UC Implementation Mistakes to Avoid

UC Implementation Mistakes to Avoid

Picture this: your employees aren’t being as productive as you know they could be, but you can’t figure out why. It could simply be that they are not getting the data and information they need at the right time. Unified Communications (UC) can have a huge impact on your employees’ collaboration, and as a result, their productivity. However, it’s almost impossible to implement a UC system and expect it to work overnight! Some companies that attempt to make the switch to a UC system suffer from a few common pitfalls that could be avoided.

Read below for some tips for UC implementation:

 

Pitfall #1: Lack of Employee Training

Since UC systems are designed to be used by you and your employees, your employees are your best asset in getting your UC system in place. Make sure they know what is happening, how it can improve their work experience, and what they can do to help. When in doubt, opt for a slow integration process. While it may be frustrating to you, knowing what exciting new features are going to be available in the future, adding only a few tools at a time gives your employees the time they need to get used to them.

 

Pitfall #2: Unnecessary Features

Speaking of exciting new features, sometimes tools included in your UC system may bog down your employees with redundant information. The best way to prevent a backslide in productivity is to know your company and its technological needs. Training your employees in a technology that they will probably never utilize is a poor use of your time and theirs. Make sure everything you are implementing – including unified messaging, video conferencing, and collaboration apps – is both necessary and useful!

 

Pitfall #3: Poor Integration with Existing Systems

Your company probably already uses some method of getting data to the right place and staying in touch, such as email or fax. Knowing how things move and how tasks get done within your company will help you with successful integration of your UC system. If your employees rely on their emails, it could be counterproductive to drastically change those emails. Another important consideration is the network your company is using — if the hardware or software is out of date, or does not have the capability to host the load of a UC system, the communication channels you are trying to create may not do much at best, and could cause frustration at worst.

 

While Unified Communications can be a huge benefit to your company’s work environment, employee satisfaction, and overall productivity, there are a few things to consider before implementing a UC system. By knowing your company and its needs, your employees, and even bringing on an expert that you trust, a smooth implementation of a unified communications system is possible. It’s like they say: nothing worth having comes easy (but it also doesn’t have to be hard)!