What the connected business really looks like

How long has it been since you dusted off your Yellow pages to find a phone number? Let me guess, you don’t even know if you have one? The improvements in technology over the past few decades have meant communication is now easier and more effective than ever. The once few minutes spent lugging out the big, hefty phone book, looking up a number and dialling is now a few seconds on Google and the click of a button. And the benefits of these technology improvements mean businesses are now experiencing communication far more effective than it once was, and with this efficiency comes a huge increase in productivity.

Having to disconnect MSN messenger so my mom could use the phone was the bane of my teenage years and the dial up tone your desktop would spit out whilst connecting you to the internet was a common feature in many of our nightmares. But since March 2000[1], when the UK first opened its arms to broadband, all our nightmares have turned into daydreams. We now have the option of FTTP, fibre to the property, which allows us high speeds and stops us incurring contention, an option becoming increasingly popular with businesses as they realise the benefits of superfast connectivity. FTTP can reduce long term costs and give organisations the option of adopting new, innovative technologies to help them move ahead of competition and, with demand for a fast connection increasing rapidly, 2015 is set to see a huge growth for FTTP in businesses.

Mobile workforces are fast becoming the norm with work being done on the commute, at home and just about anywhere there is an internet connection. This makes growing from a small, local company to a large, international one a much easier step. When all files are stored in an option such as the cloud it means several employees can be working on the same piece of work from different locations around the world, keeping everyone up-to-date and giving managers the option of monitoring work being done even when out of the office.

A recent study has shown that over the last 78 years the life expectancy of companies has dropped from 75 years to 15[2] years and many people believe this is because of complexity. Too many businesses are implementing as much, expensive technology as possible in an attempt to make their business more productive when, in actual fact, the complexity is hindering them as it can quickly become too much to control. In actual fact, a simple, but yet effective, solution is all most companies need to make sure all their staff are connected productively. And, with every business being different in some way, it’s clear that a communications solution for one company won’t be nearly effective enough for another.

Effective communication doesn’t necessarily mean between humans either. If you are the same as me then you have a very pristine, unused and dusty diary somewhere under all the paperwork in your desk because your diary now is completely electronic. The convenience of an Outlook meeting invite syncing with your tablet and mobile phone means we can keep on top of where we should be wherever we are. Having multiple devices, be that just a mobile and a desktop computer, can be of massive convenience for business and increase productivity for work forces too. Being able to respond to emails on the go and check your diary for a daily schedule before you arrive at work can leave much more time between nine and five to work more effectively.

WiFi is set to evolve further in 2015 and VoIP along with it. With the right software in place, VoIP can have massive benefits to businesses saving money and at the same time making communications much more effective. Intercity’s unified communication platform means desk phones, mobiles and USB phones can all be linked so colleagues never miss a call, SMS, or instant message. The user-friendly interface makes it easy for everyone to use and the ‘presence’ option shows you the availability of users such as whether they’re there to take a call, away from their desk or in a meeting. Orbit is completely future proofed, ensuring your business is always up-to-date with the latest communication technologies, with continual updates being pushed to your server as and when they are available to you. With call forwarding your users need never miss a call with a voicemail or transfer to another user option and with Android and iOS apps available it means you can take multi-device to a new height, using your mobile to make and receive landline calls.

Many people worry about data and other security when adopting new technologies that rely on the internet so much but, with a strategic partner like Intercity, we can make sure your business communications run smoothly and safely with your own dedicated account manager who you can contact on their direct phone number. And with the amount Cloud computing has already progressed, safety is becoming less and less of an issue online.

It’s becoming clear that great communication is no longer about the skills we have when speaking with others but is now the technology which we have available to us that ensures our work is as efficient as possible. And although these new ideas come with concerns, the benefits far outweigh the worries. Having Intercity onside ensures someone is on hand to iron out any creases and ensure a new setup will drive your business to success.

Contact us to find out how we can help transform your communications

Find out more about our unified communications solution Touch Telephony

[1] http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/broadband-the-first-decade-1929515.html

[2] http://communicationnation.blogspot.co.uk/2011/02/connected-company.html