. Approximately 58% of Metrigy research participants report cost savings from integrating UC and contact centers.
4. Improved mobility support
About 45% of employees, on average, work remotely -- either full- or part-time. For many, making a phone call or joining a video meeting requires connecting to the enterprise network through a VPN, which introduces delay and potential performance issues. In a UCaaS environment, remote employees can access the UCaaS provider through their local internet connection, typically improving voice and video performance. In addition, UCaaS providers now offer an expanding set of mobile capabilities, from native dialer support through carrier integrations and dual-SIM configurations to apps with specific features for field workers.
Through services such as Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile, Webex Go, Zoom Mobile and RingCentral's partnership with Vodafone, a mobile device can be configured to essentially act as a fully featured phone extension. As a result, users don't have to access the UCaaS app on their phones to place or receive calls. These services are still relatively new; vendors are still working out how to support U.S.-mandated emergency location and notification requirements. But they represent another way in which UCaaS can boost employee productivity, especially for those workers who depend on mobile devices as their primary means of communication.
5. Application integrations
Most UCaaS vendors make it easy for customers to obtain off-the-shelf plug-ins that integrate their software with other apps used within their organizations. Examples include the ability to integrate project and workflow management into meetings and team spaces, and support for third-party whiteboard apps for ideation.
Many UCaaS providers offer APIs, and they also distribute low-code/no-code tools that can be used to create custom integrations. It's not just about integrating apps into the UCaaS UI; most UCaaS providers also let customers embed UC features, such as calling and messaging, directly into apps like CRM and email.
6. Integrated text messaging
Many UCaaS providers offer SMS text messaging integrations as part of their calling feature set, letting employees use their business numbers for texting. This also lets organizations capture text messages for compliance purposes or for integration with CRM platforms. It also serves as a safeguard against employees from using their personal mobile numbers for business texting.
7. Simplified management
UCaaS platforms provide integrated management capabilities, not just for applications but also for certified, connected devices, including video endpoints and phones. Increasingly, UCaaS providers underpin their configuration and performance management with AI to automate routine tasks, detect potential trouble points and automatically remediate issues before they affect end users. Analytics enable administrators to conduct pre-deployment modeling and analyze data for utilization forecasting, room sizing and bandwidth management.
These UCaaS features are just a sample of what's available to help companies boost their productivity. Evaluate UCaaS providers to see if they can support these capabilities -- as well as others that may be on their roadmap -- to help your organization get more value from its UC investments.
Editor's note: This article was updated to reflect new market data and advances in UCaaS features.
Irwin Lazar is president and principal analyst at Metrigy, where he leads coverage on the digital workplace. His research focus includes unified communications, VoIP, video conferencing and team collaboration.
