Unified communications -- everyone seems to see great value in its implementation, but how does the enterprise evaluate the move to unified communications (UC)? Since UC is sold on human productivity improvements, who within which parts of an organization will benefit? UC is of greatest value when both ends of the communication functions have access to the same features. One end will limit the productivity enhancements if it does not have access to UC.
In this tip, you will find a list of important questions that should be asked of you and your organization when you are considering a unified communications implementation. The entire process of creating a product or service -- from a rough idea to delivery -- involves many people, organizations and internal/external information, all of which will benefit from better communications. Collaboration, mobility and presence mechanisms will be important tools. The following seven phases are explored for the analysis of the value of UC in each.
Internal enterprise support
The internal operations of an enterprise have to be effective before that enterprise should offer any product or service. UC can make company executives more efficient and benefit internal organizations such as finance, human resources, facilities and IT. Collaboration, mobility and presence as used in UC will improve the enterprise efficiency, reduce the staff's stress levels and improve productivity.
Product or service development
The developers of a product or service will always be working with a time constraint. Competition will drive the schedule for the development.
Marketing the product or service
Marketing needs to prepare a number of tools (advertising, brochures, press releases, meetings, etc.) to bring the product or service to the attention of the cust
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omers.
Producing the product or service
This phase will include external part delivery, service providers, packaging and shipping companies and other organizations that need to be coordinated -- especially if just-in-time scheduling is the goal. Accurate communications, delivered in a timely manner in whatever form is most productive, are the key value of UC.
Selling the product or service
Increasing sales productivity and market penetration are the primary goals of the sales organization. Sales may be made directly through agents, retail stores or VARs. The different methods all have common needs -- consistent and reliable product/service information and delivery.
Delivering the product or service
The delivery of a product/service is a logistics issue. Delivery issues will be similar to the issues encountered in the production environment.
Customer service
Keeping the customer satisfied -- even happy -- should be the goal of any organization. This is not always the case, however, and bad customer service will always come back to haunt the negligent enterprise, causing the reduction of market share and profitability.
Implementing unified communications may not address all of the questions and considerations. Demonstrating the value of UC will, at first, be less of a financial issue and more of a productivity improvement issue -- and increased productivity eventually translates into financial benefits.
Gary Audin has more than 40 years of computer, communications and security experience. He has planned, designed, specified, implemented and operated data, LAN and telephone networks. These have included local area, national and international networks, as well as VoIP and IP convergent networks, in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia and Asia.
