4 Unified Communications trends to watch in 2024

At Allesi, our commitment to Unified Communications (UC) keeps us at the forefront of technological innovation. As a partner and distributor of communications solutions BICOMwe are keeping a close eye on the progress of this leader telecoms. Our aim is to ensure that our customers always benefit from the most effective and appropriate solutions. These solutions, which are constantly evolving, integrate multiple channels of communication and collaboration within a single system. unified platform.

We will draw inspiration from a recent article on the blog of BICOM Systems to explore and share with you 4 trends to watch for in unified communications in 2024. We'll focus on definitions and examples to illustrate the impact of these innovations in the context of the modern enterprise.

What are unified communications?

Unified Communications (UC) is the integration of various communication tools and resources within a company. We're talking about tools such as VoIP telephony, instant messaging, e-mail and audio/video conferencing in one platform. This integration makes it easy to switch between different modes of communication, and offers improved collaboration, productivity and data management within the organization.

Let's explore 4 trends to watch in 2024:

1. Artificial intelligence and automation :

Artificial intelligence (AI) is currently making headlines. Although its use is open to debate, its administrative benefits and ability to simplify processes are undeniably positive.

Improved chatbots :

In the field of unified communications (UC), the integration of AI into chatbots has made interactions with users more intelligent and responsive. This evolution has significantly improved the quality of interactions, making chatbots more useful and efficient.

Contact center optimization :

AI is also used in contact centers to quickly collect and process information about callers. This technology has reduced response times and streamlined processes, significantly improving the user experience.

Automated meeting summaries :

Internally, AI has shown its potential in corporate meetings. It can analyze meeting audio to create actionable summaries and overviews, which can be consulted at a later date without having to review the entire meeting.

Automatic task generation :

It is envisaged that AI could be integrated into team collaboration software to automatically generate tasks based on meeting content. This advance could greatly reduce administrative work and enable employees to focus more on their core tasks, increasing efficiency and reducing stress.

Automated planning :

Finally, AI could play a role in event planning by analyzing employee data to determine the best times to hold meetings and other corporate events, taking into account participants' availability. This approach could greatly simplify planning processes.

2. Unified communications, customer experience and employee experience

Again from the BICOM article, a major shift has emerged in recent years. Companies' focus has long been on customers, but there's a shift afoot: today's companies realize that employee well-being is essential to improving the customer experience. By 2024, the experience of work teams is expected to be as important as that of customers.

The post-pandemic era has prompted companies to adapt their infrastructure to better integrate hybrid and remote working options. Studies show that employees enjoy a better work-life balance thanks to this flexibility, while appreciating the option of sometimes working in the office for increased productivity and reduced feelings of isolation.

In the unified communications sector, suppliers are striving to offer platforms that bring together the tools used daily by employees. These enable the customer and employee experience to be managed simultaneously, ensuring optimal levels of satisfaction without generating additional frustration.

By simplifying operations and making tools more intuitive, while offering greater flexibility in the workplace, employees adopt a more productive and positive approach, which translates positively into their interactions with customers. As a result, investing in employee-friendly solutions is a key UC trend for 2024.

3. Development and impact of 5G:

In 2024, 5G is set to radically transform the unified communications landscape. This technology represents much more than just an improvement in connection speed; it brings a revolution in latency, network capacity and reliability. 5G is designed to support a massive density of connections per square kilometer, which is crucial for the Internet of Things (IoT) and smart cities. With 5G, users can expect near-instant online experiences, ultra-fast downloads and uninterrupted communication.

Innovative applications in unified communications :

• Enhanced communications : In unified communications, 5G will enable high-quality video interactions, with fewer latencies and interruptions than can be encountered with today's networks. This translates into clearer, more reliable video conferencing, essential for remote working and global collaboration.
• Mobility and accessibility : 5G opens the door to unprecedented mobility. Employees will be able to stay connected to their work tools, wherever they are, with the same efficiency as if they were in the office. This extended accessibility is particularly beneficial for field workers and those who travel frequently.
• IoT support : With 5G, the integration of IoT into unified communications will become smoother and more robust. Connected devices will be able to communicate and transfer data at incredibly high speeds, paving the way for smarter automation and real-time data analytics.

Challenges and opportunities :

• Network security and management : As 5G networks become more complex, security and management issues become more critical. Companies will need to adapt their cybersecurity strategies to protect against potential new threats.
• Infrastructure investment : Deploying 5G will require substantial investment in infrastructure. This includes upgrading existing cell towers and installing new ones, as well as updating network equipment.

4. Asynchronous video messaging : 

In the fast-paced world of international business, where workplaces bring together people from all over the world, this concept has a very positive ring to it.

The limits of standard meetings :

BICOM reminds us in its article that, traditionally, standard meetings were considered essential to synchronize everyone and share experiences, successes and challenges. However, these meetings face obstacles, particularly in terms of scheduling across different time zones, making it difficult to have all employees present simultaneously. This constraint can limit a company's hiring possibilities to only those time slots compatible with its operations.

The asynchronous video messaging solution : 

Faced with this challenge, asynchronous video messaging is emerging as an innovative solution. This format enables a team leader to create and share video updates that team members can view and review at their leisure, even if they have missed an important detail. They can then respond in turn, after analyzing and processing the information.

Benefits and impact :

By using this form of communication, companies can streamline exchanges between teams scattered across the globe, removing the rigidity of meeting schedules and allowing everyone to find out and respond at their own pace.

The video aspect retains a valuable human element, often lost in text or audio communications, and is more easily integrated into employees' daily workflow.

Use as an integration tool :

With the growing adoption of this technology, companies are expected to gradually replace traditional integration manuals with interactive, visually appealing and comprehensive videos, easily accessible on their chosen UC platforms.

Development potential with AI :

In addition, the integration of AI into asynchronous videos is envisaged, which could include automatic language translation, voice transcription and the generation of usable summaries.

A challenge to overcome:

Despite the enthusiasm for asynchronous video messaging, its full, functional development will take time.

Stay tuned

Unified communications trends for the enterprise point to a future where flexibility, security and intelligent integration are paramount. By adopting these cutting-edge technologies, businesses can improve internal efficiency while delivering an exceptional customer experience. Stay at the cutting edge of UC to remain competitive in a constantly connected world.