While lots of people think Unified Communications (UC) is a nice idea, they don't necessarily see it as inevitable. The debate around fragmented communications, and moving to a more joined up, coherent way of working will help UC gather pace. As higher echelons in the enterprise ultimately decide that UC is for them, the IT manager will then be handed the challenge of deployment. What is less likely is that the task will be fully scoped, with full appreciation of what UC is, or should look like. Confusion about what UC really is about is still rife, thanks in no small part to the vast array of UC solutions in the market, and as yet, limited availability of impartial guidance. In the main, companies still do not know what UC can really do for their business, and what an implementation should actually look like. And the market still suffers from a shortage of solid case studies to reference.
A UC deployment presents no easy task for the IT manager. At the outset, there are lots of 'parts' to UC - voice, video, audio conferencing, messaging, mobility, presence - to name a few. Contrary to popular belief, existence of these within a company does not mean that UC is in place. Rather, it is about how these parts hang together, or are unified.
Unless the IT manager has been given a very clear remit, a crucial start point is bringing in key players from across the organisation. This is not a go-it-alone exercise, and technical considerations need to be tied into company goals. This includes identifying the communications and collaboration needs of different user groups in the company. Not all people will need video conferencing, for example. UC will only have value if people actually use the stuff. This analysis will provide a basis for determining success criteria - essential if the company wants to know whether the UC implementation has been worthwhile (which, of course it will).
From a technical perspective, where to begin with UC will to some extent be determined by what is already in place, in terms of both network infrastructure and applications. E.g. at the underlying basic level, is an IPT installation needed. Some enterprises may choose to begin with existing applications such as messaging, and build down into the network (a somewhat more risky approach, as without proper assessment, unanticipated stress may be placed on the network). Irrespective of this start point, a baby steps approach is much more likely to succeed than a big bang one. Common sense should prevail, and the deployment should be based around applications that are likely to bring quick and identifiable benefits into the organisation, and that are easy to implement/manage. It does not have to incorporate every single application usually quoted under the UC banner. So, if video doesn't tick all those boxes, for example, put it on hold until later. Similarly, don't give people functionality that they just won't use. Again, common sense suggests using a targeted group of people, and assessing how successful that has been before building up and out.
The enterprise will be working with a broader technology set, and this brings with it the need for greater support, whether internal or external. The IT manager may be working with a new toolset, and failure to provision for this can create a weak link in the chain.
The vendor issue is also on the potential headache list. While a single vendor environment is possible, a multi-vendor environment is extremely common, for a number of reasons, but raises the matter of integration. Key questions that fall out of this are: How will different solutions slot together? What are the potential areas of weakness? Do case studies exist for reference?
Once UC is in, then on-going management becomes priority. We've already mentioned the skill set issue, and this is important not just at the point of deployment, but continually. This may be served in part by vendors through a managed service approach, depending on the size and nature of the enterprise.
A final, albeit rather obvious point is, don't forget future proofing. UC is a broad and evolving proposition that encompasses a wide range of technologies. So while video isn't needed today, consider what will happen when it is needed.
There is no hard and fast rule for what UC should be within an organisation - it should be what works in a given situation, and really should be viewed in terms of horses for courses. The key is integration and unification of solutions to create a more powerful overall proposition that delivers tangible benefits to the business. More importantly, UC should be a naturally evolving proposition built on a solid foundation.
Let us know what your experiences with UC have been, both around implementation and how it has evolved within your business.
Monday, August 03, 2009
Catching your clients at moments of need
With mobile service providers offering more and more, in their bid to keep subscribers hooked and move them up the value chain, mobile users really do seem to have it all – high speed networks, sophisticated devices and a myriad of services and content. All of which suggests a win-win scenario if ever there was one. Reality, however, paints a somewhat different picture. Despite this wealth of mobile richness, uptake of mobile services beyond standard telephony and SMS is still pretty patchy.
True, mobile email for business use is gaining a lot of ground, and advanced devices are taking hold in the market, no small thanks to the advent of the iPhone, and the numerous ‘me too’ devices it has generated. However, beyond voice communications and SMS, a lot of mobile use resides around listening to music or playing games, and has yet to move on to more advanced services such as information search, navigation and social networking.
