The manufacturing world is always changing. For years, the manufacturing industry has been one of the most agile sectors around. With constant pressure to innovate and evolve, companies in this space need to consistently adapt to new trends, processes, and technologies.

Now, the rise of disruptive new concepts like IoT, AI, and 5G are paving the way to an incredible future for manufacturing brands. Increasingly, we’re seeing the rise of new “smart factories”, and automated systems helping to define the future of Industry 4.0.

However, staying ahead of the curve in the manufacturing space isn’t just about exploring the latest tools in XR and machine learning. Companies in this space also need to ensure they have the right foundational tech in place to facilitate efficient, safe, and innovative workplaces.

Unified Communications technology can provide manufacturing businesses with the critical tools they need for aligning, synchronizing, and empowering teams for the new age of production. However, when budgets are limited, creating a business case for UC can be tough.

Here’s how you can present your case for Unified Communications in manufacturing.

Step 1: Examine the Growing Need for Agility in Manufacturing

Most manufacturing brands today are constantly searching for new ways to innovate and evolve. However, the only way to generate the best outcomes in this fast-paced environment, is to ensure the right systems are in place to facilitate agility.

Thanks to the rise of Industry 4.0, the most lucrative manufacturing brands in the years to come are likely to be those capable of embracing new and disruptive technologies as they emerge. However, many of the most powerful new technologies depend on a strong foundation of communication.

For instance, implementing IoT devices and artificial intelligence into the manufacturing space can allow companies to set up automated systems which instantly alert the right engineers and employees when devices are about to malfunction. This reduces the need for downtime, and can save companies significant time, resources, and money. To ensure the right people are connected with the correct data, intelligent sensors and tools need to align with a strong communication system.

A UC environment implemented in the workplace will ensure you can keep employees up-to-date with critical information on any channel, whether they’re collecting data from colleagues or directly from machines. A flexible UCaaS ecosystem can integrate with the various tools businesses use to keep their manufacturing staff informed, to improve the agile flow of information.

Step 2: Look at the Power of Employee Experience

Studies show that only around 25% of manufacturing employees currently feel engaged at work.  In any business landscape, an engaged, informed, and empowered workforce paves the way for better innovation and growth. Unified Communication tools can open the door to better “EX”, which has a direct impact on the performance of the entire business.

Unified Communication tools give employees in the manufacturing sector an all-in-one environment where they can track crucial information, access answers to questions, and collaborate with team members. The right tools can remove the silos between different parts of your manufacturing department, which helps to boost engagement for every staff member, and facilitate innovation.

With an innovative UCaaS platform, manufacturing companies can connect engineers and professionals on the production floor with specialists anywhere in the world. This helps staff members to resolve problems faster, and achieve higher levels of productivity. At the same time, the right tools can make employees safer in an otherwise threat-laden environment.

A UC system can give professionals a quick and easy way to share mass alerts about potential dangers to employees anywhere in the facility. The same tools can also help to reduce the risks facing staff, by allowing them to quickly access guidance from experts when they encounter a dangerous situation. You can even embed knowledgebase articles and guidance on safety measures into a UC platform.

UC tools can also easily align with workforce optimisation and management software, so business leaders can keep track of everything from employee engagement to policy adherence and work schedules. The result is a more organised, safe, and satisfied workforce.

Step 3: Build a Foundation for Innovation

As mentioned above, the manufacturing sector is a place of constant innovation and growth, particularly now that industry 4.0 is bringing new and disruptive tech into the landscape. Your UC system can form the foundation for countless innovative opportunities in the years to come.

A UCaaS platform in the cloud can provide businesses with a unique chance to leverage new forms of communication for solving problems and exploring new ideas. For instance, many UC vendors are beginning to explore ways of bringing the metaverse and XR technology into platforms. The right tools could allow businesses to create safe environments where teams can build prototypes together in a virtual space. Or it could allow for rapid access to collaborative experiences through AR and MR.

Unified Communications tools also make it possible to create a powerful end-to-end environment for business insights in the manufacturing space. By connecting all of your employees, knowledge, and conversations in one environment, you open the door for fantastic analytics. The right tools can provide behind-the-scenes insights into everything from opportunities to improve efficiency in the workplace, to strategies for reducing risk.

As AI solutions become more commonplace in both the UC and manufacturing space, intelligent tools can also help push companies in the right direction. Your intelligent analytics systems can help you to identify which decisions to make for your manufacturing company, so you’re prepared for rapid growth.

Step 4: Compare Costs to Value

Finally, investing in any new technology in the manufacturing sector can be a risky endeavour. This is particularly true in an environment where economic and global circumstances have led to budget costs and financial issues. As a result, it’s important to ensure you can demonstrate the return on investment from any technology purchase.

Fortunately, UC technology can deliver a host of cost savings and value-added opportunities to manufacturing brands. First, the collaboration and communication tools you implement can make employees more productive and efficient, which increases your company’s earning potential. Secondly, the right tools can reduce the need for travel to different manufacturing facilities, cutting the costs associated with transportation.

Even the simple act of upgrading your communication tools can lead to cost reductions of up to 30%, thanks to reduced maintenance and hardware expenses. What’s more, because UC brings more of the tools you need into one environment, it’s possible to cut down on distributed tools and reduce the number of bills financial teams need to address each month.

Demonstrating that the value of UC far outweighs the cost is sure to make any shareholder or business leader more prepared to jump into the future of communications.

 



from UC Today https://ift.tt/sF8TVtQ