Big Data and Unified Communications
Take-Out or Delivery?
Just the other day I went out for pizza. Today I received a message from my credit card company asking if I’d like to rate the restaurant. What a great way to give someone an opportunity to give a shout out. I found the restaurant on my iPhone, I paid with my credit card and wrote a review on my laptop (and opted for a “share” on Facebook). Information is everywhere. We communicate in multiple ways; personally and professionally, morning, noon and night. From our voice, to the keyboard to the keypad, the options we have today are numerous and super convenient. For business VoIP systems, it’s become very much the same. Tons of data is being generated every minute, with a variety of ways to use it toward the growth of business.
What is Big Data all about?
You may have heard the term “Big Data”, but never really had a chance to clearly understand what it’s all about. Big Data describes all the data that exists out there; from government data to consumer purchases to instant message chats. The excitement isn’t just about the amount of data, it’s about all the things we can do with this data to create happier customers, stronger team collaboration and smoother workflows.
All of the data businesses capture on a daily basis can be of great use if they choose to use it. From improving the way workers perform their jobs, to building stronger relationships with customers, there are many ways this data could improve the operations of a business. When we utilize the benefits of unified communications, we can analyze all this data and transform it into information that simplifies and enhances:
- our marketing strategies
- the way we manage transactions
- our business methods
- how we collaborate internally
- how we communicate with customers
Putting Big Data on the Table
Unified communications is an important channel for the movement of all this data. Knowing how we can use it and making the most of the applications we use to make it work for us is where we’ll get the most benefit. Whether we’re looking at data about our customers, our suppliers, our inventory or our sales history, it can help us make better decisions when it comes to figuring out
- Buying trends
- Customer preferences
- Troubleshooting product failures
- Improvements in customer response times
- Internal collaboration
Of course we’ve all heard stories about the costs involved in developing systems that will do the mining of all this data. There are many more options out there today; much of which come at a very affordable price tag. With unified communications systems, you can combine your business data and communications onto one platform, which can greatly improve the data mining process. Applications, for example, that allow a technical support representative to retrieve information that will increase their response time and resolve customer issues more quickly is what utilizing big data is all about.
If you think migrating to UC will be a big investment, be sure to factor in the total cost of ownership; specifically, the benefits you will realize to provide more efficient work processes and customer service. Whether it’s creating an environment that encourages greater flexibility or implementing cost-reducing efforts that bring increased productivity, consider the costs you’ll incur if you don’t choose UC.
Companies who want to be innovative, productive and competitive will be the ones who utilize their data to master the art of understanding their customers, their employees and their markets. The possibilities are endless if we can harness this information and make the most of the technologies that bring it to us. If you’d like more information on how UC can help your business grow and achieve new market potential, contact us or call 800-776-4967 for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
Tags: unified communications, uc, cloud computing, voice and data communications, IP telephony, video conferencing, voice mail, messaging, presence, ShoreTel, VoIP, data communications, mobility, BYOD, tablets, Smartphones, integrated communications, cloud services, telephony, unified messaging, web chat, IM, instant messaging, big data
