What Is Collaboration?

Collaboration, in the context of a business communications system, involves using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology to help connect people and customers within an organization. People can connect through a variety of methods like teleconferencing, video and text chat, and standard voice calls, and also have access to special features and tools that make collaboration even easier.

How VoIP Systems Facilitate Collaboration

A VoIP system hosts all forms of communication in a single interface, so team members can switch between methods of communication or use different tools without switching software. Since every team member has access to the same technology, information about projects, customers, or products can be seamlessly shared across offices, states, or even continents. Features like file annotation and omnichannel contact centers help team members work together to solve problems. Everyone can contribute via their personal work station, and the information will be instantly shared with anyone else who needs it. For example, a live chat agent may make notes about a customer interaction that can then be shared with the call center agent who answers when the customer calls, so the new agent can work more quickly to answer the customer's question.

Uses for VoIP-Based Collaboration

With VoIP-based collaboration, business connections are easier and faster. People can:

• Share and annotate files.
• Record calls and video conferences to share and reference later.
• Generate a library of helpful content using recorded conferences and webinars.
• Scale the system—up or down—easily

Advanced Collaboration Features

Some collaboration systems include features that make the experience even more customizable and convenient. For example, you can incorporate:

• Bandwidth management: Decide how much bandwidth gets allocated to different forms of communication.
• Connectivity with other apps: A VoIP-based collaboration system can incorporate project management apps and other tools so users can benefit from each app’s features as well.
• Speech-to-text and text-to-speech: Users can speak the words they’d like to write or have what others say automatically transcribed on their screen.

When a business opens the door for collaboration, walls that previously divided team members and customers come down. This makes for better communication, more comprehensive sharing of ideas, and improved communication with customers.