In spite of this limited use of more advanced services, recent research from Freeform Dynamics has highlighted several scenarios or ‘moments of need’ – working away from home or an evening out, to name but two - that users often experience and where such services are seen as valuable. The degree to which a particular service will be of interest will depend upon the context. For example, someone out for the evening may want to look up information about restaurants, show availability, etc.
Unsurprisingly, the most common ‘moment of need’ is when people have time on their hands. This may be when travelling, waiting for transport, waiting to meet friends for coffee etc. It is at such times that interest in information and entertainment services, as well as services that enable interaction with others, is at its highest.
What this points to is the prevalence of ad hoc or opportunistic use. If the mobile service provider is able to take this casual use, where users dip lightly into a broad range of services and turn it into deeper, more consistent usage around one or two specific services, the benefits could be significant. Freeform Dynamics research shows that users who form a deep habit around one particular service are much more likely to extend their use to other services in a more committed manner.
This shift in user behaviour is driven by a number of factors, however, a significant one of which is device capability. This spans ease of navigation, as well as physical input and display characteristics. Those with more capable and accessible devices are more likely to use services at a deeper level. They also take more advantage of advanced services today, and, looking ahead, have a higher affinity for new service adoption in the future.
So what does this mean for the mobile service provider and the market in general? Simply put, encouraging more advanced service use leads to a win/win for both service providers and subscribers. Achieving this requires focus on a number of threads. At one level, a shift in emphasis from individual services to service portfolios and customer level profitability is needed, to create a more targeted, customer-centric approach.
Beyond this, however, the focus sits firmly on the device. Making sure subscribers have advanced devices that are easy to navigate, with a good user interface will make the transition up the value chain much easier.
For more in-depth analysis on this area, take a look at our recently published report, Moments of need: Factors affecting mobile service uptake.
True, mobile email for business use is gaining a lot of ground, and advanced devices are taking hold in the market, no small thanks to the advent of the iPhone, and the numerous ‘me too’ devices it has generated. However, beyond voice communications and SMS, a lot of mobile use resides around listening to music or playing games, and has yet to move on to more advanced services such as information search, navigation and social networking.
In spite of this limited use of more advanced services, recent research from Freeform Dynamics has highlighted several scenarios or ‘moments of need’ – working away from home or an evening out, to name but two - that users often experience and where such services are seen as valuable. The degree to which a particular service will be of interest will depend upon the context. For example, someone out for the evening may want to look up information about restaurants, show availability, etc.
Unsurprisingly, the most common ‘moment of need’ is when people have time on their hands. This may be when travelling, waiting for transport, waiting to meet friends for coffee etc. It is at such times that interest in information and entertainment services, as well as services that enable interaction with others, is at its highest.
What this points to is the prevalence of ad hoc or opportunistic use. If the mobile service provider is able to take this casual use, where users dip lightly into a broad range of services and turn it into deeper, more consistent usage around one or two specific services, the benefits could be significant. Freeform Dynamics research shows that users who form a deep habit around one particular service are much more likely to extend their use to other services in a more committed manner.
This shift in user behaviour is driven by a number of factors, however, a significant one of which is device capability. This spans ease of navigation, as well as physical input and display characteristics. Those with more capable and accessible devices are more likely to use services at a deeper level. They also take more advantage of advanced services today, and, looking ahead, have a higher affinity for new service adoption in the future.
So what does this mean for the mobile service provider and the market in general? Simply put, encouraging more advanced service use leads to a win/win for both service providers and subscribers. Achieving this requires focus on a number of threads. At one level, a shift in emphasis from individual services to service portfolios and customer level profitability is needed, to create a more targeted, customer-centric approach.
Beyond this, however, the focus sits firmly on the device. Making sure subscribers have advanced devices that are easy to navigate, with a good user interface will make the transition up the value chain much easier.
For more in-depth analysis on this area, take a look at our recently published report, Moments of need: Factors affecting mobile service uptake.
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