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How could unified messaging benefit a midsized health clinic?
I work for a midsized health clinic - probably about 35 members on staff total. We have a voip phone system, and the idea of unified messaging has come up. I'm curious to know how unified messaging could better help our business. We already use email & keep most of our patient records online. What features of unified messaging would help increase productivity & organization in an office setting?
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2 Answers
The main benefit from these systems is integration. No longer will employees have to examine their email system, their voice mail, and any other communications avenue that they may use. All of the that information should be accessible from whatever device they are working with. Consequently (well, at least theoretically), they will become more productive.
However, there are a couple of potential hurdles to using such systems. Cost is one. Vendors charge extra for these services and depending on what type of contract you have now, your costs could go up either slightly or significantly. There may be an upfront charge for upgrading the system and integrating all of the different elements that may impact your decision as well. Prices here have been dropping as these systems have become more plug-and-play.
User pushback can also be an issue. Employees often have routines that they follow and feel comfortable with. With these new features, those items may be disrupted. Those uncomfortable with the new features may resist using them.
Like any new technology, unified communications offers companies some benefits but there also may be a blip or two as a corporation moves to take advantage of it. It recently been reaching the stage where it has become simpler for small companies, such as yours, to deploy.
voice and or fax messages will be received and responded to faster, as they will be accessible in the same way that an email message is. there are also methods to syncronize voice and fax messages through all devices. This is key in terms of productivity. when you delete 6 voicemakls from your blackberry, or outlook, you don't want to have to dial into your phone to listen to 6 new messages and delete them again. Mke sure you ask those questions of your vendor. this is the distinction between simple message forwarding and true "unified communications" thin of how you get your voicemail now. you have to be at your deskphone and notice the red light. press a voicemail key enter your password, and listen to message, envelopes, and skip through for the one you want. Would that be easier if you were looking at outlook and the messge header showed the caller ID or name of the sender, time of message and the length. then you can press reply or contact sender to call or voicemial or email a response. Your blackberry will also notify you of new voicemials real time just like you get for your email. all this saves time and makes commubnication more real time, easier, and more efficient. For those of us who don't want it, There is always a few in every office, you can use your phone with youe message light just as always, the typewriter and the rolodex will fit nicely next to your phone.
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