The current workforces across industries have increasingly become mobile requiring multitudes of communications platforms. This is quite the scenario particularly in the world of managed service providers (MSPs) in connection with uCaaS. Unified Communications as Service channels are what the modern world is using day in and day out. Thus, as an MSP, it is essential to delve into the world of uCaaS. MSPs ought to discover how this can make a world of difference for their business in an increasingly competitive ecosystem.
Overview of Present Business Landscape
MSPs that want to be competitive for new customers and retain existing clients must master Unified Communications as a Service. A cloud model is the main means of delivering different apps and services in relation to unified collaboration and communications.
Integrating an innovative uCaaS platform to your MSP business or offering them to end-users is a lucrative business move. In essence, uCaaS combines Internet-based messaging and phone and makes it a complete communications platform. It allows companies to use collaboration cloud-based tools for their staff and employees.
Consequently, this makes it possible for key players to work remotely anywhere at any time. The uCaaS functions across mobile devices such as the user’s PC, smartphone, desk phone, and tablet.
Today’s 86% of operators, particularly small and medium organizations consider or are already using cloud-based uCaaS. For MSPs, this is a gold rush if they can deliver such solutions to these high demands. Existing and potential customers will only increase as the world is making that mobile switch to cloud-based business transactions. Thus, having the kind of services and solutions that are in line with this trend can only mean growth, profitability, and success.
The Looming Risk for MSPs
As an MSP, a transition to a collaborative or unified communication platform can sideswipe your business. MSPs offer tech solutions, networking, premise-based facilities, telecommunications infrastructure, and service support. uCaaS may make all these other services redundant and non-essential, resulting in lower demands to becoming obsolete.
So, how do you keep this from happening? MSPs have one compelling option to leverage uCaaS, particularly by private labeling. You are giving a uCaaS platform a private label and deliver it as a turnkey, branded communications solution to end-users.
What should MSPs know about uCaaS?
Unified Communications as a Service is more of a cloud-based or cloud-delivered model or platform. There are 6 communications functions that this kind of platform supports namely:
- Mobility
- Communications-based business processes
- Enterprise telephony
- Unified messaging
- Meetings (web conference/audio/video)
- Presence and instant messaging (team/personal)
As a reputable and established managed service provider, part of your responsibility is to get and deliver the best uCaaS. However, there are numerous providers of uCaaS providers out there. Most of these providers or IT sponsors offer applications that are accessible from a common platform.
How does Unified Communications as a Service work?
uCaaS operates over the Internet thus skipping any requirements for extra VoIP hardware. It streamlines multiple communications services across the organization, providing collaboration communication tools. This may include SMS, chat or Instant Messaging, real-time video conferencing, and contact center capabilities. In short, uCaaS collates the innovative tools that enterprise contact centers produced minus the expenses or complexity.
Five Critical Factors MSPs Should Know about uCaaS
Businesses are realizing the importance of employing uCaaS technology in their system. MSPs and uCaaS are in demand across industries because of this particular trend. Moreover, it is just going to grow and expand in the coming years, making it a lucrative venture for MSPs.
There are five important factors that you need to know when it comes to uCaaS. Unified Communications as a Service is a goldmine but you have to understand how to use it to your advantage. Comprehensive knowledge about it is the first step to a promising and profitable MSP uCaaS solution.
1. The Product – The uCaaS User Experience
MSPs need to realize that the uCaaS solution they provide should be competitive with existing providers. Quality products lead to a better and highly preferred customer experience. Thus, you need to leverage your uCaaS solutions in upselling your existing clients and gain new ones.
Evaluate the uCaaS product with careful and comprehensive analysis because inferior products are devastating to your marketing costs. The best uCaaS platform should have features that would meet or even exceed end-user expectations. So, what should you consider?
