Why companies must pay more attention to coms

As technological innovations start changing communications, businesses are being forced to to retire outdated systems and implement newer ones, writes RAVIN NAIDU of Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise.

The corporate world is overflowing with innovation and new advancements that are changing the face of communications. As a result, businesses both large and small are being forced to say goodbye to their old, outdated communications systems and implement newer ones.

Communications systems allows businesses to connect with their customers but most importantly, they allow employees to connect with one another, ensuring a productive workforce that will provide better service to their customers. With technology advancing at a rapid rate, it has become easier for employees to stay connected to their colleagues and their line managers. I believe this makes solving queries easier and more efficient.

Another vital component of a business’s communications infrastructure is the foundation of their communications server. In my opinion, a communications server is the heart of a business that connects their employees to a network, allowing them the convenience of accessing this information remotely. With the introduction of smartphones, employees have been exposed to new levels of productivity and capability on the move. This phenomenon has become known as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) and it is in every businesses best interest to embrace this.

The infrastructure of a business’s communications system also needs to be robust enough to ensure it is able to handle high call volumes without running the risk of lost calls or unanswered voicemails. This is where businesses can really improve on their customer service. A reliable communications system will ensure that the customers query never goes unanswered and thus, investing in state of the art communications systems will benefit both you and your customer.

In an environment where data is constantly being transferred from one point to another, it is of utmost importance that your communications tools and solutions are adequately protected from cyber-attacks. Some businesses may have sensitive data that they do not want all members of staff having access to and we know the most efficient way of protecting this is through encryption as only those with a secret key or password will be able to access these files using cipher text.

Communications systems should never be considered an unchanging, unimportant aspect of a business model, but rather a vital cog in ensuring its longevity. Not enough importance is placed on communications systems in today’s age and many fail to remember that the communications infrastructure of a business bridges the gap between your business and your customer, making it an indispensable driver of success.

* Ravin Naidu, Regional Director Southern Africa for ALE, marketed under the brand Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise