Unified communications (UC) is the integration of real-time communication services such as instant messaging (chat), presence information, telephony (including IP telephony), video conferencing, call control and speech recognition with non-real-time communication services such as unified messaging (integrated voicemail, e-mail, SMS and fax). UC is not a single product, but a set of solutions that provides a consistent unified user interface and user experience across multiple devices and media types.
Tympani provides a substantial investment in time and project management skills to gather a complete understanding of your current system and how your firm can leverage the power of unified communications. Tympani provides organizations with access to highly skilled network and telephony engineers with a vast degree of experience and knowledge in advanced technologies such as IP Communications, Video, Call Centers and Messaging.
Evolution of Unified Communications
An evolving communications technology architecture which automates and unifies all forms of human and device communications in context, and with a common experience. Its purpose is to optimize business processes and enhance human communications by reducing latency, managing flows, and eliminating device and media dependencies. A UC system can cut traditional telephony costs. Legacy enterprise voice systems comprising TDM (time-division multiplexing) PBXes cost $30 to $45 per seat per month. With the advent of IP telephony, enterprises are able to route internal site-to-site calls over the corporate data network, lowering long-distance as well as maintenance and support costs by as much as 25%. And once a UC system is in place, the costs for adds, moves, and changes may also drop.
Benefits of Unified Communications
Unified communications provides a way to bring everything together and improve collaboration among co-workers, partners, vendors, and customers. Enterprise-class UC incorporates real-time services--including IP telephony, conferencing, softphones, and presence--into a company's workflow. It's an investment that can improve productivity and availability, save money, and increase user and customer satisfaction. In our experience, the greatest returns come from improved communication, which can have several benefits, including enhanced customer service, higher quality servicing and revenue acceleration. Today’s young workforce is already adept at these tools and so an expectation is set for the progressive and competitive employer.
The goal for IT is to determine how these productivity gains can be aggregated into benefits measurable at the group, division, and corporate levels, and then include the aggregate benefits in calculating ROI. Our advice is to first understand what tangible and intangible benefits are most important to your company. The best business case for adopting unified communications comes from streamlining the mission-critical processes that drive your business.
Technology Overview
Many companies consider employees their most important business investment, making effective employee interactions critical. By harnessing collaborative power at every level, companies can make these interactions more efficient. This can be facilitated through unified communications technology that offers:
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Instant Connections: IP phones, unified clients, soft phones, and mobile unified communications give employees access to services everywhere there is a network connection.
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More Effective Communications: Tools such as IM, presence, mobility, preference, and unified messaging help users choose how, when, and where they can be reached.
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Visibility into Availability: Being able to see which colleagues are available means employees can reach the right resource the first time.
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Instant Collaboration: Using any system, any browser, or any device, users can initiate audio, web, and video conferencing through Outlook calendars.
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Virtual Meetings: Immersive Cisco video meetings make it possible to meet "face-to-face" without travel.
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A Human Touch: Desktop video connects employees, partners, and customers, anytime and anywhere.