Unified Communications Solutions

The next step - Unified Communications?

Unified Communications promises big benefits in terms of lower overheads and greater productivity. New business solutions will support mobile and flexible working and integrate communications with databases and applications. These new technologies will bring enormous business benefits in terms of productivity - for example finding people and contacting them more quickly.

Meanwhile, the same technology can reduce operational costs. For example, it can combine voice and data into one infrastructure and reduce travel by enabling online collaboration.

A typical Maxima converged solution involves the following components;

• Help clients develop their Unified Communications strategy
• Assess the benefits of increased productivity and collaboration
• Perform readiness audits of the existing infrastructure
• IP PBX selection, design and build based on client availability needs
• Design underlying network and telephony infrastructure
• Interconnect to TDM and PSTN voice networks
• Unified Messaging and application integration
• Voice and Video Conferencing
• 24x7 support and remote monitoring
• Include telephony in business continuity plans

The question is - how do you to ascertain the best approach and how can you ensure success? Maxima's Unified Communications Division has experienced, expert consultants who can be at your disposal, and assist you, as you plan the next step.

Business Benefits - Unified Communications:

• A better work life balance from flexible working
• Less cost - one network carries both voice and data
• Faster access to data, when and where it's needed, through integrated comms
• Faster business processes, for example salesmen get CRM data and  autodialing by linking comms and applications
• Contacting colleagues faster with one number for fixed and mobile phones
• Prioritise emails, telephone and mobile calls more easily
• Reduced business travel, supporting the green agenda
• A streamlined supply chain
• Conferencing and collaboration tools for information sharing over distance
• IP Telephony for free calls to branch offices

There are different models for deploying Unified Communications. It may be introduced at one core location or in branch offices or as a hosted service.  There may also be a hybrid approach where some of the components are hosted and the others installed on the premises.

A business that considers Unified Communications to be the next step forwards may wish to start by conducting a thorough review of its infrastructure. This will ascertain which areas of the networks require investment and the best way to introduce changes and new capabilities. Maxima's experience and expertise is invaluable here. With a number of successful projects already completed, Maxima has a genuine, detailed understanding of this relatively new field of communications - not just the technical solutions, but also the business requirements and how to assess the return that the new technology will deliver over time.