Beyond the network: Getting the benefits of Open Communications is not 'All about the Network'. Why you need a solutions integration and services view on top of that.
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Why are communications so important? No matter whether you work in the public or private sector, nor how large or small your organisation is, communications are at or very near the heart of all you do. At the most basic level, if people don't communicate, things just don't get done. If they mis-communicate, misunderstandings occur - and in the worse case, misunderstandings lead to wars! At a more prosaic level, communications enables the exchange of knowledge, the development of ideas and the propagation of information. This is why countless billions of pounds, euros and dollars have been poured into communications networks over the centuries.
But still many information and communications technology vendors appear not to understand that communications is all about people, about human interaction - and very little to do with technology. Think of some of the catch phrases coined by IT manufacturers to help sell their products and services: "The network is the computer" from Sun Microsystems; "The Intelligent Information Network" from Cisco Systems. These are just two that come to mind. Catchy though these slogans are, they suggest the wrong approach to communications. Whilst networks are important, it is also important to remember the networks are no more than plumbing which links the pumps that drive the business: the people are the pumps.
This is why it is so important to have a cohesive communications strategy which not only satisfies the basic networking requirements for voice, video and data communications but also takes into account the impact on the users today, tomorrow and way into the future. Having said that, day to day business imperatives must also be addressed by the communications strategy: for profit makers these will include making money, saving money and getting the best use of assets, be they organic or otherwise; for public bodies the drivers are cost effective provision of appropriate services, compliance with political directives and, common to both, getting the best use of assets.
Easy to say, but not so easy to do. It is a truism that development of a communications strategy was somewhat less complicated in the past than it is now. It will be even more complex in the future. Yesterday, communications was split in to voice and data, and perhaps video. Different departments were responsible for each. Today and tomorrow, the convergence of these widely differing media is on the agenda. Everyman and (more importantly) every CEO and managing director has now heard of VoIP and wants to know what it will do for them.
Moreover, the need to meld computing resources and communications infrastructure into one 'unified communications' entity is looming over the horizon. Never before have those responsible for information and communications technology strategy and implementation been faced with so many choices, with so much riding on the right ones. As Filippo Passerini, CIO at Procter and Gamble said: "We are not clear what is the right thing to do. If we make a strategic mistake it will be difficult to undo what we did."
Not surprisingly, the CIO's and ICT directors of the world are asking for guidance. What are the key elements of Unified Communications that we need to be cognisant of? A good place to start would be to take a holistic view of your strategy. Don't just think in terms of manufacturers and systems integrators, or products and services. Look for a solution to your problem that addresses each and every aspect, not just one or two.
At this point we have to be somewhat provocative. A small number of large vendors would suggest that their offerings and theirs alone can solve all your problems. That they can provide an 'end to end solution' which will do the job 'just so'. With respect, they don't get it. They don't understand that in today's unified communications world no one single vendor has all the answers. No one single vendor can provide all the hardware and software needed from the desktop to the data centre, from the softphone on a PC to the mobile phone in your pocket. It just isn't possible and those that try will end up being a 'jack of all trades and master of none'.
So what should the savvy CIO be looking for in a Unified Communications vendor? Aside from the unique requirements that will differentiate the solution that is right for you, but not your direct competitor down the road, there are five key elements you should consider when selecting the right unified communications vendor:
Track record. Don't choose a vendor that only got into the game a few years back. Whilst they may be the ones making all the noise, they won't have the deep understanding of all aspects of a unified communications solution: the voice, the data, the applications and the service wrap that makes it all come together.
There are vendors out there who have been round the block when it comes to all these important aspects. They know voice well. They have done the data side for years. They offer a range of unified communications applications that actually work together rather than just having the word 'unified' in the product name. Last but not least, they can offer a range of services from basic supply through to a full managed service - you can choose.
Open standards. Don't choose a vendor which hasn’t demonstrated their commitment to open standards with deeds as well as words. White papers and positioning documents are all very well, but ask the vendors to prove that they have delivered on open standards not just once but time and time again. If you don't, you risk lock-in, and all the frustration and costs that come with it.
To check on your vendors' commitment to open standards, ask them to put in writing that they will meet all the standards you want them to meet and by what date they will do so. Ask them to demonstrate interoperability with other vendors systems, endpoints and applications. Ask them for reference sites where other users will confirm their commitment to open standards.
Risk sharing. There are vendors out there who tell a good story about their products, and services - they have great slideware. They show you just how you can transform your communications by implementing their solutions 'just like Joe did'. But when it comes time to put it all together and make it work, you are on your own. If asked about after-sales service and the response is "That's a matter for our channel partner. Speak to them" you should beware. It means that once the sales is made, they will effectively 'wash their hands' of you.
But not all vendors are like that. Some will not only supply the equipment and software, but the services too. This is scorned by those who no longer do it as being somewhat 'old-fashioned' - but when you are in need of help, it's great to know that the guys that built the solutions are there to help you make it work they way you want!
It may not surprise you that Siemens Enterprise Communications has a different view on how to satisfy your requirements. A view that puts you and your organisational requirements at the centre of the debate. Our Open Communications open up a new world of business efficiency.
By embracing new ways of working you can streamline your organisation, increase profitability and be more competitive in your market. But to do this to best effect, it makes sense to work with the leading solution provider in the Open Communications market - Siemens Enterprise Communications.
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