Almost every business model can end with the let’s “aaS” these days. From SaaS (software as a service) to PaaS (platform as a service), these business models make it easy to productize a service, retaining clients on a monthly basis thanks to cloud-based technology.
But there are a couple more terms you need to know if you run your own business and are considering outsourcing to save time and money: UCaaS vs CCaaS.
Both of these business models are similar. Yet they offer unique benefits to companies looking to transition from onsite network and data systems, which take up space and need constant maintenance, to all virtual systems.
So what is the difference between these two terms, and how can you choose which one your company could benefit from? Read our CCaaS and UCaaS guide down below to find out now.
What Is UCaaS?
Organizations are getting larger and teams are becoming more distributed across the country and the globe. So the need to streamline internal communication is rising.
When team members cannot communicate well, it can destroy the customer experience. If customers are asking questions, and the right person is too difficult to track down, that customer will go elsewhere.
USaaS stands for Unified-Communications-as-a-Service, otherwise known as Unified Cloud Communications (UCC).
By hiring UCaaS companies, a business can combine all of its internal communication technology into one platform. This platform is designed to work flawlessly with one another.
You won’t have to piece together separate solutions for VoIP, video conferencing, and messaging. You can do it with a UCaaS service provider, make one payment, and only have to deal with one team to make it all work for you.
A significant number of medium and large companies are already using this service on a monthly basis. Adoption is expected to continue growing over the next five years by around 29%.
One of the most important UCaaS beneftis is that your company will save time regarding daily communication. This translates to huge financial savings over the course of a year.
What Is CCaaS?
CCaaS is a very similar business model, and many get the two terms confused. But CCaaS has a different end goal: to benefit the customer, rather than the internal team.
CCaaS stands for Contact Center as a Service. It’s all about making the most of your customer service department, which is the crucial, yet overlooked, forward-facing department in your company.
Many companies pin themselves into a hole by only offering one level of support. For lazy companies, that means email support only. For companies who are a little more motivated, that means phone support only.
But your customer base represents a wide variety of people, all of who have a different preferred style of communication. By not offering the customer support option that users prefer, they may leave in favor of a competitor who offers the same products or services, but more flexible support.
CCaaS companies are those that built out customer support centers on behalf of your company, and others like yours. They remove the need to own and manage your own giant call center.
These contact centers can offer every type of virtual support that customers expect, from phone and live chat services to email and social media messaging. UCaaS is all about a customer-facing, omnichannel platform that greatly improves the customer experience when dealing with your organization.
UCaaS vs CCaaS
So which solution does your company need? Probably both.
Every organization needs to streamline internet communication, customer support, and sales communication. Here are some benefits of each service.
Benefits of UCaaS
UCaaS is all about cloud-based communication. That means that you don’t need to spend a bunch of money installing complicated hardware, and running miles of wires throughout your facility, just for it to go out-of-date in a few months or years.
UCaaS saves money by doing away with onsite equipment. No paying for maintenance, repairs, installation. All you need to pay for is your monthly or annual subscription fee. Everything else is included, so there aren’t any surprises or cashflow issues in the future.
They are also super convenient in that they are not location-dependent. Your internal communication tools can work from any device, thanks to the power of the cloud.
So if you have a team that works remotely sometimes, or full-time, they will always be just as connected as if they were in the same building together.
Using UCaaS services also means higher levels of security, lower risks of downtime, and improved reliability, so that your employees are never in the dark. UCaaS use many different servers and have backups in place to ensure that if there’s a problem with one server, you will still have the power you need to do business.
Benefits of CCaaS
CCaaS business services will greatly improve the customer experience. One of the greatest complaints that users have of any type of company is how inefficient their customer support is.
If a customer can’t reach your company in a timely manner, they’ll go elsewhere. If a customer hates calling on the phone and prefers live chat, you had better offer live chat a well.
And that’s exactly what CCaaS does. It makes your customer communication more immediate and more helpful so that issues are resolved and customers are retained.
With the right tools, customer support agents will be able to help customers fast, streamlining their jobs and improving employee satisfaction as well.
Transforming Your Business for the Better
In the age of digital transformation and cloud computing, the most efficient way to run your business is by replacing as many physical components with cloud-based, virtual components.
UCaaS vs CCaaS both have their pros and cons, and both are suited to certain types of organizations. Hopefully, our UCaaS and CCaaS guide above has provided the clarity you need to choose a solution that meets your needs. Looking for more tech tips? Head over to our blog now, where you’ll find other informative articles.
