When appropriately deployed, UC technologies can increase revenue and reduce costs by streamlining communications and eliminating communications bottlenecks in business processes. Efficient processes can shorten cycle times and reduce staffing requirements. But before you make any significant investment in UC – for example, an investment in a new IP-PBX, desktop devices, mobility solutions, or conferencing systems or services – it is important to find out whether and how the technology will actually deliver business benefits or cost reductions.
There is more to getting the value from UC than simply upgrading to the next generation technology from your telephony vendor. Careful analysis, roadmap option development, technology mapping, and vendor RFQs/RFPs will produce a plan to deliver cost efficiency and organizational competitiveness. After working with UniComm Consulting, clients are confident that they are spending the right amount for the right technology. Often they spend less than anticipated because they do not buy something they don’t need.
UniComm consulting engagements range from fixed price projects, such as a one-day review of UC plans or a one-week UC opportunity assessment, to extensive planning or implementation projects based on an agreed scope of work. Our role can vary from being a subject matter expert who participates in key meetings, to being an integral part of the core project team, to taking a leadership role for project direction and completion. In every client engagement our clear focus is to optimize the outcome for your business. We use tried and true methods and processes in our engagements, and we always tailor our methodology to the specific needs of your organization.
UniComm Consulting offers this menu of services:
We help you understand Unified Communications and Collaboration (UC & C) and Social Business and the opportunities for your enterprise. Using proven methods and tools, we learn about your company’s business environment and goals. We identify likely areas for UC solutions, and propose a customized 3- to 5-year roadmap and a strategic action plan for a successful UC implementation. If you already have a strategic plan for UC implementation, we can review your plan and make specific recommendations.
UC is best deployed by pinpointing key opportunities to improve specific business processes and documenting the specific user profiles that will capture the opportunity. We can:
UniComm Consulting can assist you in creating and presenting a solid justification and business case for your UC&C investment roadmap. We combine our understanding of the communications-intensive workflows in your business processes with our deep knowledge of the UC&C successes achieved across many industry sectors by our clients and other enterprises. We also draw on the UC&C-based results cited in vendor case studies. Because we also have experience in financial management for large and small enterprises, our analysis will be thorough and understandable by your decision-making leadership team.
With our many years of experience in UC solution design and implementation, we know which UC solutions, including technology configurations and application definitions, work best in specific industries. We know the key factors that ensure success with UC. Working from the strategic UC plan for your business, we assist you in designing UC solutions that will deliver maximum benefit to your organization. We help you develop the most effective implementation plan for those solutions.
If your UC plan calls for new equipment or new vendor partners, we help you select the best communications system components and the best vendor partners for your UC solutions and your existing infrastructure. Our support can range from providing product and service specifications for potential vendors all the way to creating multi-vendor RFPs. UniComm Consulting can manage the process, coordinate with the vendors, and assist your team in evaluating and selecting the best vendor(s) for your requirements. Our RFP support builds on our proprietary UC-specific RFP templates and supporting analysis tools, so the process will proceed thoroughly and efficiently. UniComm Consulting is an independent consulting firm and has no commercial ties to any supplier, so we give you our best recommendations based solely on your business needs.
We provide a range of services that help assure a successful UC implementation. While we do not install new systems, we can review implementation plans, participate in key meetings, take responsibility for vendor or project management, and provide other specialized assistance.
New UC solutions often require changes in current business practices. Management and staff are comfortable with existing procedures, and some may resist the changes. To ensure that you achieve the targeted business results from the UC solutions, we assist you in developing change management programs to help your employees adopt and own the new practices.
As UC thought leaders and presenters at major industry events, customer gatherings, user groups, and webinars; and as frequent contributors to UC website posts, we can very effectively package UC educational modules for your teams. We can do this as a standalone project or as part of a broader engagement. Educational modules can be tailored for a specific audience such as the internal project team, technical staff, operational management, or senior management. Education helps everyone involved to understand the context of the UC initiative and the importance of making the proper UC investments.
UniComm team members are selected based on the knowledge and skill needed for your project. They will have keen expertise and years of relevant experience. Usually we assign a UniComm project team for the duration of the engagement. We work closely with members of your staff to share expertise, transfer knowledge, and help your staff become self-sufficient.
UniComm Consulting has helped companies in many industries successfully plan and implement their UC strategies. We are confident that we can help your organization too. We welcome your call for an introductory no-charge consultation. Click here to contact us.