The Basics

First, consider your current communications usage:

• The types of technologies you use (Traditional Phones, Cell Phones, E-Mail, Instant Messaging, Voicemail)
• The number of communication devices and users
• Your existing network infrastructure (Wired, Wireless, VPN)
• Types of users - ranging from users with minimal communication requirements and low call volumes to busy call answering positions with comprehensive feature needs
• Number and length of incoming and outgoing calls per day - both long distance and local
• Number of other electronic communications exchanges per day
• Frequently contacted locations and individuals
• Peak time for phone use
• Frequently used communication features
• Common frustrations and painpoints with your existing systems
• Phone line needs for voice, fax, data

Next, think about future requirements:

• How would you like to communicate and how do you need to communicate
• What changes in communications usage might occur over the next few years
• Are you planning to add employees or branch offices
• What are your staff's needs and highest priority communication features
• Ask customers and suppliers for input

Review what you have learned and identify:

• Number of physical devices you'll need (Include special requirements such as voice conferencing units in meeting rooms)
• Is your network prepared to handle your communications needs
• High-priority features and capabilities you'll want available on each desktop
• The amount of growth capacity you will need to support your business plan
• The availability of additional applications to support changing or evolving business needs

Other things to consider:

Reliability

Your communications system is your company's lifeline! Who can afford to miss calls or lose data while a system is down? Trouble-free use of your system, day in and day out, should be a minimum expectation. Any system you purchase should come backed by a guarantee.

Ease of use

A large percentage of the frustrations staff experience is directly related to the technology they use in their jobs. A communications system can have all the latest bells and whistles, but won't save time or money if it's confusing to use. Look for features such as a display window that provides instructions while you are using your phone. Programmable buttons let each user customize his or her phone to specific user needs. You should also consider phones that offer high-quality built-in speakers and headset jacks.

Cost-effectiveness

You can have big-company features with a small-company budget. The right communications system should provide a measurable return on your investment, as well as simplifying phone use. Special software can save you money by tracking billable activities and generating reports on incoming and outgoing calls. Some systems even have tools to reduce the need for external system maintenance. Protect your investment by buying a system that can be easily upgraded as your needs change or new features become available.

Flexibility

A flexible system allows you to easily make modifications as needed. Add a call center for a product launch or a wireless solution that allows the key members of your team to remain available as they move around your office. Flexibility can also include the capability to quickly and easily change the way your system is programmed. With some phone systems, programming can be done using a PC in your office. This decreases the need for costly programming administration and allows the users of the system to make changes to optimize available features.

Easily upgraded for growth

Being able to take advantage of changing technology without scrapping your whole system is imperative for protecting your investment. As your business grows you want a communications system that can grow with you. Look for a communications system with open architecture that allows both the hardware and software to be upgraded easily.

Unified Communications

Unified Communications integrates multiple communications technologies into a single intuitive interface:

• Presence allows people to see who is available for instant communication
• Instant Messaging provides text based instant communication
• Enterprise Voice allows for voice communication from traditional client devices and software applications
• Conferencing can start from any form of communication (IM,Voice,Web or Video) and evolve as needed to any other form
• Integrated conferencing saves money by eliminating hosted conferencing solutions

Voice Messaging

Voice messaging systems are designed to take messages but can do so much more:

• Auto attendant directs incoming calls by providing callers with a list of options, which can include reaching an individual, a mailbox or a receptionist. Auto attendant can answer calls when the receptionist is busy or provide information such as office hours when the business is closed.
• Visual message waiting indication can be provided locally on your phone set or you can be notified of a message at another location or on your cell phone.
• Voice messages can be seamlessly exchanged with other users at different locations when networked together. Broadcast messages can be sent to specific departments or the entire company to keep your employees informed of business issues or highlights.
• Unified messaging lets you manage voice, e-mail and faxes from your computer when you're in the office or remote.

Contact Centers

When there are several people answering similar kinds of telephone calls, (at an order desk, reservations office, in a customer service department or technical support center) contact center is the way to go. Contact centers systematically hold calls in a queue and efficiently routes them to your staff. A contact center can organize and manage call distribution for as few as two agents or as many as 100. Systems with flexible routing and can be customized. You can send VIP callers to special agents automatically, bypassing any hold time or unnecessary prompting to access their account information. Before a call is transferred to an agent, you can broadcast a recorded announcement about a special promotion or new product. (Research has shown that up to 34 percent of callers will ask about products or services advertised while they are on hold) In addition, you also have the option to include a multimedia contact center which allows you to offer enhanced services from your website such as click to talk and web chat to find the information you're looking for.

A contact center will help you:

• Answer more calls with the same number of staff.
• Cut long ringing and hold times.
• Increase revenues.
• Reduce costs.
• Improve customer service.
• Call center reporting software helps you manage the peaks and troughs in call traffic.

Integrated Voice and Data Solutions

All voice and data traffic will eventually run on a single unified network because of the cost savings involved. Reduced operating costs, improved customer service, employee productivity with advanced applications, and simplified local or remote network management are all possible now. Combining the potentially numerous pieces of voice and data communications equipment into a single fully integrated communications platform can mean faster response times and  lower costs of ownership.

