News: unified communications

22nd June 2015

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Being twice winner of the North East Business Awards for Customer Service, we are very proud of how we communicate with existing and potential customers. We take a matter of fact view to our interaction; a no nonsense way of explaining what is best for their chosen communication route. No hidden agendas, no false promises.

A recent government scheme has been introduced to enable eligible businesses access to better, quicker broadband. With the improvement of broadband connectivity, businesses will be able to have seamless contact to remote workers, video conferencing which will reduce travel time and expense, clearer and more reliable VoIP telephony and Cloud technology for storing and saving data.

This is a great scheme for a totally free grant of £3,000 towards the investment of new infrastructure and improving your current internet connectivity.

It really is great news. We, like many other telecommunication and IT specialists are registered as suppliers on a national database, and are busy helping businesses flourish by getting them technologically equipped for the rigors of having an online footprint and trading in the digital world.

We have seen first-hand and been advised of various offers that have been made to potential customers regarding the scheme. Some of the offers are unethical and some totally fraudulent, such as ‘Cash Back’ and ‘Shared Ownership’.

We thought we would clarify and bullet point what the essential facts are, so you can be clear on what you can get:
- The voucher scheme is for installation of equipment only.
- You have less than 250 staff.
- You have not had €250,000 of government grants.
- Offer a minimum of 20 Mbit/s services and capable of being configured/upgraded to support at least 30 Mbit/s services.
You will not be able to offset any of the £3,000 on any on-going monthly charges for calls or services; this is purely for the infrastructure for broadband. You will have to commit to at least a six month broadband agreement with your supplier.

You are not in one of the following sectors: fishery and aquaculture primary production, processing and marketing of agriculture products, coal, steel and shipbuilding.

Part of our longevity in business has been sageness to claims that over promise and under deliver, so if you would like to have a no nonsense conversation with us, we will be able to de-mystify the scheme and clarify what you can and can’t get for your free £3,000.

Or visit the Government website for more information by clicking here

https://www.gov.uk/broadband-delivery-uk
Running a successful department or business has many contributing factors, one of which is the well being of employees and the massive impact they have on the customer experience and ultimately the profitability of the business.

There has been a changing trend for companies to recognise that getting the work – life balance right for its employees, can have a positive impact on individual’s attitude and ultimately the overall productivity in the workforce.

It is a legal right for employees to request flexible working, and giving employees the option to work from home is one of the ways in which telecommunications, in particular unified communications can produce a happy workforce.

Being flexible to employees gives them a sense of well being and creates loyalty to the employer. From allowing the lone parent to work remotely when their child is ill, to the senior executive who travels the length of the country Monday to Friday time to return home Thursday night and to work on Friday catching up on emails and administration.

Having a trusted telecommunication partner to deliver your unified communications or UC, as it is also known, is crucial to making flexible working work well, as unified communications is more than just having broadband, landline and mobile. It incorporates real time connectivity, such as extension mobility, instant messaging and telepresence, such as audio and video conferencing.

UC makes it possible to make and receive calls from a business telephone number, which in practical terms takes away the difficulty of locating a contact number for that employee by the caller. By having single number reach, you have one phone number to contact that employee wherever they may be; in the office, working remotely or in transit between the two.

If unified communications is something that you are considering here is our guide for the essentials:

Getting the infrastructure right is essential for seamless flexible working. Here are our top recommendations:

Business specification broadband with minimum 3mbps download and 1 mbps uploads.
- - Separate to data broadband
  - FTTC or Leased line is the best option for main office usage
- IP desk phones for the office and off site location.
- Windows or mac, PC or laptop with internet enabled WIFI or 3g.
- Android or IOS – 3G, 4G, or WIFI needed on Smartphone for internet connectivity.
If you would like to find out more about unified communications, call us on 01642 661800 or email post@odssey-systems.co.uk
Unified Communications, put simply, is the integration of real-time communication such as IP telephony and web or video conferencing with non real-time communication services like email, voicemail and SMS.

The term doesn’t describe a single product, but an umbrella of products that provide a consistent unified user interface across multiple devices and media types.

‘Unified Communications’, or UC as it is often called, describes the technology that enables both data and messages to reach the recipient, as quickly and simply as possible.

This means we are able to contact anyone, anywhere in the world, in real-time.

What are the benefits of Unified Communications?

A message from a variety of sources can be brought to a single source
- One number can be assigned to a person, reaching their mobile device, home telephone or office telephone system, allowing calls to follow the individual or push/pull between devices without the need to disconnect and reconnect.
- Voicemail-to-email sends a voicemail audio file to the recipient’s email address.
- A downloadable client allows click-to-dial functionality which is commonly used with email software and any web browser.
- In a disaster recovery situation calls can be redirected to any number allowing business continuity
Unified Communication is a method of getting important information quickly, regardless of the situation. UC can result in increased productivity as well as customer and employee satisfaction.

What should you be looking for in a unified communications provider?
- A business class dedicated internet connection
- A solution that can be easily adapted with the change of business needs
- Quality of Service (QoS)
- A security solution so that both your network, and devices are covered
- Emergency back up and disaster recovery so that communications are still accessible in any situation.
At Odyssey Systems, we can design and install a unified communications solution based on the specific needs of your business, just as we did for one of our other clients, PROACTIS. If you are looking for us to do the same for you, speak to one of our experts on 01642 661800 or email us at post@odyssey-systems.co.uk