The Converged Network

The convergence of data, voice and video communications onto one network has long promised businesses greater efficiency and lower costs. Today, that promise is a reality, thanks to mature solutions that transmit voice and video via Internet Protocol (IP).

You may already be familiar with IP telephony, the foundation for all IP communications solutions. This technology offers you the following benefits:

• Fewer technicians needed to maintain a single network
• The ability to add, move and change phones more economically and easily than with a private branch exchange (PBX)
• Savings on interoffice telephone charges, especially between international locations
• Rapid development and deployment of software-based applications

In addition to the classic benefits of lower communication costs and greater efficiency mentioned above, today's converged network — which carries data, voice and video — offers an unprecedented level of communications control, flexibility and responsiveness.

Boost Individual Productivity
Your employees may find it unwieldy to manage all the communications devices they use throughout the day. But thanks to unified communications solutions, your employees can access all their incoming communications from one in-box — using their device of choice.

For example, a sales representative can retrieve voice messages on her computer or listen to e-mail over the phone. With the addition of a fax server, she can even forward faxes from her in-box (accessible via phone or laptop) to her hotel fax machine while traveling.

This same sales representative can store voice messages in folders (in Lotus Notes or Microsoft Outlook) and forward voicemails as .wav files attached to e-mails. Because she can instantly identify who left each message, she can address the most important calls first, without scrolling through all her messages.

She can also set her own call-routing rules to handle incoming messages. Different callers can receive customized messages with instructions on how best to reach her. And she can tie Microsoft Exchange calendars to her unified communications application, so that callers automatically receive the appropriate message when she is in a meeting or out of the office.

Enhance Customer Contact
The converged network's new capabilities can greatly improve the efficiency of contact centers. IP-based solutions can help representatives answer more calls, complete them in less time and increase customer satisfaction.

Suppose a consumer looking for a new laser printer visits your retail Web site. He finds a promising model but has a few questions, so he initiates a Web chat with your customer-service agent. As the shopper's questions grow increasingly complex, Mr. Smith clicks a “Call Me” button to place a voice call to the agent. In a few minutes, the shopper has all his questions answered and has ordered the printer.

A few days later, Mr. Smith receives his printer, but finds it's missing a toner cartridge. He calls you and is prompted to enter his order number. The call routes to a customer-service agent who receives a screen pop-up that identifies the caller and summarizes his order history. If the call needs to be transferred, the agent can forward the pertinent information so Mr. Smith doesn't have to describe his problem again.

Today's IP solutions can integrate disparate contact centers, using existing phone equipment from different manufacturers, to ensure that all calls are routed for the fastest and most appropriate response. These solutions also gather call statistics and offer detailed reports, so managers can quickly gauge call volumes, average call duration, and so on.

Take Advantage Of Our Expertise

For more information on IP Telephony and converged networks please click here for our Information Sheet on IP Telephony.

We'll be happy to help you assess your needs and upgrade to the best solution for your business. If you want to capture these benefits for your company please contact us at info@inswift.com, or by phone on (480) 899-4600 (Option 1) to arrange for a dialogue about your needs and wants for your growing business.

InSwift Inc. is a Certified Cisco Business Partner and we are happy to show you the benefits that a Cisco Unified Communication system will bring to your business.