- The product’s integration capabilities with enterprise apps
- Comprehensive PBX that can handle active telephony requirements
- An MSP-branded customer portal offering cloud-based management of individual employee and enterprise administration
- Advanced Unified Communications and Collaboration platforms such as web conferencing, mobility, video conferencing, and instant messaging or presence
MSPs should always remember that a uCaaS product should be intuitive, extremely capable, and adaptable. These are the criteria to look for if you want your MSP company’s logo and name labeled on this product.
2. uCaaS Capability and Network Architecture
Delivery of industry-grade solutions for end-users requires the best Unified Communications as a Service infrastructure. Thus, you can never provide good output without a powerhouse source. That is why choosing a uCaaS service should lead you to know its infrastructure, networking backbone, and capabilities.
MSPs should choose a uCaaS with a bulletproof and stable underlying network. The network architecture should ensure you that there would never be dropped calls. uCaaS should first and foremost highlight routing and call control with utmost confidence of its quality.
Investing in a Unified Communications as a Service platform and offering them to end-users is a game-changer. However, it should also be built on an established and reputable underlying app backbone. A stable network architecture only means the product stays current and fully supported.
3. A Platform Supporting your MSP Business
As a managed service provider, your goal in choosing a uCaaS is not just to ensure a quality end-user experience. It is also important to consider if the platform supports your MSP business management from a per-technology perspective. Is the platform in line with your business in terms of branding and interface customization? Will it support your management system on sales processes? Is it ideal in streamlining customer service?
There are important areas to know and understand about uCaaS especially for a successful MSP business:
- Workflow management particularly in customizing workflow and related activities
- Delivery of service, equipment fulfillment, and implementation
- Quote to order including ordering tools, solution design, and proposal generation
- Customer management, support, training, and management of trouble ticket
- Flow-through automation and integration specifically a platform that integrations MSP apps and third-party vendors
4. Data Security and Protection
As a uCaaS provider, MSPs should ensure seamless and top-quality data protection and security. This is a crucial feature that can make or break your reputation as a managed service provider. Make sure that the platform has numerous innovative data security features that will block any cyber threats and breaches.
The uCaaS platform should offer infrastructure security, encryption, two-factor authentication, and endpoint security. The Unified Communications as a Service platform should be able to have its third-party independent verification. This is a good criterion when looking into its data protection capability.
Secure communication solutions are vital for MSP businesses as several risks likewise emerge. Endpoint security is one of the top issues when it comes to data security and protection. Remote business transactions and operations should be free from attacks and hacks. A secured, encrypted uCaaS platform ensures the maintenance of business continuity and productivity.
5. Enablement and Onboarding Assistance
MSPs require help in making sure that the uCaaS solution offers the best end-user experience. However, it is also necessary to get support, training, and overall help for you as a solution provider. You would need to ask the difficult questions especially if you are an MSP start-up selling uCaaS.
Here are some important components that you should get in offering a uCaaS platform:
- Onboarding and Training
Check out if the uCaaS platform has a clear and effective approach to how to get you on board. MSPs should have training programs particularly for support, operations, and sales personnel. Choose a uCaaS platform with the customized and well-constructed feature, which reflects its overall quality.
- Customer Support and Service
The success of MSPs in uCaaS platform is in providing good customer service and support for end-users. Choose a product that has complete tools, processes, and systems for service delivery. Customer support also means providing technical support, implementation, and troubleshooting.
- Marketing and Sales Support
Some MSPs may find it difficult to delve into uncharted territories such as Unified Communications as a Service. Thus, it is important that the uCaaS platform is inclusive of marketing and sales support.
Final Thought
Unified Communications as a Service (uCaaS) is the new face of business operations in an entirely new landscape. The need for flexibility to work remotely is becoming a demand and necessity as the world changes. Thus, platforms such as uCaaS are essential to address these demands. Businesses that do not adapt to the changing needs of the times eventually become obsolete and die.
Innovative and advanced MSP tools are necessary now more than ever. Thus, uCaaS is becoming in demand and highly preferred across industries. MSPs should also consider special tools such as for CWDash better management and business performance. Call us today for more details or try our free tools.
