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1. How you can enable a mobile workforce with cloud communications We’re all busy today, but we’re not always productive. For example, we spend several hours every week checking emails, schedules, text messages, and voicemails in multiple applications and on multiple devices just to make sure we’re not missing something. But ironically, managing multiple collaboration tools on multiple devices is a sure way to miss something. Cloud communications opens up and unifies collaboration so businesses begin thinking outside their inboxes.

Science fiction scriptwriters relish in giving machines a voice. Just look at 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars and Interstellar. Their movie robots are know-it-alls, quick to voice opinions, and act as foils, usually in the midst of a life-or-death repair.
It's a good thing real machines aren’t as villainous as Hal the supercomputer. Today, the opposite is true: machines are do-gooders, more likely to make users happy. In a recent survey, 85 percent of IT decision-makers say they believe machine-to-people interactions will positively transform the customer experience.
But it’s not only customers who stand to benefit. When you give machines a voice in field services management, you create a world of possibility, from more efficient scheduling to opportunities for new revenue streams. Here are just a few of the ways giving machines a voice will transform the industry.
A chatbot solved my problem. The 80/20 rule applies to field services management: your teams will spend 80 percen..

Science fiction scriptwriters relish in giving machines a voice. Just look at 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars and Interstellar. Their movie robots are know-it-alls, quick to voice opinions, and act as foils, usually in the midst of a life-or-death repair.
It's a good thing real machines aren’t as villainous as Hal the supercomputer. Today, the opposite is true: machines are do-gooders, more likely to make users happy. In a recent survey, 85 percent of IT decision-makers say they believe machine-to-people interactions will positively transform the customer experience.
But it’s not only customers who stand to benefit. When you give machines a voice in field services management, you create a world of possibility, from more efficient scheduling to opportunities for new revenue streams. Here are just a few of the ways giving machines a voice will transform the industry.
A chatbot solved my problem. The 80/20 rule applies to field services management: your teams will spend 80 percen..

Today’s consumer wants a retail shopping experience that’s fast, easy, flexible and on their own terms. For instance, some want to shop online and pick up their purchase in a store. Others expect items to be delivered on the day and time that’s most convenient for them. And many consumers like to research products at home before buying them in person.
Ideally, consumers want retailers to deliver a unified shopping experience. “Customers don’t think in channels anymore,” Mike Griswold, research vice president of Gartner's Consumer Value Chain team, said at the Retail Industry Leaders Association conference last month.
This shift in expectations means retailers are dealing with more complexity, just as the industry is facing strong headwinds. Toys “R” Us, for example, is folding because heavy debt prevented it from executing changes that would have made it more competitive, including improving the shopping experience, both online and in-store.
Meeting customer expectations, such ..

In today’s healthcare environment, creating a positive customer experience isn’t any longer just a nice thing to do. Providers literally can’t afford patient dissatisfaction. It’s about more than avoiding a low rating on a survey. Poor patient-to-provider communications can result in more – and more serious – illness, and that translates into higher healthcare costs. In the U.S., poor clinical outcomes can also result in lower reimbursement rates for healthcare entities.
Where’s the pain? When people are sick, they don’t want to wait. Whether it’s in an emergency room, physician’s office, on the phone or even at home waiting for test results, they want to communicate with their healthcare professional as quickly as possible.
In a world where there seems to be an app for everything, patients expect technology to handle almost any issue in their everyday lives. They want reliable electronic access to records and information, self-service in scheduling appointments, WiFi in waiting room..

Hotel guests' expectations haven't changed much over the years: They want clean rooms, a nice pool and a welcoming bar. At the same time, today's travelers have a new set of priorities, all rooted in the need to connect. Hotel guests now expect to interact with hotel staff and services, from booking to check out, through their smartphones and other mobile devices.
This highly connected guest experience is driving the industry's investment in IT. According to Hospitality Technology's 2018 Lodging Technology Study, nearly half of hoteliers say digital customer experience is their main strategic goal for the year.
Yet many hotels face a major challenge: Their legacy phone systems don't support even basic digital features, such as mobility or self-service. And with substantial investments in current infrastructure and equipment, hotel management may be understandably reluctant to invest in new communications technology.
SIP trunking provides a cost-effectiv..

When trying to determine which communications option – on-site or cloud‐based – is right for your business, ROI (return on investment) and TCO (total cost of ownership) comparisons inevitably come into play. Which type of solution drives better value for your business? Unfortunately, this can be a difficult question to answer.
ROI and TCO models are typically designed to compare similar options—for example, two similar on-site communications systems built by two competing vendors.
On-site and cloud‐based communications solutions are not similar options. Plus, there are lots of costs and assumptions that you must determine when evaluating your options. Ultimately, the answer to the question “Which solution is better for our business?” may depend on more subjective measures, like the value your organization places on flexibility and risk avoidance.
It’s somewhat analogous to purchasing an airline ticket: Which is better? A non‐refundable $325 ticket or a refundable $466 ticket that ca..

If there's one constant in sports, it's that all the major players – both those on the field and those in the back office – are constantly on the road. There's no shortage of reasons to travel, whether it's away games, spring training or international scouting events. Although they're integral to beating the competition, this very mobility challenges a team's ability to communicate seamlessly and effectively.
Just how complicated can it get? Consider this as just one example: It's not unusual for a typical day to include travel delays. When flights are delayed or buses run late, the team's travel coordinator must notify dozens of players and coaches quickly while coordinating with the airlines or bus lines at the same time. Meanwhile, they're also performing the routine tasks that keep team travel running smoothly, like updating hotels with changes and special requests.
Here’s another example: In the back office, executives must collaborat..