According to the International Engineering Consortium, unified communications is an industry term used to describe all forms of call and multimedia/cross-media message-management functions controlled by an individual user for both business and social purposes. This includes any enterprise informational or transactional application process that emulates a human Unify Dropshipping Agency user and uses a single, content-independent personal messaging channel (mailbox) for contact access.
Technical Mumbo
So what does all this technical mumbo jumbo mean to the average person? Basically it is the process of taking business phone systems communications out of the Phone Companies hands & placing it under a Broadband Internet connection instead. Unified communications take advantage of new technologies to integrate and streamline messages from many sources. For instance, a unified messaging system lets you access multiple phone lines, call centers, e-mail, fax and instant messaging from one place. These solutions break down communications barriers so that it's easier and faster for you to find, reach and communicate with other people, and vice versa.
Depending on where you are and what the situation requires, your preference for the device you use (cell phone, PDA, notebook desktop computer, fax machine) is likely to change, as is the mode of communicating (traditional phone service, IP telephony, cell phone, call center, text message, IM, etc.). Everyone else is in the same boat. So, while it's nice to have all these handy tools, it's a chore to remember different numbers, and to constantly check different services for messages.
Unified Communications
The idea of unified communications is to take all of the forms of communication used by a business & combine them into one easy to use access point. This could include combining VoIP, video conferencing, email, messaging, cell phones, call centers, home phones, office phones etc.
In discussions of unified communications, the term "presence" is often brought up. This is another industry term used to describe the availability and willingness of a person to communicate. An example of presence would be an Instant Messaging service that allows your contacts to indicate whether they are available, using a status update. Presence can also describe the ability to not only know if someone is unavailable, but to also know where your contact is & how you can get a hold of them.
Even if your presence can be monitored and shared with unified communications, contacting you might still be difficult if your access point (email address, office phone, home phone, cell phone etc) is not available or known. Now say you have five ways to be contacted, would your contacts like to keep or know five different pieces of information to be able to contact you anytime they want? With unified communications, you will have one access point (one number) through which people can contact you, whether they are using their computer's instant messenger, their softphone, their IP phone, email etc.
A list of services that could be integrated using unified communications:
• Unified messaging and multimedia service - This includes voice communication in all its forms, voicemail, email, fax and other types of multimedia elements like pictures, animations, video etc.
• Real-time communications - Real-time systems involve getting immediate processing and response after input. Examples are conferencing, call screening, instant messaging, paging etc.
• Data services- This includes information delivery like web data, online services etc.
• Transactions- This covers transactions made online, through the web or otherwise, like e-commerce, enterprise applications, online banking etc.
• So how can this work for your business? Below is a list of examples of how integrating your business phone system to a unified communications solution can work for you:
• People that rely on mobility for their business can remain connected with their softphones or wireless IP handsets even when they are outside the office or home.
• Enterprises can considerably reduce costs incurred for accommodating workers, with all the implications, by allowing them to work from home. Moreover, foreign human resource can be tapped from at no increased cost and without Unify Dropshipping Agency the normal delays due to geographical distance.
• Web and video conferencing calls will allow for better interactivity and subsequently better productivity, thereby reducing the cost on travel and telecoms.
• There will be less bills to worry about, as you might be having all your services from one single provider, and be reached through one single number.
• No matter what your occupation is, these days you're likely to be on the go, or working from different locations throughout the course of your work week. Unified communications can help you get your tasks done more efficiently.