Tom Moore is the Sales Manager at Source in Dallas. As he waits to board his flight to Denver to meet with a potential partner he checks his BlackBerry to see what is happening with his sales team. He sees a Request for Callback to answer a question about pricing to close a sale. He listens to a voice message from his PR rep about an interview with a business reporter, checks his calendar, sees the person is in via buddy presence, and gives a call on the spot to discuss some dates and times.
This is the power of mobile unified communications (MUC) applications. They let users see who is contacting them and by which channel over their wireless devices. It also enables effective contact management by taking the calls or messages, letting them go to voicemail, or arranging callbacks.
MUC gives Tom the same ability to successfully carry out his tasks from any location. His staff and customers can obtain the assistance and service they need when they need it. He can obtain a critical message, respond immediately and prioritize his contacts. The company is therefore able to maximize sales and revenues by using time more efficiently.
It also permits presence. For example, Zeacom’s ZCC’s Executive Mobile enables real-time viewing of who is available and whether on the phone or not with a single push of a button.
The marketplace is steadily embracing MUC, if initially only at the higher end. Forrester Research found 83% of respondents evaluating, piloting and implementing various applications. Yet Frost and Sullivan found that a majority of SMEs have not yet adopted this technology. Potential users cite the complexity of applications and challenges in defining ROI.
In this situation resellers can make a difference. SMEs can benefit from expertise in explaining benefits, recommending the best solutions and calculating ROI. Businesses need partners who can customize, install, test and debug MUC applications, integrate them with other software like CRM, be there for burn-in and ongoing tech support, and alert them of and enable upgrades. The key to making this happen is simplicity. Time-short and resources-limited organizations want one-stop-shopping to buy, install, test, debug, use, and of course see ROI.
One solution for these needs is recommending a flexible single-sourced application, rather than patching or mashups from different vendors. This provides seamless operation with minimal IT footprints that limit computer resource demand and have fewer potential failure points. There is one set of administration and reporting tools that controls costs and hassles.
With the right MUC solution your clients will not only get through today’s harsh climate but will also have the tools to grow when brighter days appear.
More at zeacom.com.
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