Poll findings show implementation continues despite weak economy, and for good reason
CDW’s recent unified communications tracking poll found that 53% of businesses, government agencies and healthcare and educational institutions are either actively implementing or planning to implement UC solutions. In addition, of the organizations in the UC planning and implementation phases, 70% expect to complete their adoption within two years, despite the weak economy.
This makes sense because UC is one of the most fruitful investments an organization can make, even during a recession.
Customers say UC solutions increase productivity and reduce operating costs — significantly and quickly. UC also provides more reliable communication, improves cross-functional communication and enhances sense of belonging and affinity for remote and mobile workers. But getting UC right takes careful thought and preparation.
Unified communications is an outcome
There are almost as many definitions of UC as there are companies that provide the component technologies — and there’s no such thing as “one size fits all.” However, there are several broad approaches to unifying communications on a single platform.
CDW’s UC tracking poll found that most organizations are using either rich media or telephony-centric approaches to implementation, while others choose e-mail- or instant messaging-centric approaches, and presence strategies are gaining momentum. The array of available technologies and the companywide implications makes the selection a challenge. What’s right for your company depends in large part upon the nature of your organization’s work.
Weighing the options and making the right choice can take a while, but that time is a wise investment. Most of the challenges arise from one or more of the following:
* Rushed discovery phase — this phase should carefully assess all potential applications and systems that link to the communications platform or may be affected by the change in traffic. It’s easier to identify and address challenges prior to implementation than having to adjust mid-course.
* Assumption that all equipment and applications can be transferred “as is” from existing systems. Perhaps they can, but be sure before you invest.
* Lack of business/operational stakeholder involvement in discovery, planning or implementation. Unifying communications is not an IT-only decision, and you’ll only capture the maximum benefit if you secure the users’ input along the way.
* Failure to establish a determined goal and adhere to it. This is where UC solutions can become needlessly complicated, leading to unanticipated costs.
* Failure to understand the contract and procurement process. At the very least, this can cost you time during implementation
* Choosing to “clean things up” after the migration rather than before. This is a sure way to breed dissatisfaction among your users, so it’s better to be sure that the platform and applications work right from Day One of your implementation.
Many businesses contain the cost associated with a UC implementation by planning it in conjunction with other organizational changes involving facilities or the network. The CDW poll found that almost all of the organizations planning and executing UC solutions are also doing at least one of the following:
* Replacing obsolete or inadequate existing networks — no better time.
* Establishing a new call center or expanding an old one.
* Integrating two or more existing networks (e.g., a business merger/acquisition, or a reorganization).
* Integrating branches of distributed operations (e.g., retail store locations, bank branches and field offices).
* Expanding or deploying a telecommuting program for a significant percentage of the organization’s workforce.
* Implementing a business continuity/disaster-recovery plan and supporting capabilities.
So, as an IT manager, look for these kinds of business-driven changes and talk with management about how improvements in the communications systems can make them even more effective.
The weakest link in the chain
UC will only function as well as the infrastructure it is built upon, so if your network is not robust enough to handle the increase in traffic you will not get the results you are hoping for. Review your current business and network environments, assess current and future needs and incorporate them into a scope of work for design and implementation.
For most companies, unifying communications is a phased process leading to an end goal that meets business/organizational communication goals. It is not a one-size-fits-all, packaged solution. What’s best for your company is a network and solution set that stays up and running when the weakest link is at or near maximum capacity.
Finally, remember that training your associates is vital — for administrators and users alike — on maintenance and use of the UC components. Begin preparing them for implementation during installation and configuration. Again, your goal is to launch a smoothly operating, reliable system.
Implementation can be easier than you think
Let’s stop and think for a moment. You ask management to pony up the cost of a companywide enhancement to your communications system during the toughest economy since grandpa was in knee pants. No pressure there, right?
Don’t worry, you have lots of company, not just in the worrying department, but in pushing your company to consider an investment in UC. The good news is that the apprehensions mostly subside as implementation swings into gear.
According to CDW’s poll, the most common concerns among organizations planning for UC implementation are how it will affect network security (45%), what it requires in equipment and capital costs (44%) and where it will drive operating costs (42%). However, respondents indicated that with careful planning, many of those apprehensions ease once implementation begins: Organizations that have completed or begun their implementations report substantially lower levels of concern with those same issues (27%, 28% and 31%, respectively).
While UC is a complicated field with many potential challenges, it can undoubtedly help transform an organization and produce attractive operating efficiencies. The facts speak for themselves — UC is not only a wave of the future but a way to change how your company does business today.
Kopf is manager of telephony practice at CDW.
