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| 09 | 2007 |
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| Unified Messaging: Eliminate the Multi-Tasking Syndrome |
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Regardless of what size of business you have, the benefits of communication technologies bring with it an additional list of items to add to your daily multi-tasking "to do" list. What was once just listening to voicemails and occasionally checking the fax machine has become a laundry list of items including voicemail, email, faxes, instant messages (IM), short message services (SMS – more commonly referred to as text messaging), and a variety of other communication formats. For many, this means checking text messages on your mobile, voicemail on your landline or cell phone, faxes at the machine in your office, and emails at your computer. The result is a chaos of disconnected communication devices and a reduction in productivity. The solution? Unified messaging.
Although unified messaging has been around for more than a decade, the development and widespread use of additional communication methods such as IM and SMS, and the ever-increasing numbers of mobile workers have sparked a renewed interest in unifying these tools. There are two basic forms of unification: unified messaging and unified communications. They both work by integrating all forms of communication and placing them in a single 'holding' area on the server. They can then be accessed in any format the recipient prefers, such as landline, cell phone, fax, email, pager and other devices. Audio files are digitized so that voicemails and faxes can be sent as email attachments. And, those preferring to receive their messages by phone, can utilize audio-based systems which convert email to speech and deliver text messages in the form of voicemail. Unlike unified messaging which is restricted to recorded messages, unified communications works in real-time which enables the user to access contacts, calendars, perform teleconferencing and other tasks in real-time.
While small to medium-size business have been slow to integrate unified technology, enterprise-size companies have been paving the way to a more efficient system. "According to the 2007 Nemertes benchmark, 'Building the Virtual Workplace,' 79 of 100 enterprises interviewed were planning to deploy unified communications over the next two years," as stated by Network World. While the ease of using unified messaging is not in question, for many companies determining the ROI for such an investment can be a little tricky. Network World breaks it down based on time saved per employee over the course of a year based on a unified system saving each employee 30 minutes per day. For example, "if you figure that employees make an average of $30 an hour (that includes salary and benefits), this translates into potential cost savings of $15 per day per employee. That comes to 123 hours per employee, per year (based on 245 work days in a year)." This equates to a 10,000-employee company saving $36.75 million per year. Even a small or medium-size company with 1000 employees saving nearly $4 million per year can see the benefit in deploying a unified system.
So why the delay in acceptance by small to medium-size businesses? The answer is the usual suspects when any new technology is taken into consideration – cost and the ability of the existing network to handle new platforms. More data on the network means more bandwidth, more storage and more time to integrate and maintain it. The simplest way for small and medium-size businesses to streamline their communications is by utilizing a service provider. They do all the work, you reap all the benefits. And recent developments by companies such as Microsoft, Cisco, Avaya and others, are now making it even easier for service providers to offer unified messaging to their clients for far less than the expense of implementing and maintaining it in-house.
Microsoft’s new Exchange Server 2007, for example, seamlessly integrates e-mail, voicemail, faxes, calendar and other communications and makes them easily accessible from virtually any device. "Exchange also wants to blur the line between what format a piece of data is in. No longer should it matter, according to Microsoft, whether you have information contained in a voicemail message, a fax, or an e-mail – they are all actionable items, able to be consumed and stored in the most convenient format for the user," according to a review by Computer World. The user then can access the messages via Windows Mobile, or by using Outlook Voice Access. Outlook Voice Access is a two-way solution which allows users to not only retrieve messages, but also to respond to them. If you need to reschedule a meeting, for instance, the Outlook Voice Access will respond to your verbal command and will reschedule your meeting for the time you state.
In addition, Microsoft has made unified messaging even more accessible to small and medium-size businesses (SMB) with its recent release of Hosted Messaging and Collaboration 4.0 which integrates with Exchange Server 2007. The benefit, according to Information Week, is that services providers will now be able to "offer SMB customers hosted e-mail, calendaring, and unified messaging services. It also incorporates Office Outlook 2007, Windows SharePoint Services 3.0, and Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 to provide a comprehensive message and collaboration environment."
The renewed interest in unifying communication systems in order to streamline the constant influx of data in various formats and from various sources has been placed in the spotlight by companies constantly looking for ways to increase the productivity of their employees and reduce their IT and telephony costs. For most, this means making communication faster, easier, and less cumbersome.
And with recent and ongoing developments in technology, every business size will be able to benefit from the features of unified messaging and communications. So, instead of carrying around a cell phone or PDA and a laptop AND calling in to check for faxes, all of your messages can be collected in one location and retrieved by a single device of your choosing. Every mobile businessperson’s dream of traveling to a business meeting with only a PDA is now a reality.
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About The Brookfield Group
The Brookfield Group has become a leader in IT, ISP, ASP and web solutions by providing next level technology solutions managed by experts who give you peace of mind without the tech-talk. The company's services are customized to fit any enterprise-size businesses and include: IT project management; hosting solutions and maintenance; systems security and patches; telecommunications services, server and desktop setup, repair and applications; network infrastructure design; audio visual products; surveillance and security solutions; as well as a variety of other software, hardware, services and accessories. Located in Carmel, Indiana, more information about The Brookfield Group products and services is available at www.thebrookfieldgroup.com or by calling 317.524.6000.
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