The document discusses how Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) can enhance business operations by utilizing cloud-based telephone systems, which provide scalability, cost savings, and improved productivity. It highlights the growing trend of businesses migrating to cloud solutions and outlines the advantages, including managed services and flexibility in communication systems. Additionally, it provides guidance for selecting a UCaaS provider to meet specific business needs and emphasizes the support offered by First Communications for their cloud-based phone system.

1. How UCaaS Can Improve Your
Bottom Line
Woody Johnson
Senior Sales Engineer
First Communications
May 24th,2017

2. About First Communications
• Founded in 1998
• Providing solutions that align
with your business objectives
• Serving SMB to Enterprise
businesses advanced
technology solutions that are
reliable and secure.

3. What does “The Cloud” mean?
• A mechanism to deliver hosted
solutions through the internet or
through private connections
• Managed solutions and applications
are delivered through a service
providers infrastructure

4. Unified Communications
• UCaaS = Unified Communications as a Service
• Integrated Communication tools include:
– IP Telephony
– Presence Technology
– Instant Messaging
– Voicemail to Email
– Desktop Sharing
– Conferencing
• Growth rate approx. 12% annually *
* Odin SMB Cloud Insights™, 2016

5. What is Cloud Based PBX?
• A complete telephony
system
• Provides telephone calls
over IP data networks
• Conversations are sent as
data packets
• Includes advanced
communication features
• Provides scalability and
robustness

6. Hosted is the way to go…
• By 2020, half of all SMBs will have moved all of their
business systems to the cloud *
• Businesses are demanding:
– Mobile Workforce
– Improved productivity
– Multiple locations
– Need for agility
– Security
– Limited IT budgets
– Desire for seamless interactions
• Number of UCaaS users expected to double between
2016 and 2018**
*Gartner July 2016
**Persistence Market Research Aug 2016

7. Reasons why you should host your business
communications in the cloud
• Capital Savings
• Available Managed Services
• Resiliency/Redundancy
• Scalability
• Simplicity
• Technology

8. No More Capital Expenses!
• No hardware means fast setup and no
maintenance or management needed
• Predictable Monthly Expense
– Subscription model = low monthly cost

9. Managed Services
• -0.5% decline in IT spending Worldwide in
2016*
• Cloud Communications frees the customer
from managing communications systems and
multiple vendors
• Outsource phone system management to the
service provider
• Frees up staff to focus on high-priority issues
* Gartner 2016

10. Resiliency
• Redundant servers
hosted in
geographically diverse
data centers
• Flexibility in routing of
calls in a Disaster
Recovery scenario
• Work with your service
provider to create a
Disaster Recovery plan

11. Scalability
• Easily connect multiple
locations
• Scale up or down
based on:
– Growth
– Moving
– Down sizing
• The cloud has the
scalability your
business needs now
and for the future

12. Simplicity
• More than 7 out of 10
organizations rated the
need to simplify work a
pain point in their
business*
• Infrastructure hosted off
site by provider
• Integration with other
applications available
– Outlook, Salesforce, Skype
and much more* Deloitte, 2015

13. Offers Standard Features on a per-seat
basis
• Includes a standard
suite of features as
part of the monthly
seat cost
• Capabilities include:
– Auto Attendant
– Hunt Groups
– Busy Lamp Fields
– Simultaneous Ring

14. The Latest Technology
• Avoid end of life technology
• Manage your systems from a web based GUI which
reduces the need for expert training
– Features can be managed, modified or added easily
• Integration with new applications as they become
available
• More productive workforce

15. Higher Productivity
• With a cloud based UCaaS
system organizations are
reporting:
– 42% improvement in
productivity
– 53% improvement in
customer satisfaction scores
– 51% of manufacturers report
a lack of collaboration are
major road blocks to
meeting objectives
UCBuyer Whitepaper
Dec 2016

16. Mobility = Freedom
• For the road warriors:
your office on the move!
• One phone number to
be reached anywhere
• Transfer your live call
between desk and
mobile at the touch of a
button
• Mobile VOIP applications
are expected to reach
over $36B in 2017
Ironpaper Research July 2016

17. So what should you do now?

18. Step 1: Take inventory of your
needs
New/Growing
• Establish your business
quickly
• Quick implementation
of main phone number
• Easy set up and
maintenance for non-
technical users
• Seamless mobility to
work anywhere
• Builds a professional
image
• Keep start up costs
down
Expanding/Scaling
• Support your business’
increasing demands
• Quick set up of new
employees
• Role based access for
company admin and
end users
• Flexible for users
individual needs
• Innovation to adapt to
market demands
• Manage costs while
supporting growth
Optimizing
• Scalability to easily add
new locations
• Robust platform to
support customized call
workflows/routing
• Consistent
communication across
all parts of the business
• Maintain costs while
driving maximum value

19. Step 2: Match your needs to potential
service partners
• Research and visit the company’s website
• Access their whitepapers, data sheets, and
blogs
• Take note of the company’s that have the
features and services your business needs

20. Step 3: Explore Your Options
• Contact each vendor to get a personal demo
• See if their offering can meet your company’s
needs, now and in the future
• Ask lots of questions, especially about future
needs and costs now and as you expand

21. Questions to Ask Before You
Decide
• What kind of platform does this run over?
• What kind of support do they offer?
• What does the implementation period look like?
• Do I need any special equipment onsite?
• Do they offer training on the phone system?
• Do I get my own web-based administration portal?
• What other services do they provide?
• Do they offer managed security?
• What about connection to the cloud?

22. Presenting….
First Communications
Cloud based IP PBX
Phone System

23. What can First Communications do
for you?
Our Cloud IP PBX
product includes the
features of a premise
based PBX system
without the huge
capital investment

24. What can First Communications do
for you?
• Critical Cloud IP PBX
Features include:
– Hunt Groups
– Auto Attendant
– Sequential Ring
– Voicemail to Email
– Call Pull
– Conference Calling
– Busy Lamp Field
– Dial By Name Directory
– Simultaneous Calling
– Inherent Redundancy
– Unified Communications
mobile application

25. What can First Communications do
for you?
• Easily Grow Your
Business
– Add new phones
– Add on services and
features

26. What can First Communications do
for you?
Easy as 1-2-3
1 - Choose a package
2 - Choose a phone
3 - Customize with a
variety of add-ons

27. What can First Communications do
for you?
Cloud Deployment Team:
– Sales Engineer
– Project Manager
– Programming Engineers
– Training Specialist
– Field Technicians
And we always have
24x7x365 Professional
Support

28. For more information on how you can move
your business communications to the cloud in
2017 and save your company money, contact us
at:
866-261-0259