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Enable collaboration, drive agility, and transform workforce productivity
FUTURE-PROOF YOUR BUSINESS WITH
NEXT-GEN UCaaS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 3
1: Accepting Mobility as the New Normal 4
2: Mobilizing the Mobile Workforce with UC 5
3: Finding the Right UCaaS provider 8
4: Taking a Mobile-First Approach with Mitel MiCollab 10
5: Expert IT Advice from MicroAge 12
3
Today’s business world is connected and
constantly communicating. Mobility has
transformed the way people work and
how businesses interact with customers,
partners, and employees.
As “the office” moves away from the traditional
setup of cubicles and landlines, employees need
the right tools to communicate and collaborate
seamlessly from anywhere, with any device. A
mishmash of outdated, cobbled-together commu-
nications technologies simply won’t cut it in this
modern workplace. Empowering employees to in-
stantly communicate, share ideas, and brainstorm
solutions can boost productivity, enable better
decision-making, and increase profitability. That’s
why it’s critical to provide your employees with
effective methods of communicating, so they can
work smarter and faster as a team.
Collaboration holds the key to transforming your
business. Yet, most organizations struggle to
enable truly seamless communication and collab-
oration across platforms, systems, and devices.
Global teams, complex supply chains, and increas-
ing mobility have served up growing communica-
tion challenges. Companies of all sizes are walking
a tightrope of diminishing IT budgets and limited
staffing resources, while trying to stay productive
and meet customer demands.
INTRODUCTION
For businesses in this globally connected world,
Unified Communication (UC) technologies and-
Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS)
solutions are key enablers for collaboration.
The business value that communication and col-
laboration create in terms of business agility,
employee productivity, and the customer expe-
rience is driving the adoption of UC solutions.
And the need to control management and infra-
structure costs while ensuring anytime, anywhere
availability is driving the shift to cloud-based UC,
or UCaaS.
4
Gone are the days when employees sit at a desk in an office building
from 9–5 with a landline and a desktop computer. Today’s workforce
is on the move—on various devices, in multiple locations, accessing
corporate resources from everywhere.
For today’s millennial-heavy workforce, enterprise mobility is almost
always the preferred solution. And this trend is on the rise. The
global mobile workforce is expected to climb to 1.75 billion workers
by 2020.1 According to the 1 Million for Work Flexibility movement,
flex work may be so prevalent over the next decade that the term will
be redundant.2
Experts predict that 70% of mobile professionals
will conduct business on their personal mobile
devices by 2018.3 This highly mobile, globally
dispersed workforce expects instant on-demand
connectivity. If your organization’s employees can
instantly connect, share, and solve problems, they
can be more productive, make better decisions, and
perform at a higher level. That’s good for them, good
for the business, and good for IT (who could use
some time back from problem-solving).
So, how can you improve collaboration within your
organization? How do you give employees the flexibility to work
from any device, anywhere? And how do you prevent them from
seeking out their own solutions, which can potentially introduce
cracks into your cyber security structure?
1ACCEPTING MOBILITY AS THE NEW NORMAL
1.75BMobile workersby 2020.
5
2T
hat’s where UC comes into play—a single platform that
integrates tools like voicemail, telephony, email, audio
and video conferencing, instant messaging, and desktop
sharing, as well as provides a consistent user experience
across multiple devices and media.
When these tools are integrated into a system that allows easy flow
of communication among devices—Unified Communications and
Collaboration (UCC)—they allow users to communicate in whatever
manner best suits their needs or situation. The individual tools are
interconnected so access is streamlined and efficient.
At its core, UC is about enabling collaboration and communication—
from voice to video; from live to virtual; from instant to mobile mes-
saging. It is designed to eliminate the barriers that have historically
separated voice calls, email, instant messaging, and conferencing in
all forms.
UC takes disparate communications and collaboration silos in your
business and brings them into one platform that extends from
device to data center. For IT managers, this reduces costs and
complexity, while ensuring greater security and governance over
information assets.
MOBILIZING THE MOBILE WORKFORCE WITH UC
UC
Telephony/Voicemail
Desktop Sharing
Audio Conferencing
Video Conferencing
Instant Messaging
6
Moving UC to the cloudAs organizations continue their search to do more with less, UC
solutions enable them to make the fastest possible decisions and
transactions. And it gets even better. One of the most efficient deliv-
ery models for UC is cloud computing, which is fast becoming the IT
delivery channel of choice for businesses today. Deploying UC tools in
the cloud as a “service” means organizations of every size can deploy
UC for a fraction of the cost of legacy on-premises systems.
UCaaS solutions are hosted, which means organizations aren’t re-
quired to make a significant investment to update their infrastructure.
