Research firm IDC defines UC as the combination of directory; routing; and delivering seamlessly integrated voice, video and collaboration applications from multiple technology and services angles.
The technology’s penetration is growing in developed countries as more applications are fully integrated into UC offerings. Companies that do not invest in these technologies to improve the customer experience risk being left behind.
In South Africa however, developments in UC continue to lag behind. One of the major stumbling blocks is education, with many businesses still unaware of the full potential of the technology, and the competitive advantages that it can bring. The situation is similar across Africa, and raising awareness is a key focus for the year ahead.
Local companies do not realise that by turning to UC, they can drive mobility by linking phone extensions to respective employees’ cellphones, making them accessible regardless of where they are, while still enjoying the price benefits of working through a centralised platform.
This, in turn, opens up the discussion around full unified communications and collaboration (UC&C), which enables collaborative meetings between individuals or groups through instant messaging and presence, all within a single application.
A growing trend in developed markets is the move toward full omni-channel integration, by bringing applications usually associated with personal use, such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and others into UC&C.
This is especially the case in the retail sector; IDC states that retailers worldwide now realise only companies that integrate a deep understanding of consumer demand directly into their supply chain planning and execution workflows can gain a sustainable competitive advantage.
According to the IDC’s Worldwide Retail Predictions, 30% of major retailers will adopt an omni-channel digital B2B2C commerce platform, improving customer experience, process efficiency and inventory management. The research firm adds that operationalising omni-channel in the retail industry will require omni-channel commerce, social convergence, and the Internet of Things, and that laggards will close ten times more stores than peers in order to stay in business – all by 2018.
Again, South Africa is a year or two behind in this regard. However, we believe that once UC&C is entrenched in the local market, the shift to full omni-channel integration will follow shortly thereafter.
CIOs are already frustrated with the fragmented approach to unified communications and collaboration within their organisations, which results in growing concerns around security and compliance, and loss of control over data being gathered and stored.
Turning to omni-channel integration will not only give companies control over the various applications being used within their organisation, it will give them the ability to learn more about their customers, enabling them to make data-driven business decisions, provide a more personalised level of customer service, and gain a competitive advantage over rivals.
