BENEFITS

Increased productivity

Presence information allows employees to see which colleagues are available on any given day and whether they are busy at any particular time. This enables the employees to make informed decisions about the best method of contact, in order to produce the quickest and most efficient response. If a colleague is unavailable, the employee can see why and for how long. They can then decide whether to send an e-mail or SMS, to leave a voicemail or to call when the colleague is available again.

Efficient remote working

UC also allows employees to see which remote colleagues are available, and vice versa. The NEC Philips solution enables telephony control via the PC and includes features such as hold, transfer, directory access, conferencing and ‘click to dial’ functionality. Remote workers can easily see who is trying to contact them and have the full range of response methods at their fingertips.

Optimised working methods

By incorporating the company directory and databases, employees can retain a single contact identity for all methods of communication. Contacting a colleague is a simple matter of locating their directory entry and initiating the chosen method of communication through an easy point and click.

Secure communications

Within an overall UC solution, instant messaging (IM) via the LCS/OCS provides many advantages compared to generic IM applications. To begin with, it provides added levels of security that can also be enhanced and personalised to a company’s needs. Furthermore, all IM communications are logged and users can return to previous messages. Sending files via IM is also secure and the incorporation of Microsoft Sharepoint means that the latest version of any document is always available to users.

Reduced costs

Having a range of communications options at your fingertips inevitably leads to cost savings, not least of all by minimising mobile phone usage. The ability to video conference can also result in reduced travel costs. Since all telephony functions are controlled via the PC, there is no longer any need to invest in expensive, feature-rich handsets. The most basic desk phone, softphone or headset is all that’s needed.