Additionally, UCaaS solutions are flexible. They can be deployed on- or
off-premises, or in hybrid configurations, enabling IT to configure the
solution to address specific needs. UCaaS can also be integrated with
existing communication technology, including CRM and email clients
like Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, Skype for Business, Google, and
more. It not only increases employee productivity, but can save your
organization thousands on capital costs.
One of the main reasons organizations are looking to UCaaS can be
summed up in one word: Simplicity. With UCaaS solutions, organiza-
tions benefit from easier setups, reduced maintenance needs, lower
costs, and greater flexibility to manage their capabilities as they grow.
Why switch to UCaaS?With a UCaaS system in place, users have easy access to streamlined tools that enable seamless commu-
nication and collaboration. This leads to productive teams and satisfied customers. From easy deploy-
ment to better business continuity, there are several compelling reasons to consider UCaaS solutions
for your organization.
EASY DEPLOYMENTOn-premises UC can be complex, with several servers and UC applications needing to
be set up by specialized IT professionals. UCaaS solutions can be set up quickly, even
in distributed company layouts, with updates and changes accomplished in minutes.
SIMPLIFIED MAINTENANCEUCaaS is delivered from the cloud to any location, regardless of size. This simplifies sys-
tem management and frees up IT time to focus on larger business issues. For instance,
most UCaaS solutions automatically update new features. This means IT no longer
needs to deal with testing, scheduling, or installing software updates.
UCaaS IntegratIonS
Salesforce
Microsoft Dynamics
Skype for Business
Many more
7
TRUE MOBILITYInstalling UCaaS enables users to access instant chat applications, set up on-the-fly
meetings (video and voice), share documents, and engage with customers in real-time.
This allows the business to stay on top of the mobile revolution and gives mobile work-
ers better options to stay productive.
SECURITYUCaaS providers are focused on providing greater control and visibility to improve
an organization’s view of security. Increased control is offered through high levels of
availability, greater recovery speed, and better visibility into the cloud’s risk
management frameworks.
SCALABILITYWith cloud-based services, you can scale your communications network efficiently and
cost-effectively. UCaaS offerings allow an organization the flexibility to go from a hand-
ful of users to thousands in a short period of time.
COST CONTROLWith UCaaS, there’s no expensive hardware to purchase, no annual maintenance con-
tracts, no data center power and environmental costs, no capital depreciation, and no
need for specialized expertise.
RELIABILITYThe UCaaS model isn’t tied to a single location and is inherently resilient and redundant.
The best UCaaS providers also have secure data centers configured to ensure contin-
ued service in the event of catastrophic events. Your organization’s data is backed up in
multiple locations, creating a disaster-proof backbone for the business.
UCaaS solutions can be set up quickly, even in distributed company layouts, with updates and changes accomplished in minutes.
8
3FINDING THE RIGHT UCaaS PROVIDER
Every business has its own path to the cloud, which may
include public and private cloud components, as well as
traditional on-premises infrastructure for communications.
While each business has a unique journey when it comes to
defining its collaboration strategies, choosing the right partner is
crucial for everyone. Once you decide to move toward a collabora-
tion-friendly platform to support UCaaS, and all the benefits that
come with it, the next step is to seek out the right UCaaS solution
and vendor.
Keep in mind that selecting a UCaaS provider is about more than sim-
ply selecting support for one mobility platform or another, or some
collection of communications and collaboration services. It’s also
about establishing an ongoing business relationship and the ability to
help organizations produce and achieve successful outcomes.
Your provider should enable you to truly take control of your services, address user needs, and react nimbly to issues while holding the line on costs.
9
MiCloud, a solution for every sizeMitel’s MiCloud Enterprise UCaaS solution pro-
vides a cost-effective way to deliver and expand
business communications without the need to
invest in expensive servers, network routers,
security mechanisms, and other in-house data
center equipment. With MiCloud Enterprise,
mid-sized to large organizations that require
a rich UC environment can bring unified, mis-
sion-critical communications into the cloud for
increased efficiency, simplicity, and mobility.
MiCloud Enterprise delivers the highest levels
of performance, reliability, and security through
a global, mobile cloud. With MiCloud, you get a
complete UCaaS environment with customizable
options and seamless integration with business
applications such as Microsoft Skype, Salesforce,
Google, and more.
Fully featured voice communications combined
with a wide range of capabilities enables MiCloud
Enterprise UCaaS to be tailored to almost any
business. Companies can mix and match capa-
bilities to create a communications solution that
best fits their business needs and budget.
For small to mid-sized businesses seeking to
increase their communications capabilities—in
particular, their phone system—solutions like
MiCloud Business offer a cloud communication
option that delivers the flexibility and cost-effec-
tiveness that business owners and IT directors
need to migrate to the cloud at a pace that is right
for their organizations. Fully hosted, maintained
and supported by Mitel, MiCloud Business deliv-
ers great call quality, industry-leading reliability
and an easy-to-manage phone system with no
upfront costs.
