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The main problem is that there isn’t a concrete definition, and the term shifts depending on who is using it. Hollingworth added: “This could mean that UC’s potential for helping employees work faster, smarter and more accurately is lost in translation. Vendors need to demonstrate the nuts and bolts of how it works, how it can improve productivity and achieve return on investment.”
UC represents a cultural challenge because it isn’t about a new application or piece of technology, but a new way of thinking about existing technologies. “A successful UC strategy should address collaboration needs, and defining these from the outset can be challenging,” added Hollingworth. “Different departments or functions within a business will work in vastly different ways, and although they may all be using the same application or technology, they will not be using them in the same way. A one size fits all approach will only serve to alienate some users. So before embarking on a UC strategy businesses must work with a partner to evaluate their existing practices and speak to people about their preferences and needs.”
Stuart Back, Product Marketing Manager, GN Netcom, agrees that the benefits of UC have to be seen to be appreciated.
users have relied on desk handsets as their main form of communication, but UC begins to remove the necessity for desk handsets as portable audio devices such as headsets and speakerphones start to become standard in the workplace.
“It is critical for resellers to ensure that these audio devices are optimised for UC, to ensure the quality of the UC deployment is not compromised,” said Back. “When lower grade devices are deployed, end users will experience poor audio which will lead to increased support issues and costs.”
Deploying laptops with portable audio devices such as headsets enables users to communicate freely regardless of
location. “The bad weather earlier in the year was the perfect example of how business using UC solutions could continue to operate as normal. Employees could conduct teleconference and web calls, communicate with ease and access everything they needed to work from home,” added Back.
He has observed a growing demand for UC, because until recently, people have for the most part had a fixed method of communication. Nowadays, employees are met with increasingly
in working practice it becomes essential to provide a platform that is flexible, reliable and easy to use,” Back commented.
“The various Unified Comms applications that are available greatly benefit the business and employee, and will ultimately revolutionise working practices for individuals.”
However, the industry does still tend to confuse the market using different definitions of what Unified Communications really is. Mike Ballantine, Business Development Manager at Aastra, notes that Unified Communications is often touted as a strategy rather than a technology solution, but he offers a different perspective.
“I hear much talk about Unified Comms as a strategy. In reality it is an offering. I would argue that selling any type of communication solution has to be done by highlighting the gains in efficiency and productivity. However, much of the time things like usability, simplicity and access are forgotten, but they are equally important in the successful implementation of UC.
It is important for the industry
Moving from a handset solution can be one of the biggest cultural changes for users when deploying UC. For years telephone
demanding roles in the workplace, which require them to provide anytime, anyplace working. “With this dramatic change
to explain the benefits
“If suppliers and resellers provided these three additional aspects of UC they would find that the adoption would go much faster and the cultural challenges, which can be huge, are limited. It is important for the industry
as a whole to explain the benefits of the different solutions. Today this is left to the customer to find out, and that is not fair.”
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COMMS DEALER APRIL 2010 45
MARKET REVIEW
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