Believe it or not, the world of Unified Communications (UC) is growing at an incredible rate of 20.5% CAGR. For non-profit organizations, incorporating UC into their daily communication strategies is crucial in today’s ever-changing work environment. With limited budgets and big goals, non-profits need to be able to keep their team members connected at all times, while being able to achieve their company’s expectations. Constant collaboration and support empowered by UC provides a platform for better fundraising and unlimited creativity. Let’s dive deeper into the specific benefits and trends of UC when it comes to non-profit organizations.
Increased Demand for UC in Non-Profits
A unified communications strategy makes it easy for non-profit employees to stay connected and keep their goals aligned, all while staying within their budget. The right UC solution in a non-profit environment allows for:
- Reduced costs: One of the biggest reasons non-profits are moving towards a UC system is the cost-effective savings. It’s a no-brainer that budget is a constant concern for non-profit groups. With UC, it’s possible to reduce the number of daily costs by combining your communications into a unified system, saving money in the long run. You’ll avoid excess roaming charges for long-distance calls out of the office, and you won’t ever have to pay for third-party conferencing software. You can also reduce travel expenses by replacing face-to-face meetings with virtual conversations via video or phone.
- Increased productivity: Fundraising, event planning, and gathering support for a crucial cause requires a lot of hard work. With UC, non-profits can communicate with team members and donors more effectively through a vast array of devices. This enhances worker collaboration among employees and volunteers, while improving overall efficiency. It also reduces the costs of communication, as company phones are no longer a necessity. Instead, personal devices can be used to access the phone network, thus increasing versatility and productivity.
- Enhanced collaboration: Consistent collaboration must be a primary focus if a non-profit organization wants to succeed. UC solutions include features that employees can use to collaborate more effectively with each other. If the entire team is using the same communication platforms, it’s much easier to stay connected with everyone throughout the day. This is especially true since many employees of non-profits frequently travel for fundraising efforts and events, so you can keep in touch with your team no matter what time zone you’re in. You can talk with co-workers in real-time about a project via phone, in a video conference, or by joining a group chat.
The Trends Driving UC for Non-Profits
With UC, it’s more possible for teams to work from home and do their part to keep their work sustainable. The demand for UC in non-profits has been increasing for years, and there are certain trends that are starting to get more hype, such as:
- Cloud communications: The cloud allows for non-profits to stay on track in unpredictable environments by ensuring that all employees can continuously operate as normal, no matter what. Because everyone has access to the same technology, there’s less of a risk for confusion when employees are shifting in and out of the office. With UC, companies can choose between multiple communications methods, including voice, video, email, social and text, while using a variety of features that exist within these channels. This gives employees the ability to communicate in the ways they prefer and to reach out to donors using their chosen methods.
- Analytics and data: Since non-profits typically have limited budgets, it’s important that they keep an eye on their analytical data on a regular basis. Access to the right insights can make it easier to determine which supporters to follow-up with and where to aim future fundraising strategies. With UC, you can get detailed analytics across all communication channels by having each conversations and piece of information in the same place. Through real-time analytics, companies can use their communications data to spot trends crucial to their success.
- Reduced carbon footprints: For non-profits that are trying to make a positive impact on the planet while keeping overhead costs low, reducing their carbon footprint is imperative, even when it comes to communication strategies. With UC services, employees can communicate easily via text, email, and phone, while receiving all messages on a single device. This reduces the need for note-taking and keeps employees in better communication, all while reducing their dependency on on-premise telecom.
To Sum it Up
A unified communication strategy can provide increased productivity, reduced costs, higher efficiency and improved analytics to non-profit organizations. When staff members have an effective and aligned experience, the results show through customer satisfaction levels and donor contributions. For non-profits, this can mean saving money and keeping their goals aligned with their limited budgets. UC makes it possible for these companies to unlock the opportunity to integrate multiple communication strategies through a single, simplified system.