If your organization is using a poor-performing phone service, your employees may have a difficult time communicating with each other and with customers.
This can reduce employee productivity and hinder relationships between employees and customers.
If you are in the market for a new and improved phone system, understanding the differences between CCaaS and UCaaS will help you determine which phone solution is best for your organization.
Coeo understands how important effective communication is to an organization and has delivered thousands of CCaaS and UCaaS solutions to customers to improve their communication challenges.
We want you to understand the differences between CCaaS and UCaaS so you can determine which solution is the best fit for your organization.
By the end of this article, you will understand the differences between CCaaS and UCaaS and which solution is better for your organization.
What are the differences between CCaaS and UCaaS?
Both CCaaS and UCaaS are cloud-based phone solutions that can improve the communication of most organizations.
However, there are differences between the two solutions that often make one solution more suitable for an organization than the other.
Some of the differences between CCaaS and UCaaS include:
Purpose
CCaaS and UCaaS have similarities in that both are cloud-based phone solutions. However, for the most part, they have different purposes and are used to accomplish different objectives.
CCaaS is a contact center solution so its purpose is more for external communication whether it be with customers or other outside organizations.
A contact center is similar to a call center because it allows for a customer and organization to communicate by phone call.
However, a contact center also enables an organization to communicate through other solutions such as text messaging, social media, or a chatbot on the company’s website.
Conversely, UCaaS is used for internal communication among employees.
UCaaS is a cloud-based phone solution that integrates multiple communication tools such as voice calling, video conferencing, and instant messaging (IM), into a single, streamlined service.
This makes internal communication much easier and more simplified. Historically, businesses used separate devices such as phones, desktops, and laptops to perform various tasks.
Your organization’s ability to consolidate these technologies into one platform is part of what makes UCaaS so easy to use.
While there are certain situations where CCaaS can be used to communicate internally, the main difference is that CCaaS is typically meant for external communication while UCaaS is meant for internal communication.
Features
Another difference between the two solutions is the features they include.
Since these solutions are, in most cases, meant for different purposes, they utilize different features to perform the tasks that address those purposes.
While both solutions typically have a call routing feature, CCaaS typically has an auto attendant that automatically routes callers to the right agent based on the choices the caller selected in the voice menu while UCaaS does not.
The voice menu is the menu the caller hears when they dial the number that allows them to choose who they want to talk to.
A voice menu might say something like “press 1 for sales” and the system will automatically route the call to the sales phone line when 1 is selected.
Additionally, while both solutions use different communication channels to communicate in multiple ways, the channels that CCaaS solutions use include text messages and chatbots.
These channels are often automated based on the responses the customers provide but can also be manually delivered.
Texting and chatbot channels allow your organization to communicate with customers without needing agents to speak with them if the agent is busy or your call center is understaffed.
UCaaS solutions also have multiple channels that allow your employees to communicate with each other in various ways efficiently. These channels include video calling and instant messaging.
Which solution is better for your organization?
Now that you know the main differences between CCaaS and UCaaS solutions, you should also understand which solution best meets your organization’s needs.
If your organization struggles with poor external communication and receives a large volume of incoming calls a CCaaS solution may be a good fit for your organization.
If your organization either does not have a call center, or your call center is overwhelmed with customer calls and does not have enough agents to accommodate the amount of calls coming in, a CCaaS solution may be a good fit.
Alternatively, if your organization does not receive a high volume of incoming calls from customers and other entities, your organization may not need to invest in a CCaaS solution.
If your organization has internal communication challenges due to employees working in different locations and does not have a reliable communication solution, UCaaS may be the better alternative.
If your organization communicates well internally and your employees work in the same location every day, you may not benefit from a UCaaS solution.
However, if your organization has challenges with its internal and external communication and would benefit from using CCaaS and UCaaS, both solutions can be used simultaneously if necessary.
Next steps to purchasing a cloud phone solution
Now you understand the differences between CCaaS and UCaaS and which solution is the better fit for your organization.
This will help you address any communication challenges your organization experiences and determine which solution is better for your organization.
Living with poor communication issues internally or externally will result in a lack of employee productivity or hindered relationships with customers.
Understanding the differences between CCaaS and UCaaS will enable you to determine which solution is a better fit for your organization.
Coeo knows how important communication is to an organization and has delivered CCaaS and UCaaS solutions to thousands of customers in order to improve communication within their organizations and with their customers.
We want you to understand the differences between CCaaS and UCaaS so you can make the best buying decision.
If you would like to speak with our team to learn more about cloud-based phone solutions or ask any questions you may have you can schedule an appointment.
Now that you understand the differences between CCaaS and UCaaS, read this article to learn the cloud-based solutions that Coeo offers to determine if any of them are right for your organization.
