Unified communications and collaboration (UCC) is the collection of technology and software that combines enterprise communication with real-time, asynchronous cooperation capabilities. UCC takes the various methods used in individual unified communications (UC) and collaboration solutions and makes them available through a single interface to improve connectivity and productivity.
Components of UCC could include email, voicemail, calendars, scheduling tools, video conferencing, instant messaging (IM), desktop sharing and VoIP. Additionally, functionality may include presence tracking, which is the ability to tell whether a contact is busy or free, and unified messaging, which is the ability to retrieve all messages from a central location.
Organizations should implement UCC technology to streamline employee and customer interaction methods. Tasks such as brainstorming, virtual meetings and peer feedback can be smoothed by implementing UCC tools. Businesses can also take better advantage of hiring remote or globally dispersed employees with easily accessible communications services that bridge geographical gaps.
