Players in Unified Communications

Portsmouth Business SchoolCentre for Enterprise Research & Innovation

Strategies for Effective Communication

Presenter: David Starkey

Players in Unified Communications

There are quite a number of companies providing some sort of unified messaging or communications system to clients, but the leaders with vision can be found here. . .


There are quite a number of companies providing some sort of unified messaging or communications system to clients, but the leaders with vision can be found here. . .

Cisco

Microsoft

Siemens

Alcatel

Nortel


We will look at just two. . .

Cisco

Microsoft

The Power of Unified Comms!

1. Presence

2. Preference

3. Messaging


1. Presence

2. Preference

3. Messaging


1. Presence

2. Preference

3. Messaging


1. Presence

2. Preference

3. Messaging

The Power of Unified Comms

1. Presence

2. Preference

3. Messaging

a) Phone

b) Video

c) Email

d) Instant Messaging (IM)

We know how we should message colleagues, and by what means. . .

The Promise of Unified Communications (Insurance)

http://tools.cisco.com/cmn/jsp/index.jsp?id=55815&redir=YES&userid=(none)

This insurance agent would like to settle her clients’ claim at their storm damaged house.

But she can’t connect with her firm’s back office servers, and also can’t find an available adjuster to authorise payment.

She therefore cannot settle the claim there and then, and must make a second or even third visit.

The result?

Unhappy clients. . .and an opportunity to build a bond with the claimants is lost.

The Promise of Unified Communications


With Unified Communications in place, the insurance agent can connect with her firm’s back office servers, and she knows which adjuster is available to authorise a payment – her Blackberry shows her which adjusters are available, and by what means.

She emails him a copy of the claim form she has completed, and photos of the damage. He sees the damage, and can confirm the clients have a valid insurance policy. She pays the claim.

The result?

Happy clients. . .and new loyalty to the insurers.

The Promise of Unified Communications (Plumbing)


The client’s pool pump is venting water all over her yard, flooding it before a party.

She rings her service company for help, gets put on hold, and when she gets through, the helpdesk technician doesn’t know where his service engineers are, or have any way of reaching them

He just gets their voicemail when he rings them.

Result?

An unhappy client, a flooded yard, no party, and no future orders from that client.

Is there a better way?



When she rings, the client is given a priority ‘Urgent’ response to make, which connects her to the helpdesk straightaway.

The technician tells her there is a manual shut off pin she must engage to use the shut off handle. He messages a pump diagram to her, and she finds the pin.

With the water off, the party is back on!

She asks the helpdesk technician if the service engineer can bring an accessory with him when he visits to do a permanent repair. The technican can see the accessories carried by each van in real time. Yes, the required accessory is on board – and another sale is made!

The Promise of Unified Communications (Health)


A hospital doctor would like a second opinion on an MRI scan, but he is unable to find a consultant, and doesn’t have access to other consultants currently at home.

Result?

Patients get diagnosis delays, and the hospital bed is still unavailable.

Hospital staff are frustrated

Patients do not get the treatment they deserve.

Is there a better way?



There is!The doctor can see from his Unified Communications Interface that consultant Mr Chan is on a call, so sends him an Instant Message. Mr. Chan sees he is wanted, and ends his call.

The doctor shows him the MRI scan via a video link to Mr. Chan’s home PC, and they videoconference to diagnose the patient’s problem.

The dark spot is an MRI artefact, and nothing to worry about.

The patient is discharged, the bed is regained, the doctor and patient are happy, and the consultant gets a round of golf!

Cisco UC Systems


‘The Promise of Unified Communications’ can be viewed at. . . (click the ‘play’ button)


Microsoft UC Systems

See: http://www.microsoft.com/UC/Demos/UC_DemoOverview/index.html

Microsoft have a Unified Communications solution based around Office 2007, Office Communicator, Live Communications Server, Live Meeting & SharePoint Portal Server

http://www.microsoft.com/UC/Demos/UC_DemoOverview/index.html

Cisco MeetingPlace & Cisco Videoconferencing Manager

I could tell you about these systems for collaborating online. . .

. . .but it’s so much better if you see it for yourself!

Run the Video. . .

C:\CERI HOT TOPIC\Final Video\Unified Communications\Unified Communications.avi

Unified Comms offers a challenge for Managers. . .Significant increases in staff productivity are possible, but this is at the expense of the staff who have become more flexible.

Managers not only need to think about planning for the hardware and software to make Unified Communications a reality. . .

. . .they also need to think how they can reward and motivate staff to work flexibly, and so see a return on the investment required.

Introducing Unified Communications is about using the best choice of media to deliver messages to the right people, who can be found because their presence is known, and have a preferred means of contact.

Unified Communications open up a new world of nigh quality video on demand to any device, anywhere. For this University, this means distributed and distance learning for students as if they were on campus.

With Unified Communications. . .the WORLD is our campus!

End of Presentation

Thanks for Listening

Any Questions?

Documents

Players in Unified Communications