Increased Productivity Via Unified Communications

All over the world, productivity is increasing by leaps and bounds. This development had been noted by CEOs and managers as due to the upswing of the business and technology trend referred as unified communications.

Basically, it is the streamlining of all types of communications in order to increase the efficiency of information-sharing.

Unified communications is a business and technology trend that has been on the upsurge for a few years now. The term refers to the streamlining of all types of communications in order to increase the efficiency of sharing information. Any business that wishes to improve productivity should consider learning more about the tools that are available to unify communications.

Unified Communications

As the name itself suggests, unified communications says it all: it is connecting all forms of communications so that you can easily integrate them. An example would be voice calls and email together so that you may receive a message in one form (voice mail) but answer in another form (email).

There is now a variety of different tools and software programs that are available to create unified communications. Some examples are the following:

VoIP

The VoIP service was one of the first tools to begin unifying communications. This is a phone service routed through the Internet. It allows for easy integration of online information with voice interaction.

With VoIP, it is possible to easily access and send files to someone you are speaking with.

Mobile phones

Today, mobile phones are now capable of playing a big role in unified communications because you can use them to retrieve calls, exchange information, and being able to access the web and IM programs.

Google and other web services

With Google Voice, it is easy to archive and retrieve information from voice mail messages. Phone calls are converted into text and can be saved and searched online. This service also allows you to use one phone number to be reached at all phones, which actually is another method of streamlining communications.

Solutions

The above services are examples that combine some aspects of communication. However, there are also true unified communications software solutions that offer much more integration of services.

These services can combine voice, email, IM, fax, collaboration, conferencing, file sharing and more to have completely integrated communication.

Goals

Unified communications sets to increase the efficiency of business communications. Information that can be received in various forms can now be responded to with more immediacy than information passed through only one form.

Communications with more than one person, communications while traveling and the easy archiving and searching of all types of messages are some of the ways that efficiency (productivity) may be increased with unified communications.

Productivity

When businesses are able to use their time efficiently, they are able to maximize their productivity. Being able to communicate easily in various forms is the goal. Communications are now faster, delays are reduced, and organized archiving and retrieval of information are two of the biggest benefits of unified communications.