Models For Adopting Unified Communications

Models for adopting Unified Communications

Avinash Rao [email protected] Wipro Consulting Services

ISPIM conference 2008 at Singapore Management University, Singapore

Models for adopting Unified Communications

1. INTRODUCTION Businesses today are facing unprecedented pressure in sustaining their performance with utmost efficiency. Organizations are driven by multiple factors like globalization, fast decision cycles and distributed team collaboration which require them to work at an ever increasing pace. There is undying pressure on employees to constantly amplify productivity and maximize profits of the organization to the best possible extent. With enhanced market shares and customer satisfaction being key goals of any organization, strong communication systems and effective operations are key drivers to success. An organization can achieve efficiency, improve collaboration and enable new ways of work if they have a strong, seamless communication system. Enter Unified Communications. 2. UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS (UC) UC is a business process which aims at simplifying and integrating all forms of communications.

UC is a collective of capabilities that enables: - Seamless user experience using a variety of devices; - Communication across older and newer generation infrastructure, using quick and secure instant messaging; - Presence to help individuals connect with others around the corner or around the globe; - Web and video conferencing capabilities that facilitate rich and productive team collaborations. UC is often implemented with a combination of software and hardware. A successful implementation of UC can automate and consolidate all forms of human and device communications into a common user experience.

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Models for adopting Unified Communications

3. ADOPTION OF UC There are three basic objectives (with a respective implementation approach) for adopting UC in organizations: 

Cost reduction: Replace the existing telephony and communications infrastructure with an IP network based infrastructure.

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Increased collaboration: Communicate seamlessly across time zones over multiple media with the use of presence.

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Generation of a shared global context: Usage of chat, wikis, blogs and other social components of a unified communication strategy so that teams across the world share their thinking and develop a shared context.

3.1 Cost Reduction Companies opt to replace their existing communication systems with an integrated IP based UC system. Desktop and telephony communications are integrated (Voice, Data and Conferencing) to provide a superior communication infrastructure at reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Companies are realizing 20 to 40 percent reductions in their annual voice operating costs compared with legacy networks. Usage of UC has had significant impact on the IT overall cost of the company. Generally, the costs to the company for voice communication are not fully visible to IT departments, as many elements are hidden in the operating costs of other business functions, and these costs are reduced or eliminated by the use of UC. While this approach provides companies with quick, incremental gains, it is unlikely to transform the organization; in addition, competitors will soon gain parity. Page 3

Models for adopting Unified Communications

3.2 Increase Collaboration Companies deploy presence in order to increase decision making and responsiveness, providing flexibility in communication end points (videoconferencing, phone, email, handheld devices). Teams seamlessly share code, files and data across the common infrastructure while there is a huge break down time zone and organization barriers. UC’s Collaborative Pillars Pillars

Unify Business Communications

Empower Teams Through Workspaces

Enable Work Anywhere

UC Solution Anywhere-access to real-time and synchronous communications Unified voice mail, e-mail, contact, calendar, IM, and presence data Enriched applications with presence-enabled contextual communications Powerful, built-in mobile and wireless access Extensible platform for integrating collaboration with line-ofbusiness applications Security services allowing secured communication with business partners and customers Help get distributed teams “on the same page” and collaborating together Enable decentralized authoring with team workspaces, blogs and wikis Provide structured authoring with centralized workflow and process controls Include presence, IM, and conferencing capability directly in team workspaces and portal sites Allow teams to work together from different locations, within and across organizational boundaries Integrate document and records management with desktop productivity applications Create team dashboards for tracking and monitoring key performance indicators Deliver line-of-business applications directly to mobile devices Provide mobile access to people and corporate data Reduce costs with remote device management and administration Lower telephony and travel costs with powerful, available communications services

Increasing collaboration provides organizations with benefits from increased responsiveness and better decision making that far outweigh the investments in UC infrastructure.

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Models for adopting Unified Communications

3.3 Generate a Shared Global Context Companies use blogs, wikis, and other interactive UC tools to develop real time collaboration and solutions to problems and bottlenecks, along with an effective way to disseminate information. Communication Enabled Business Processes (CEBPs) are developed across partner companies. Boundaries between work groups and teams are blurred and barriers to communication reduced as information dissemination, feedback and discussions happen in real time. A CEBP example In claims processing, the organization’s goal is to decrease claim close times and improve their closure rate. However, this process is often hampered by several inefficiencies - the paperwork process can be manually intensive; time-sensitive dependencies on member signatures exist, resulting in significant delays in the approval process. A CEBP solution would be implemented to automate and communications-enable the claims process with embedded UC services like: reminders, alerts, and notifications. Quantifiable business results could include: decreased close times; greater agent/specialist productivity, enabling them to spend more time adjusting claims rather than fielding calls on the claims; increased revenue and member satisfaction/retention.

4.

A ROADMAP FOR UC

In order to enable new ways of work and innovation, organizations must adopt CEBPs and answer the question – what can we do with this capability that we can’t do today? The roadmap below helps customers understand their current as well as desired capability and develop a roadmap to develop the UC capabilities. A roadmap for adopting Unified Communications

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Models for adopting Unified Communications

Conclusion Before implementing Unified Communications, companies need to understand the primary benefit that they desire from Unified Communications. Identifying the main benefit helps companies understand the best implementation of UC for the organization. Implementations can provide benefits ranging from cost reduction to increased collaboration to a infrastructure to develop a shared global context.

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Models for adopting Unified Communications

About the Author Avinash Rao is a Sr. Business Consultant with the Product Strategy and Architecture (PSA) consulting practice in Bangalore, India. To understand how Wipro PSA can help you for your Unified Communications implementation, please contact [email protected] . About Wipro Technologies Wipro is the first PCMM Level 5 and SEI CMMi Level 5 certified IT Services Company globally. Wipro provides comprehensive IT solutions and services (including systems integration, IS outsourcing, package implementation, software application development and maintenance) and Research & Development services (hardware and software design, development and implementation) to corporations globally. Wipro's unique value proposition is further delivered through our pioneering Offshore Outsourcing Model and stringent Quality Processes of SEI and Six Sigma. WIPRO CONSULTING SERVICES Wipro Consulting Services partners with you to transform your business through a combination of business insights, technology innovation and deep industry knowledge. Wipro Consulting offers Business Advisory, IT consulting and Program Management services designed to improve business performance, drive operational efficiency and maximize ROI. With experts based in Western Europe, North America, India, Asia Pacific and the Middle East, our integrated Consulting, IT, BPO and Product Engineering services combine the benefits of expert proximity with global leverage to provide the technology edge and speed to your strategic programs. Wipro Consulting Services is a division of the Wipro Ltd (NYSE: WIT), a $5bn enterprise that employs over 90,000 employees across the globe. © Copyright 2008, Wipro Technologies. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission from Wipro Technologies. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners. Specifications are subject to change without notice.

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