Gamma: Unified Communications as a Service: Driving Sustainability in the Public Sector #techUKSmarterState
This week (26-30 September) the Central Government Programme is running its Building Smarter State Week in the run-up to the eighth edition of our flagship public services conference, Building the Smarter State, which will take place at The Royal Society on Thursday 29 September. All week we'll be featuring guest blogs from members on topics supportive the agenda.
Read the latest blog below:
In this feature article, Chris Wade, Chief Marketing and Product Officer, explores the benefits of Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) on sustainability and cost-efficiencies. He discusses the increasing demands of citizens for greener technology and processes, and how public sector organisations can respond to them with the right technology.
Public sector organisations are under more pressure than ever to drive sustainability and efficiency. From increasing regulatory requirements to pressure from the public, responding to climate change is now a priority for all organisations.
On top of that, the recent increase in energy prices has created a new sense of urgency to choose technology that can help them achieve their sustainability goals cost-effectively and efficiently. One of these technologies is Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). UCaaS can help public sector organisations meet these challenges and new requirements, while also improving services and communications within the organisation and for their constituents.
UCaaS: a trifecta of benefits
In the past few years, cloud-based communications and collaboration tools have seen a rise in popularity. The pandemic played a big part in this trend, but as we begin to put lockdowns behind us, the lasting effects on the world of work cannot be ignored.
For the public sector, Unified Communications solutions solidified the belief that citizens’ demands could be met regardless of location, while giving employees more flexibility and better work-life balance.
As we settle into this new hybrid era and public scrutiny heightens, public sector organisations should now begin to explore the benefits of technology on their sustainability goals and choose the right communications solution to help them achieve them.
Energy savings
From a sustainability perspective, UCaaS can help public sector organisations achieve their goals by reducing their reliance on on-premises infrastructure and by optimising their communication and collaboration processes.
By consolidating their communications infrastructure and eliminating the need for multiple devices and applications, this technology can help save energy and in turn, reduce carbon emissions. Plus, devices don’t need to be replaced as often, decreasing the need for manufacturing and recycling.
Reduced business travel
Perhaps the most obvious green benefit of UCaaS is its impact on business travel – one of the main causes of carbon emissions. While business travel is bouncing back, with an 875% increase from March 2021 to March 2022, the pandemic has irrevocably proved that employees don’t need to go to an office to be efficient and collaborative.
One of the main reasons remote working was a success is undoubtedly the increased reliance on UCaaS solutions. This technology allows employees to collaborate seamlessly from home, reducing the need to travel for meetings.
The numbers speak for themselves: with many Londoners working from home during the pandemic, pollution went down by 25% during the morning commuting time and 34% in the evening. UCaaS is a clear winner to avoid unnecessary travel and reduce carbon emissions.
Cost-savings
Last but not least (especially with the recent hike in energy prices), UCaaS can help public sector organisations reduce costs by consolidating voice, video, and data services onto a single platform.
Going green is often seen as an expensive business, impossible to achieve for smaller organisations. Truth is, UCaaS solutions are more cost-effective than legacy, on-premises solutions, and as we've mentioned, can greatly improve the green credentials of many public sector organisations.
Especially in local government, where budgets are often tight and demands are high, UCaaS can deliver more efficient, and sustainable, communications without breaking the bank.
Responding to citizens’ demands
The climate change crisis is one that affects us all. While the concept of sustainability is not new, citizens have never put more pressure on their government to act – and fast. This call for change is stronger amongst younger generations, who wish to see the public sector lead by example. For government organisations, balancing these demands with finding new opportunities to better serve their citizens is key.
UCaaS is a great example of a technology that can help the public sector achieve its sustainability goals while also providing increased efficiencies and better services.
Besides the aforementioned benefits, UCaaS can also improve communications with. These solutions can make it easier for them to contact, collaborate and communicate with government organisations, and when paired with contact centre capabilities, they can improve customer interactions and deliver a seamless customer experience across channels.
Citizens will be happy to receive the service they deserve, at little cost to the environment.
Conclusion
Public sector organisations are turning to UCaaS as a viable solution for their communications and sustainability needs. UCaaS solutions can provide these organisations with a more cost-effective and efficient way to communicate, collaborate, and connect with their employees, constituents, and partners.
Most importantly, this technology can help public sector organisations reduce energy consumption, dependency on travel and unnecessary costs – ultimately helping them achieve their sustainability goals.
Author: Chris Wade
Chris Wade is Gamma's Chief Marketing and Product Officer. His main responsibilities include leading the company's product and marketing strategy. With a longstanding career in Software as a Service (SaaS), Chris understands the changing needs of businesses and the importance of technology to support them. He is an industry expert in cloud communications, customer experience and technology adoption across various segments, with a focus on SMEs.
About Gamma
Gamma is a leading supplier of Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) in the UK, German, Spanish and Dutch business markets. It is AIM listed and employs 1650 people. With a range of UCaaS, Mobile and Connectivity services, Gamma provides robust and secure solutions that enable organisations to communicate, collaborate and offer a better customer experience.
Gamma’s largest market is in the UK where the company’s network-based services are supplied to SME, Public Sector and Enterprise markets through a network of 1000+ channel partners and its own direct sales and support capabilities. In 2021 Gamma acquired Mission Labs, a well-established UCaaS technology business which has built a reputation for creating technologically advanced solutions and delivering great service to its customers and partners. The acquisition has enabled Gamma to enhance and expand its cloud contact centre (CCaaS) technology as well as accelerate its digital channel strategy. Learn more about Gamma, by visiting their LinkedIn and Twitter.
Building The Smarter State Conference - 29 September
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