Improving the efficiency of business processes is achieved in various ways. One of them is the integration of all communications used by the company. According to experts, and the companies themselves, this process can be simplified by Unified communications (UC, unified communications). What is this Learn about this from the article.
Relevance of the issue
Despite the fact that unified communications are not something new for business representatives, for many they remain not entirely clear. In this regard, different questions arise.
For example, are companies willing to invest in unified communications ? Does the existing fragmented communication system interfere with their normal use? What are the benefits of integrating software products from different manufacturers? How to build an effective and economical unified communications model ?
The participants in the round table organized by CompTek and Avaya with the assistance of Microsoft and IBM tried to resolve these and many other questions.
Currently, there is no single view of Unified communications, so there are enough topics for discussion.
Definition
Most experts agree that unified communications is a technology that allows you to integrate real-time services with mail systems. The former include chat (instant messaging), presence information, telephony (including IP), video conferencing, document collaboration, speech recognition and call management. Mail systems are considered voice, email, fax, SMS.
Characteristic
UC is a complex of several products that provide the user with a single interface and provide him with the opportunity to use the services on different devices: landline and mobile phones, computer, laptop, etc.
Due to unified communications, one subject sends a message using one technology (video, text, voice message), and the second has the ability to read it through another application. For example, voice messages can be sent by e-mail, answering machine, etc. If the sender is available on the basis of information about the presence, the answer can be sent to him through a video conference or chat.
Expert opinion
In technical terms, unified communications are a set of software and hardware tools that provide more successful communication between partners, ranging from voice messages to video conferencing.
If we consider UC from the point of view of production, then they can be called tools for increasing efficiency. Accordingly, the task of all manufacturers or sellers of unified communications is to improve the business of their customers. This opinion was expressed by V. Dyuzhin (representative of IBM).
G. Sanadze, Avaya Presales Team Leader, has a slightly different approach to the issue . Unified communications , in his opinion, is a system that allows the user to have access to all functions, regardless of his location and the device used. There is a certain information space and a range of services provided in it. The user should have free access to all of them. This is mobility and convenience.
According to M. Kochergin, a representative of Microsoft, unified communications represent an area in which the user is provided with maximum opportunities. The specialist believes that at present communications are a kind of crossroads. The customer traditionally invests in IT and telecommunications. Now these two areas practically do not intersect, despite the fact that office workers urgently need a system of integrated technologies.
As noted by M. Kochergin, an employee in the office receives about a hundred messages every day on different devices. These are phone calls, and emails, and SMS. Switching information between sources takes about 40 minutes / week.
Development specifics
There are two approaches to the creation and development of technology. Conventionally, they can be divided into "European" and "American".
The first involves participation in the development of technology by study and expert commissions led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU / ITU) and ETSI (European Institute of Telecommunications Standards). After that, the technology is approved by these organizations. The process, of course, is long, but in the course of it the opinion of all participants is taken into account. As a result, the most complete standardized software product enters the market. This approach, for example, was used in the implementation of technologies such as TETRA, GSM, ISDN.
However, in practice, another option is often used. The essence of the second ("American") approach is the speedy promotion of a certain corporate product on the market without regard to other companies. The goal is simple - to occupy the most advantageous or dominant position.
With obvious success, such a product can be de facto converted into a standard that will subsequently be recognized in the telecommunications community as international. Then the technology will be finalized with the participation of other interested organizations and firms.
As practice shows, the development of UC is carried out in the second way. If you analyze this market segment, you can see the active work of companies such as Ericsson, IBM, Microsoft, NEC, Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, Nortel, Siemens, Mitel. The unified communications presented by them were developed without coordination, standardization and certification by international or intergovernmental bodies. Accordingly, the work of each company goes in a certain direction. However, the activities of developers do not preclude an alliance between participants in the relevant market segment.
