Next StepsUse the Cisco Interoperability Portal to get information and instructions about integrating Cisco Unified Communications products with your current architecture and products from other vendors. Read a longer version of this article from iQ Magazine. Where you start will determine the path of your implementation.Every decade or so, a technology comes along that promises to change the way small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) do business. The question is not whether these transforming technologies can help your business, but rather how to integrate them into your existing business processes and systems. That question certainly applies to converged voice and data networks, which take advantage of unified communications to provide voice over IP (VoIP), unified messaging, Web- and video-enabled conferencing, and integrated call-center management. The move to replace traditional PBX systems is well underway, but the fundamental question remains: How do we get there from here? SMBs commonly begin the migration from one of five starting places:
Opening a New Business or Facility If you're a brand-new company, or just moving into new facilities, you often have fewer technological challenges because you have the opportunity to build a business communications solution without the burden of a legacy telecommunications system or, in many cases, even an existing data network. The success of a brand-new deployment depends on several elements, notably:
Integrating Mergers and Acquisitions Nothing is more disruptive to a company, particularly an SMB, than a merger or acquisition. Suddenly, you have two of everything: databases, accounting systems, and telecommunications networks. Many companies find that a merger or acquisition is a good time to migrate to unified communications. Planning an acquisition or merger migration involves five important steps:
Outgrowing Existing Equipment Yours may be like thousands of companies outgrowing their PBX or Centrex systems, finding them too inflexible or expensive as your business expands. Often you need to upgrade your data network at the same time. In such cases, it generally works best to deploy the data network first, and then phase in the unified communications solution. The primary challenge of such migrations is often not the technology itself but a natural resistance to change among employees. You can counter the resistance by involving a broad range of stakeholders from across the organization in the planning, as well as taking the time to create and present a detailed migration plan that includes:
Establishing a Call Center Organizations using IP Communications in their call centers saw significant returns and improved productivity, according to a study conducted by Sage Research: 74% of firms generated an additional $5,000 or more per month per sales agent, and nearly 50% of agents handled 30 or more additional calls per day on average. When deploying an IP call center, all the usual directives apply:
Integrating One Branch at a Time "Plan, test, roll out" has been the mantra of IT organizations for decades, particularly for fast-growing companies. And the mantra hasn't changed for many SMBs that pilot unified communications at a single branch or department before rolling out the technology to additional sites or even companywide. Whether your company is brand new, replacing an obsolete voice system, or looking for new ways to reduce costs while your company grows, unified communications offers a host of compelling benefits. And with careful planning and help from vendors, the move can be surprisingly less complex than many people assume it to be. |
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