In this issue, we deal with the evolving work environment; specifically, how the pandemic changed traditional work models and forced us to think in new ways about location, productivity, teamwork, customer service, and their impact on business leadership. Our topics include…

Contact me today to discuss how TCI’s products and services can help your organization get more out of its technology investments – now and in the future.

(703) 321-3030 | cornbrookst@tcicomm.com.

Business leaders have been running in emergency mode trying to adapt to workplace limitations imposed by COVID and the mandates intended to limit its spread. Often, businesses made do with a mix of communications solutions from different vendors - with varying results.

Many businesses are working with an unwieldy patchwork of solutions from different vendors, each implemented separately at different times. This Frankenstein-type framework is okay for just getting by. But compatibility and efficiency issues can hamper your capacity to grow and thrive. An integrated platform ensures a seamless experience for management, employees, and ultimately customers.

If you find yourself spending more time on communications tools after a partial or complete migration, you may not be making the best use of them. Define optimal ways of working before you implement the tools. Will you recreate your current processes with your new cloud solutions? If so, go back to the whiteboard. Set up measurement tools before you deploy. You can't improve what you don't measure.

Whether your employees are remote, hybrid, or in-person, they’re likely to use personal devices for work purposes. With the right solutions, you can support secure work and promote collaboration regardless of which devices your employees use.

Keeping employees from using unauthorized IT isn’t easy. You’ll need to offer modern and agile tools and establish an IT infrastructure that works for everyone. One central, lean IT infrastructure with well-documented interfaces will always scale better – and be more secure – than a hodge-podge of departmental apps and databases.

Customer experience is an essential part of any communications upgrade. Customers want flexibility when they reach out. They may start on social media, switch to email, and then give you a call. An omnichannel communications solution removes friction and helps you meet customers where they are.

The pandemic accelerated many businesses' digital transformation, but many were forced to choose between speed and strategy. If your business has been getting by with emergency quick fixes, it’s time to redefine your communications strategy and upgrade.

TCI experts are here to help. Contact us today: (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

Businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to encourage team collaboration. When successful team skills are absent, your business can end up as a collection of competing silos and individuals.

1. Poor Engagement – Developing a collaborative group starts with the team itself. This includes buy-in concerning process, direction and expected outcomes. If teams aren’t engaged, they won’t be able to identify problems or find solutions.

2. Competition – Turf wars discourage collaboration. In fact, one of collaboration’s main benefits is that people, even those with vastly different skill sets, can mentor and teach each other.

3. Lack of Transparency – When you have team members whose work depends on others, they need to share their progress, concerns, and obstacles. Without transparency, teams can’t establish trust.

4. No Team Governance – People tend to resent collaboration when they aren’t given clear objectives and key performance indicators or don’t understand what their teammates bring to the table.

Team collaboration is the main ingredient your organization needs in order for every other element – talent, innovation, productivity, and profitability – to fall into place.

Let’s talk about overcoming your challenges by leveraging technologies that enable collaboration. Contact TCI today: (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

There are a lot of providers out there selling standalone communication solutions. What sets our approach apart is TCI Advantage, a holistic suite of capabilities combined with our fully-trained, customer-focused, and experienced team of local professionals. We bundle all that with a Discovery and Assessment Process that ensures EVERY engagement exceeds customer expectations.

The comprehensive portfolio of TCI Advantage is designed to cover every aspect of Business Communications, Networking, Support, Infrastructure, and Security…

Find out how TCI Advantage breaks down tech silos and brings everything together to simplify your life and empower your teams. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

Many organizations are building on the lessons of the past few years and finding a balance between remote and in-person work. As many companies prepare to welcome some employees back to the building (while others may not physically come back at all), it’s unlikely the workplaces we return to will look or function the same way they did before the pandemic.

Regardless of your industry or company size, one thing is certain - creative use of unified communications technology can bridge the distance between remote, in-office, and hybrid workers and create an environment and culture sure to keep employees productive and engaged today, tomorrow, and beyond.

Companies will need to find ways for in-person and remote workers to collaborate in ways that feel natural, using UC solutions to ensure seamless communications no matter where they are.

When employees return to in-person work, it may not look like the same place they left. Many companies are imagining adaptable workspaces with shared “zones” for whoever is in on a given day and large screens for videoconferencing with employees working remotely.

With the right technology, the workplace of the future will keep employees productive and happy as they seamlessly shift from one workplace to another. TCI offers solutions that make the line between remote and in-person work virtually disappear, allowing colleagues to seamlessly switch from text to video chat and whiteboard ideas in real-time with screen sharing.

Until recently, the constant connectivity of email and cell phones meant people were often on call around the clock. Instead of reporting from 9-5, workers will instead build their schedules around collaboration, finding times when teams are available to brainstorm together, before breaking apart to complete their tasks.

The right technology is required to make this vision a reality. With a single app, employees can text, video chat, share documents, and collaborate on projects. TCI’s solutions are flexible and easy to use, so employees will feel like they’re sitting next to their coworkers, even if they are on opposite coasts or even different continents.

The lessons learned since 2020 will be used to build stronger connections. Forward-looking companies will turn to integrated communications to empower employees with the tools to work together seamlessly, regardless of where their “office” is located.

TCI is ready with the technologies you need for the reimagined future of work. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.

It’s looking like remote and hybrid work environments will be a lasting outcome of the pandemic. UC technology made the shift to remote work relatively painless for most companies. By now, we’re all familiar with how to make video calls and use screen sharing to get our work done and collaborate with colleagues.

While these tools will make it easy for businesses to keep remote and hybrid work going, there’s another piece of the daily work environment that needs attention – the social aspect of work.

The social element of work is often underestimated by companies. The sudden increase in mental health issues including anxiety and depression that resulted from the isolation many experienced during remote work is a testament to just how important social connections are to our well-being.

As employees around the world re-evaluate the purpose and value they get from work, many are joining the “Great Resignation.” A sense of community is imperative if organizations want their employees to form personal bonds and enjoy collaborating with co-workers. Strong interpersonal relationships and social connections are an excellent defense against this mass exodus.

Collaboration tools have all the features and functionality needed to create a modern company culture built on lasting relationships that cross borders and time zones. Here’s a sampling of just some of the ways companies can reinvent the social side of work through virtual means:

Company culture is more than a collection of intangible behaviors and values. It’s a community. UC technology enables companies to finally bring everyone into the social network, regardless of where they’re located.

TCI is ready to support your organization with technology that creates and strengthens employee relationships for a smoother functioning organization. Contact us today at (703) 321-3030 or info@tcicomm.com.