Where To Start
The parallel developments in unified communications and mobility are simply too important not to merge them. There are a few important steps companies can take today to start moving down this path.
>> Develop a mobility initiative: Most companies are still treating mobility as a cost to be managed rather than a capability to be capitalized on for business returns. This effort should be led by IT professionals with good systems sense, the ability to work in rapidly evolving environments, and a solid understanding of wireless networks.
>> Take inventory: Assess where you are in terms of both your UC deployment and your mobile strategy. If necessary, yank UC out of the hands of the "voice people" and link it to desktop initiatives, like e-mail and IM. A mobile inventory should involve your cellular carriers, devices, ecosystems (iPhone, Android, BlackBerry), and mobile applications plans.
>> Go talk to your business units: Line-of-business managers are heavily invested in mobility today and are well aware of developments on the consumer side. You will have to show why it's important to incorporate UC; our surveys show user malaise as a key reason many initiatives falter.
>> Get some pilots going: Once you know what you've got and what your business units are looking for, put together a plan to close the gap. Given the early stage of development for many mobile UC products, the early stages of your plan may involve a good deal of pilot testing. Pay particular attention to user interfaces and calling procedures. Most users are unwilling to abandon the familiar features of their smartphones, so get as many of the available options as possible into users' hands as soon as possible to see if they measure up.
Michael Finneran is an independent consultant specializing in wireless technologies, mobile unified communications, and fixed-mobile convergence. Write to us at [email protected].
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