LEONARD: Unified communications for all

TECHNOLOGY

Unified communications for all

By: Bob Leonard

Unified communications (UC) is a technology and productivity tool that has been widely adopted by the Fortune 1000. But the small- to medium-size business market has yet to jump on and represents a huge opportunity for UC vendors.

Everyone from Microsoft, Siemens and Cisco to small Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) startups are targeting non Fortune 1000 companies.

How do you decide whether to take the plunge, which vendor to choose, and what subset of the dizzying array of features to deploy? The answer is that it depends on the following: the nature of your business, your processes and your call flows.

Monica Pilkey, a principal at Pilkey Communications, advises clients on the deployment of new technologies. Monica says, "Take a good look at your business processes. Ask yourself why you want to upgrade to UC. What do you hope to accomplish? How will you train your personnel? Do your homework before you talk to a vendor."

Let's begin by defining UC and VoIP, its enabling technology.

VoIP digitizes speech so that a voice can be transported, copied, stored and retrieved just like any digital data. VoIP is driving a convergence of traditional phone networks and data networks.

'Business-grade' VoIP is an attempt to differentiate from the consumer grade VoIP available from providers like Skype and Vonage. Skype and Vonage are inexpensive and good enough for recreational/private use, but the latency, echoes and other problems common with their phone calls just don't cut it when you're running a customer contact center.

Other problems cited with VoIP include dependency on the Internet, which can experience outages, loss of access when the power goes out, and the fact that 911 calls can't be automatically traced as they are with land lines. Business-grade VoIP vendors have workarounds for all of these situations.

UC includes not only voice mail, but also data communications such as email and instant messaging, collaboration technologies like web conferencing, and advanced voice and data calling features. UC products (equipment, software and services) enhance individual, workgroup and organizational productivity by automating the management, integration and use of multiple communication methods. A UC deployment may be made up of a stand-alone product suite or a portfolio of integrated applications and platforms.

Here's an example scenario:

Imagine you're a sales guy driving down Interstate 75 from Sarasota to Fort Myers. A new sales order is sent in by email to your corporate office in Tampa. That order automatically triggers a lookup for the customer phone number and the salesperson for the account (you). A software application checks for your presence status (where is he?) and discovers that you're out of the office. It then places a VoIP call to your cell phone and, using a text-to-speech engine, reads the sales order over the phone. It then prompts you to press 1 to autodial the customer.

Minutes after the order arrived, you're thanking the customer for her order and suggesting she should purchase the optional carbon filters to increase the effectiveness of her new widgets.

The above is one example of a business process streamlined and accelerated by unified communications. It's clear that significant productivity increases and cost savings are possible. A recent Aberdeen Group research report measured a 70% increase in responsiveness to customer needs after UC deployments. Other improvements included a 50% increase in the ease of managing a remote workforce and 39% lower telecom costs.

Here's a list UC-vendor types:

• Established 'business-grade' VoIP vendors. They are financially stable and their products and services are time-tested. Most have experience in customizing their products for specific industries. Candy Mizer of Teltronics says, "(Businesses) shouldn't be looking at the technology alone when selecting a vendor. They need to find a vendor with experience in their specific industry."

• Major corporate suppliers/local IT service providers. These are grouped together because the major suppliers typically deliver their products through local service providers. The brand name products plus local support can be a compelling combination. Cesare Ramos from IDF, a premier IBM partner, says that he sometimes talks prospects out of getting unnecessary bells and whistles. "I'd rather walk away from the business than sell people something that's too complex or expensive for their needs."

• Startup 'business-grade' VoIP vendors. These have the advantage of being able to build their solutions from the ground up with the latest technologies. On the downside, as with any new business, these companies may not be around for long.

• Telecom service providers. These are the guys who have been servicing your business phone systems for decades. They already know how to assess business telephone communications needs. Craig Flynt of Kangas & Associates says, "The knowledge they already possess from analyzing, installing and configuring phone systems and communications solutions is tremendously valuable."

In summary, before you buy, consider, "How am I going to use UC in my company to improve my internal efficiencies, and my internal and external communications?" Don't choose solely based on price. Select a vendor who wants to learn about your business...someone who views this as not just a sale, but as a partnership.

Bill Bambrick of PCM Networking recommends, "Talk to your vendor in-depth. Have them provide unbiased educational material on their platform, and look at the total cost for a five- to seven-year period."

Bob Leonard owns and operates Bolen Communications in Sarasota. Bolen provides sales tools and marketing communications for technology companies. Leonard has more than 20 years experience marketing technology for companies including Digital Equipment Corp., GTE and EMC. He can be reached at 941-366-9704 or [email protected].