When considering an integrated solution, look for a system with the flexibility to change with your needs. Also look for a vendor with a loyal customer base, a proven record in the industry and the longevity to maintain your system for years to come.

Enhanced Features and Capabilities

You can choose from a range of enhanced features:

• Unified messaging
  • Combine your voice messages, e-mail and faxes into one in-box on your PC.
• Rich media services
  • Enhance productivity and customer contact with collaborative multimedia capabilities such as instant messaging and chat sessions, video conferencing, personalized call and presence management.
• Computer Telephony Integration (CTI)
  • Combine the intelligence of your phone system with the power of your PC to enable applications such as point-and-click dialing or automatic file retrieval based on your customers' incoming calling line identification.
• Office-to-Office networking
  • Enable four-digit dialing between locations, the ability to transfer voicemail messages to anyone on the network or the option to have voice traffic carried over an existing data network. This is particularly useful for Doctor's/Dentist that have more than one office and rotate between locations.
• Quality of Service
  • Guarantee data delivery for time-sensitive applications such as voice calls.
• Contact center with voice and data capability.Broad range for desktop telephones.
• Mobility for vertical markets.

How can businesses ensure that time and distance does not become a barrier to productive collaboration? What's the best way to provide connectivity for employees -- like healthcare professionals, plant supervisors and retail sales associates -- who are often on the move?

Mobility solutions are designed specifically to meet the needs and budgets of small to medium-sized businesses. Wherever your employees must stay in touch throughout a building -- with a full set of voice and data features -- we have the mobility solution to fit. Mobility benefits include:

• Improve productivity and customer care
  • Access your email, the Internet and voicemail all from your wireless device regardless of where you are.
• Clear conversations and continuous coverage
  • Move freely from one area of the office to another without fear of dropping their connection.
• Voice mobility throughout the workplace
  • Reach employees directly wherever they are -- at their desks, in a meeting, in the warehouse or on the showroom floor.

Are you concerned about the increasing complexity of your network - and how to manage it? Do your employees need to share software applications, printers, modems, and fax machines? Did you know that some solutions may save or even make you money, without forcing you to replace your existing network?

Avaya's SMB Data Networking Solutions are specifically designed to provide cost-effective bandwidth; to deliver the performance and resiliency needed to keep voice and other business-critical applications running -- now and into the future.

Cisco's Linksys Business Series, and Catalyst Series switches provide easy to use, cost effective switching features. The right mix of performance and features to start up your business network.

Cisco's Business Networking Portfolio

Cisco Small Business Managed Switches support:

• Flexibility: A variety of port and speed combinations gives you the freedom to match the best product to your price and performance needs. No matter their size, all Cisco managed switches offer outstanding functionality.
• Security: Advanced security measures keep your network and data safe by only granting access to privileged users only.
• Reliability: Managed switches offer a number of redundancy and quality features to help maximize your network's uptime. Your business can keep moving forward without the hindrances of untimely network disasters or spotty connection issues.
• Expandability: Cisco Small Business Managed Switches support a variety of quality and power protocols that you may not need at first. As your business grows and you're ready for more advanced network deployments, however, these features will be able to handle them.
• Affordability: A Cisco Small Business Unmanaged Switch is designed with your unique business needs in mind. You don't have to commit extra resources or trained staff to get your switch up and running, and you don't have to exceed your budget to get a premium networking solution.
  • Ethernet routing switches
  • Converged routing platforms
  • Wireless LAN/mobility solutions
  • Application switches and optimization solutions
  • Security solutions
  • Management solutions
  • In failure scenarios, Nortel has been shown to recover up to 7x faster than competitive offerings due to innovations such as Switch Clustering/Split Multilink Trunking.
  • Up to 20x increased performance. Tests conducted by Tolly demonstrate that when Nortel data products are stacked up against the leading competitor they can deliver.
  • Up to 36-117% reduction in Total Cost of Ownership through a combination of CAPEX, OPEX and energy efficiency factors.


Avaya’s Converged Data Networking Portfolio
  
Avaya offers one of the most comprehensive enterprise data networking portfolios in the industry, covering everything from Ethernet switching, mobility, and security. Our data networking strategy is based on “Business Optimized Networks”. The premise behind Business Optimized Networks is to deliver an end-to-end infrastructure that is simple and optimized for business applications. Most importantly, it must be aligned to our customers’ overall business priorities, whether that includes improving customer service, increasing competitiveness or reducing costs. The products Avaya offers as part of its Business Optimized Network implementation include:


Third-party vendors have verified that Avaya’s data portfolio can deliver superior resiliency, performance and reduced total cost of ownership:
 


Avaya data products are also optimized for the transition to unified communications. In addition to working with Microsoft to integrate key pieces of technology (i.e., Mediation Server and Microsoft NAP) into the Avaya data portfolio, Avaya data products have been thoroughly tested with Avaya and Microsoft call servers and verified to deliver toll-quality voice/unified communications through load balancing and sub-second recovery and intelligent Quality of Service (QoS).