For today’s businesses, few things are more important than having the right platform in place for communication and collaboration. As workplaces continue to evolve, with new flexible employment options, companies need to ensure their distributed staff members can easily share knowledge and work together on tasks, with minimal complexity.  

Platforms like Cisco Webex have emerged to address this need. These “Unified Communications as a Service” (UCaaS) solutions combine omnichannel tools for business interactions with collaboration features, meeting technology, and more. Cisco Webex is currently trusted by approximately 95% of Fortune 500 companies, to help align and synchronise flexible teams. 

Introduced following Cisco’s acquisition of the Webex brand, Cisco Webex is an end-to-end collaboration and communication suite, consisting of hardware and software solutions. Here’s everything businesses need to know about the solution. 

What is Cisco Webex? The Suite 

Cisco Webex is an all-in-one collaboration and communication platform offering everything from calling, meetings, and messaging to events for teams of any size. The inclusive, flexible solution is delivered via the cloud, and was initially introduced as a fully rebranded Cisco service in 2018.  

Designed to be convenient, easy-to-use, and accessible, Cisco Webex supports remote and hybrid teams as well as in-office staff members. The service includes: 

  • Calling: Cisco Webex calling via the cloud, available on any device, with easy-to-use solutions for routing, call management, and mobility. Features include everything from merging and call waiting, to call forwarding, holding, visual voicemail, do not disturb, and built-in security. There’s also a 99.99% uptime guarantee.  
  • Meetings: Cloud-based web and video conferencing via Cisco Webex Meetings, with meeting recording, custom layouts, broadcasting, and screen sharing. Meetings can be scheduled or hosted ad-hoc, and the system integrates with existing tools including Slack, Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Google Calendar, and Microsoft OneDrive. 
  • Messaging: Instant one-on-one and group messaging capabilities for internal and external teams in the same place. Cisco Webex Teams allows users to set up comprehensive team spaces, with recommended messages, private file sharing, and document storage.  
  • Polling: Polling features are available in both meetings and events, designed to improve interactivity with audiences. Polls can be hosted with a range of different settings, and there are also options for Q&A sessions within interactions. 
  • Events: Cisco Webex Events allows users to host engaging event experiences and webinars for private and public audiences. Webex Events come with comprehensive controls for meeting hosts, to help keep conversations flowing smoothly. Users can also host events with up to 100,000 attendees, for users all over the world.  
  • Contact Center: The Cisco Webex contact center features allow companies to combine internal and external communication requirements. The comprehensive contact center tools support recording, routing, and workflow management, to assist businesses in delivering excellent customer service, while boosting internal collaboration. 
  • Webex Connect: For companies looking to expand their communication ecosystem with add-on tools and services, Webex has its own CPaaS offering. The Communication Platform as a Service solution allows users to access easy-to-use and programmable communication capabilities, which can be integrated into existing apps. 
  • Webex Devices: Business leaders looking for hardware to support their communication ecosystem can access a range of certified Cisco Webex devices, including the full Webex Room Series. The Room Series and Webex Board solutions ensure companies can create both large and small meeting spaces from scratch with easy-to-use and integration-friendly tech.  
  • Integrations: Like many UCaaS solutions, the Cisco Webex ecosystem has grown increasingly flexible over the years, to include add-ons and integrations for a range of existing tools. Webex Teams offers various third-party app integrations for project management, to customer relationship management. There are also APIs available through the Cisco Webex for Developers program. 
  • Security and management: Cisco also promises exceptional security for the entire Webex ecosystem, with time-out, forced PIN-lock and remote wiping for devices. There’s end-to-end encryption, zero trust security options, as well as data sovereignty solutions for companies that need to store their data in a specific location.  

Cisco Webex Pricing Options 

Cisco Webex plans are offered in a range of different options, dependent on the needs of the business. The packages focus on the core service areas offered by Webex: Meetings, Calling, Webinars and Events. Users can choose between annual or monthly billing. Plus, there’s the option to integrate additional add-on services, such as “Call Me” functionality.  

  • Webex Meetings: There’s a basic free package available for Webex Meetings with a meeting capacity of up to 100 users, interactive whiteboarding advanced noise removal, secure lobbies, and local meeting storage. Premium packages start at £11.50 per license per month, for access to more storage options, closed captions, overlapping meetings, co-hosts, closed captioning, and other advanced features.  
  • Webex Calling: Calling packages are only available in two options. The free plan allows users to call anyone with a Webex account, while the Enterprise plan (with custom pricing) supports unlimited local, domestic, and long-distance calling, with phone menu auto attendants, extensions, recording, and more.  
  • Webinars and Events: Both Webinars and Events from Cisco Webex are offered according to a custom pricing strategy, which is designed to suit each potential user. The platform can supports custom branded pages, up to 100k attendees, engagement options like breakout rooms, closed captioning, translations, and reporting. 

Who is Cisco Webex For? 

Cisco’s Webex solutions have been widely regarded as one of the top options for businesses of all sizes for a number of years. In 2021, the Webex environment was ranked a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Meeting Solutions for the 15th year. Gartner also recognizes Webex as a leader in the UCaaS landscape, thanks to its wide range of calling solutions.  

The flexible and highly customizable environment offered by Cisco Webex makes it an excellent tool for companies looking to build a comprehensive communication ecosystem. There are solutions for everything from hardware, to CPaaS and CCaaS integrations in one convenient place. Plus, the custom pricing structure makes it easy for any business leader to get started.



from UC Today https://ift.tt/t6cH3MV