Is your business ready?

UNIFY and COLLABORATE are two big words in the market today.  Everyone has their own opinion about unification and collaboration.

So what is unified collaboration?  And how do you know if your business is ready for it?

We asked Acrodex Unified Communications Solution Specialist Ojasvi Bansal to clarify some frequently asked questions about Unified Communications and the collaboration it allows for.

Q. What is unified communications?

A. Unified communications is a bundle of various products that provides a user with a consistent interface. The interface is the integration of real-time communication services such as telephone, instant messaging, video conferencing, data sharing etc. with non real-time communications services such as voicemail, e-mail, SMS etc.

The goal of unified communications involves breaking down barriers so that multiple people using different modes of communication, different media, and different devices can still communicate to one another anywhere, at any time.

Q. What is “unified collaboration”?

A. Unified collaboration means bringing multiple solutions into a common user interface. Integrating IP telephony  and video into your CRM is a good example of unified collaboration. The solution doesn’t necessarily have to be from one solution manufacturer.

Unified Collaboration is a more effective way to conduct business. It is an open solution that works in your existing environment. People can use many different devices to communicate (wireless phones, personal digital assistants [PDA], personal computers [PC], thin clients, etc.), and there are now new forms of communication as well, such as instant messaging. Unified Collaboration means no matter who makes the product, a user can work together with a colleague.

Q. Why do people need unified communications?

A. To empower themselves to collaborate more efficiently and effectively regardless of real-time or non real-time communication.

For me, a unified collaboration specialist, it became clear that I needed a solution to help manage an overload of communication tools. I was juggling a handheld for email, a desk phone for calls, and a computer for instant message. It was becoming too time-consuming to constantly switch back and forth between different devices.

Now I have one smart device that can do it all for me. I am now officially a “unified collaborator.”

Why your business may need it

For businesses, getting a hold of the right person to do the job can be a big challenge. It is time consuming. This can result in lost opportunities or decreased productivity of one’s counterparts. Business owners suffer from the costs that arise from training employees to do their job on different devices using different technology. Features such as single number, Vmail to Email, single voicemail box etc. might not look useful at first but they are a must for improved efficiency.

Getting started with Unified Communications

Not sure if your business is ready to move to open and effective communication? Our specialists are here to help. Click here to get in touch with an Acrodex Unified Communications representative.