By combining MiCloud with your own business
applications and services, your organization can
offer unique solutions focused on specific busi-
ness challenges.
Look for UCaaS providers that offer flexible, cloud-
based all-in-one Voice and UC packages with a
full suite of UC capabilities. Your provider should
enable you to truly take control of your services,
address user needs, and react nimbly to issues
while holding the line on costs. They should be
willing to help you define requirements, manage
implementation, and provide a point of contact for
ongoing support.
To find all that and more, many businesses are
turning to Mitel, the world’s largest provider of
cloud business communications with more than
three million cloud subscribers. Mitel offers in-
dustry-leading UCaaS for businesses of all sizes.
10
4TAKING A MOBILE-FIRST APPROACH WITH MITEL MICOllab
You can upgrade MiCloud users’ experiences even further
with Mitel MiCollab, a complete collaboration solution
that provides businesses of all sizes with all the tools
they need to collaborate effectively. A component of
Mitel’s UCC solution, MiCollab delivers the key capabilities needed
to increase productivity, build competitive advantage, and drive
business success.
Mitel MiCollab is built for mobility. It provides a highly collaborative
workspace, aligning with how employees communicate in today’s fast
paced, mobile workplace. Through a single client, employees have
access to an integrated suite of unified communications and collabo-
ration services, so every interaction can be efficient and productive—
with colleagues, customers, or partners.
ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITYEmployees can connect quickly and participate in collaboration sessions, whether planned
or impromptu. MiCollab increases employee collaboration and productivity by reducing
communications latency, managing workflows, and eliminating device dependencies.
EASY INTEGRATIONWhether it’s software deployed on an industry-standard server or in a virtual environ-
ment, MiCollab fits comfortably into existing IT infrastructures. It also integrates with
leading business frameworks and cloud services, such as Microsoft Outlook or IBM
Notes, and other UC application tools, such as Microsoft Lync.
SIMPLIFIED ADMINISTRATIONIT administrators can manage all of their organization’s collaboration tools using a single,
user-friendly, web-based interface.
With MiCollab you get:
11
Single business tool helps teams work
together to increase customer satisfaction
Easy access to shared insights, leading to better
business decisions
Enables seamless collaboration anywhere,
on any device
Flexible deployment options that can
evolve with your business
HOW DOES MICollab DRIVE COLLABORATION?
MiCollab unifies voice, video, chat, messaging, web
conferencing, and team collaboration tools into a
single solution, making it easier to connect with
others and break down the barriers of siloed team
environments. Whether it’s from their desktops or
mobile devices, MiCollab helps employees become
more efficient, easily share ideas and insights across
the organization, and stay productive from virtually
anywhere.
Simplifying communication even further, Mitel’s
MiCollab Client provides a single access point
for all business communication and collaboration
needs. It enables smarter communications between
colleagues, customers, and business partners,
and allows employees to become more accessible
through a variety of real-time communication
methods—whether it’s instant messaging, voice, or
desktop video.
MICollab HITS A HOMERUNHow did the San Diego Padres lead the MLB to the cloud? Learn More »
12
EXPERT IT ADVICE FROM MICROAGE
Choosing and deploying a UCaaS solution can seem daunting. At MicroAge, our team of
solution experts provides an unbiased perspective of UC and UCaaS solutions, helping you
identify the right one to connect and collaborate—driving the exchange of thoughts and
improving the speed and quality of decision-making.
MicroAge experts have the experience to help you narrow down the UC providers that are the best fit
for your organization, regardless of size and business need. We can help you evaluate and understand
different products, coordinate demos, then recommend the appropriate licensing for your organiza-
tion. With an average of 13+ years in IT, our consultants are the most experienced and tech-savvy in
the industry.
By partnering with hundreds of vendors, including innovative companies like Mitel, the experts at
MicroAge can offer a variety of end-to-end collaboration tools and UCaaS solutions. Our team has the
resources and partnerships in place to help you make the best decision for your unique business goals
and needs. Rely on the experts at MicroAge to help you identify a comprehensive UCaaS solution so
your organization can fully embrace mobility and collaboration.
The MicroAge reputation and culture is built on trust. Partner with us, so we can help you build a col-
laborative workplace for the future.
1. Strategy Analytics, Global Mobile Workforce Forecast 2015-2020, 2015.
2. “How Flex Work is Impacting Business Collaboration,” 1 Million for Work Flexibility Blog, Jan. 21, 2015.
http://www.workflexibility.org/flex-work-impacting-business-collaboration/
3. Gartner, “Bring Your Own Device: The Facts and the Future”, 2013
SOURCES:
Schedule time with a MicroAge specialist to conduct a demo of MiCollab.
GET A DEMO