A reader responded to one of my newsletters last week about the future of unified communications with some insightful comments:

“Maybe I am just an introvert or maybe I just want some time alone – I have never understood the fascination with everyone in the world being able to find out everything I do and track me down. It is cool to find out that you are at some Expo and find out that there is a new gadget from Twitter. The fact that you are now going to the restroom is more than I need to know. Yes, unified communications may become like Facebook or MySpace, but I hope not. I [would] much rather have technology as a tool rather than a function of my life. When was the last time you just sat down with your customers and actually talked with them? Not in sound bytes of product promotions, but in actual engaging conversation? Just because you have a lot of blinking lights and buttons to push does not make quality of conversation better. It only makes it easier and in greater quantity, it is instant and frequent. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more, for unified communications and in the end what measurable value have you provided to the customer?”

The reader raises some good points, particularly the last one about the measurable value that will be achieved by migrating to unified communications. Clearly, there is significant value that can be achieved from the integration of today’s separate silos of communication technology – faster decision making because of the easier availability of information, the ability to reach people more easily and more quickly based on their presence information, the ability to forego some business travel because we can use collaboration tools to achieve rich communications.

That said, unified communications will be extraordinarily useful, but not in every application. There will still need to be the in-person visits to people down the hall to engage in informal discussions. Customers will still need to be visited in-person. Networking at trade shows and conferences will continue to yield those sort of “accidental” insights that more formal and structured communications are unlikely to generate.

In short, unified communications – like any tool – will result in greater productivity and offer other benefits, but it won’t solve every problem. (Compare Unified Communications products)

Michael Osterman is principal analyst of Osterman Research.