Unified Communications in Business
Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com
Most organisations view VOIP and Internet Protocol (IP) communications systems as merely replacement solutions for traditional PBX systems, in a strategy to reduce infrastructure and call costs, says Deon Scheepers, technology solutions director at Atio.
But the convergence of all communications on Internet Protocol (IP) networks and open software platforms has enabled a new paradigm to emerge that is changing the way individuals, groups and organisations communicate.
He says IP-based communications systems now integrate previously separate silos of communications, such as telephony and voicemail with e-mail, calendars and directories; mobile devices, such as cellphones, PDAs and smartphones; and back-office processes, such as ERP, CRM and workforce management to provide next-generation unified communications (UC) solutions.
UC is changing the way we communicate, operate and service business communications in the enterprise, he says. Regardless of the size of the business, the ability to bring together telephony with business and desktop applications enhances communications and efficiencies.
People connect more quickly; they collaborate better because location and distance barriers are removed and they gain control over their communications – it is the freedom to choose how, where, and when they can be reached.
Scheepers says over time, business applications will be communications-enabled and able to send e-mail and instant messages, as well as initiate voice communications directly. These evolutionary trends will eventually result in the replacement of the standard IP-PBXes and IP telephony applications. The user will be using applications on their desktop to make calls internally, between branches, as well as inter branch; have a full view of their colleagues` presence; engage in desktop-to-desktop video conferencing; share and collaborate documents between users, and much more, he says.
Vendors are already signing strong co-development agreements with huge software houses, where their telephony applications will be integrated directly into the standard software applications and operating systems. They will co-develop contact center applications, voice mail and unified messaging applications, video applications, and many other telephony and VOIP applications into the standard operating system and software applications, says Scheepers.
