Do You Provide Unified Communications Solutions?

By understanding your customers' business needs, you can provide much more than cheaper longdistance service.

Small and large companies alike are starting to realize the potential business benefits of VoIP (voice over Internet Protocol). Such benefits are realized when traditional business applications such as e-mail or CRM (customer relationship management) applications are integrated with IP-based phone systems. "This trend represents the move from VoIP to unified communications [UC]," says Eric Schoch, VP of North American marketing, channels, and distribution, Nortel. "The results of UC are improved communications, resulting in tangible productivity benefits and other business gains."

The key to capitalizing on the UC trend is to understand the technology and business practice changes that are required to make UC possible. It's also important to understand your customers' specific UC needs as well as the appropriate level of application integration. Industry experts from Allworx, Avaya, Nortel, and Objectworld Communications offer their insights on the advantages of UC and the steps you should take and pitfalls to avoid.