How are you using features that integrate voice with other communications modes?

The usability of features would depend on the method of integration with existing call servers(PBX's) or establishing a brand new footprint. Some integrations done using a "hybrid" approach( maintaing a link between your deskphone and your new UC phone), might not be supported by major vendors, thus resulting in problematic deployments if implemented. My preferred way to integrate voice with UC is to allow the UC voice endpoint to be the only endpoint for a client or employee. This in my opinion will ensure satisfactory use of UC software clients as UC voice endpoints. This will also ensure features to scale as the UC voice server is in total control of decision making as opposed to sharing that with other call servers. My long term approach is to consider federation with external parties for all communication modes such as instant messaging, video and voice, to ensure an appropriate security posture is maintained.

During last 2-3 years Communications are evolving very fast, the integration is necessary and required for both traditional PBX systems and new innovative solutions based essentially on new Unified Communication and Collaboration services like:

Video, Presence, Instant Messaging, Social Networking and any web applications enabling collaboration (content sharing, chatting, web meeting, audio/video recording, ..)

Regards

Unified Communications by it's very nature and description is intended to bring together all forms of corporate communication under one platform.

The challenge is that most companies, integrators and suppliers either don't fully understand or the model does not support that kind of integration and involvement.

Nobody can dispute the emergence of newer technologies like wireless as a primary source of communication. Today they are capable of bringing together email, voice, data, video, TV and various forms of social networking but equal to the opportunity has been the rising and exponential costs.

Most service providers have looked to this as a means to capture new revenue and increased margins creating an opportunity for customers and vendors a like. Simply put those companies that can create a true Unified Strategy with advanced applications and new technology will emerge as the leaders.

Looks at companies like Mitel and Cisco and their JV partnerships with Research in Motion (RIM) and you see the power and benefit of Unifying Corporate Communications.

Look to these leaders to light the way for integrators and customers to follow. Inside their strategy and plan is a big opportunity for those willing to invest the time required to understand and build a business model to support this growing need!

Kevin M. Watson
Chief Operating Officer, Mathews Michaels
www.mathewsmichaels.com

Most of our customers are using unified communications to manage a dispersed workforce. Managers who previously had to spend hours of their time communicating with their employees regarding their work now have the tools to monitor them in a more passive way. With a hosted PBX system such as ours, managers can hear recorded phone conversations that are immediately delivered to their email in .wav file format, read call reports showing how many phone calls an employee took that day and the length of each call as well as the caller id etc.

With VoIP and a hosted PBX system, companies have the luxury of tying their dispersed workforce into the same digital phone system. Employees working at different offices or from home can answer calls and transfer calls to/from other employees as if they were in the same office. Calls made out from the employee's VoIP phone show the caller id of the company giving the company a more professional appearance as well.

Tamara Field
www.press8.com

Our business leaders expressed early interest in a couple of key areas: the first was instant messaging and the second was integration with CRM. We responded to early requests aound CRM and document management for deep integration with our existing desktop products and e-mail systems.

As a Microsoft shop, this led us to a combination of Exchange, SharePoint, Dynamics, and OCS for integration with MS Office. However, presence is starting to become a big side benefit as well as the unified messaging aspects of the OCS amd Exchange combination. Being able to see and play voice-mail messages from Outlook is a major plus for most of our users.

The direction continues to be integration at the desktop (where employees do their work)for both data and voice content.