< Back to the communications news list
|
Unified communications 'was born out of contact centres'
|
|
The idea of unified communications was devised in contact centres, with many of the tools now being expanded out to other areas of business, according to an expert. Dave Paulding, writing for the ITNewsAfrica website, reports many of the tools used today have been around for years, just under a different name or integrated into other software. He says while some of the applications are not new, the advancement of them to the wider business world is and this is worthy of the hype currently surrounding the sector. Mr Paulding states the technology allows firms to be more productive and provides a "more complete but simpler experience for the user". He adds the benefit may not be focused on the employee, but more on the advancement of business processes, with either option being useful. The tools use the basic premise of a contact centre by connecting an exact individual at a time and via a medium which suits them. Mr Paulding explains the general term of unified communications can be used to describe a variety of applications, including email, instant messaging, VoIP, voice-mail, fax and video conferencing. He says all of these methods help to avoid delaying work, adding if a person wishes to contact another they will be able to see if they are busy and will then know to leave a message rather than waste time trying to get in touch. The uptake of unified communications is still in the early stages with VoIP technology leading the way and now being fairly widespread. Mr Paulding adds a uniting of companies by industry standards would help the sector to progress. Unified communications' future may be for it to be merged back into a contact centre, as some vendors are now moving this way. However, the expert highlights the likelihood of business applications and communications being "truly intertwined". Research from Business Management recently found firms may be adopting unified communications in order to reduce their carbon footprint, as it can cut emissions from commuting if employees work from home. The report also highlighted the fact that the software uses less energy than some other technologies, as it has fewer moving parts. Azzurri is helping organisations combine services and applications for secure unified communications and convergence.  |
Azzurri helps you manage applications within your IP network, for integrated communications and business processes.
Find out more about our unified communications solutions »