Product standardization
Currently, there are no strict standards for UC, with the possible exception of SIP. According to IBM representatives, a kind of unified messaging platform is being developed for integration with existing external systems. The company creates the main interface, and then partners around the world develop additional system modules.
Today, in this way, UCs are not subject to standards; accordingly, one needs to be extremely careful about unification. Less problems when purchasing products from one of the members of the alliance of IT companies.
Solution compatibility
A user who has purchased a particular software product may subsequently encounter a compatibility problem. The companies operating in the market solve this problem differently.
For example, Avaya chooses a strategy according to which, the higher the compatibility, the better. Of course, before many companies tried to release some private product and impose it on the market. However, today, as representatives of Avaya say, the task is not to create a solution that can be purchased only from this manufacturer, but to develop such a system, which although other companies have, but significantly surpasses the analogues in quality. In such a situation, it is quite simple to take the platform of company “A” and combine the software of the company “B” with it.
Such a scheme, in principle, is already in use today. These are currently SIP and Web services. There is a tendency towards the development of standardization and the creation of open protocols. As a result, the compatibility issue is no longer relevant.
If a solution in the form of Web services is presented on the market, then it is quite possible to attach them to other products that also contain them and are available for almost every user today. The customer independently decides where to purchase the system. At the same time, he is guaranteed to be able to replace the product if difficulties arise.
Developer Collaboration
According to a Microsoft representative, an interoperability program has been created covering SAP, Polycom, HP, Dell, NEC, Avaya, Nortel, Ericsson, Cisco. Unified communications are created as part of the exchange of data on source codes in the part responsible for the protocol.
Microsoft has a very close relationship with some manufacturers. Employees actually sit at the same table and discuss issues related to basic functionality.
UC Products
Currently, almost every major developer has several solutions for unified communications. For example, Avaya package includes 6 products.
One of them is a solution for freelancers and mobile employees. It provides remote workers with a central office.
Another solution, the Home Agent, allows call center operators to attract qualified, home-based employees to work, providing them with a high level of service.
Avaya Intelligent Branch Solutions is a product that integrates branch offices with headquarters, contact centers, and other business units. With its help, you can quickly create a remote unit in online mode. For bank tellers, consultants and agents, Avaya produces a specialized product that allows you to interact with customers by phone, on the website and in branches.
Unified Communications in Russia
The domestic UC market cannot be called formed and saturated. However, in Russia today there are many companies that develop telecommunication solutions on a professional level based on systems that have gained popularity in the world.
So, for example, IC Telecom-Service uses Cisco Systems products as a base. One of them is the project of building a unified information network at a large industrial enterprise. In the course of production development, modern technological solutions were required to create a transport network and improve telephone communications with the further integration of these areas into one information environment.
Before the introduction of the product, a technical audit is mandatory. Based on its results, tasks are adjusted and optimal solutions are chosen.
For domestic enterprises, mobile configurations are being developed to quickly provide reliable and high-quality communication between the main and remote offices. Accordingly, managers from the center can contact employees of any representative office, wherever they are.
Difficulties
Domestic enterprises cannot take full advantage of UC, since there is no single unified communications system. Rospotrebnadzor has not developed any general policy in this area.
Of course, work on the implementation and development of UC is underway, but it is not active enough.
Meanwhile, analysts assess the Russian telecommunications market as a very promising platform. Experts believe that soon a unified system of unified communications will be formed. Rospotrebnadzor, in turn, will act as a body that ensures control and coordination of the development and implementation of information solutions.
Finally
Before introducing unified communications, all possible risks must be assessed. First of all, the company management must understand that the acquisition and launch of the system will require considerable investments. Secondly, we need specialists who understand not only the basics, but also the intricacies of a complex system. Thirdly, the use and maintenance of the quality of UC will also require financial investments.
The best option is to work with an operator providing a platform for unified communications. An enterprise can not only buy, but also rent a system. During use, company managers evaluate the benefits of the software product, identify weaknesses of certain solutions, evaluate the usefulness of the enterprise.