Contact Information: Avaya Media Relations: Contact: Jonathan Varman 908-953-6432 jvarman@avaya.com
New Avaya Unified Communications Services Help Companies Excel in Era of Virtual Business
New UC Business Consulting Practice, Broad Partner Ecosystem and Ongoing Support Help Businesses Gain Full Productivity and Customer Service Benefits of UC
| Source: Avaya, Inc.
ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwire - March 18, 2008) - VoiceCon -- Avaya today announced new Unified
Communications Services that help companies succeed in the era of virtual
business. The services provide an open, end-to-end approach to Unified Communications
(UC), enabling today's increasingly distributed organizations to realize
the full potential of their new and existing UC investments. This helps
all of a business' employees -- based in the office, at home, or on the
road -- achieve the productivity and customer
service benefits driven by UC.
Unified Communications brings together multiple business communications
applications -- including telephony, email, voicemail, instant messaging
and video -- into a seamless experience driving better employee
collaboration and customer responsiveness. UC is a key element of the
Avaya Intelligent Communications solutions portfolio, which helps
businesses more efficiently connect their people, customers and processes.
With the launch of Avaya UC Services, the company is investing in a new
in-house consulting practice dedicated to the business and technical
impacts of UC, a broadened partner ecosystem to incorporate open
multivendor solutions for UC, and new Solutions Labs to test
interoperability with third-party business partners in real-world customer
environments. These investments will enable Avaya UC Services to meet the
specific goals of businesses in any industry and size, using either Avaya
UC solutions (announced yesterday(1)) or best-in-breed equipment from its
partner vendors.
To provide an end-to-end approach, Avaya UC Services created a Unified
Communications Readiness Model comprised of three phases: Planning at the
very beginning using Avaya consultants; Design using solution architects to
identify the best technologies and processes available; and Integration and
Implementation to drive a smooth installation in multivendor environments.
At the Planning phase, Avaya consultants will speak to an organization at
the very beginning of the process to identify "worker profiles" that define
how people work within a business. Avaya will then assess what types of
applications (i.e. soft phones, one number access) fit different user
profiles, and compose a business case that identifies the costs and
benefits that can be expected with a deployment.
In the Design phase, Avaya's solution architects determine the specific
technical requirements of a UC implementation -- including equipment,
carrier plans and applications -- and choose the technical design that
makes a UC business plan work. This phase can also include phone expense
analysis and telecom carrier negotiations, as well as analysis regarding
the best infrastructure and application choices for a company.
During Integration and Implementation, Avaya UC Services pre-tests the
technology in Avaya Solutions Labs and begins multivendor platform
installations and deployments. Using worker profiles, Avaya can set up
training programs, worker policies and specific workflow needs, such as the
integration of "presence" information. Avaya UC Services is well-equipped
to deploy the collaborative benefits of presence across multivendor
platforms and embed it in customer applications.
In addition to Planning, Design and Integration and Implementation, Avaya
also offers ongoing support through multiple options, including Software
Support Plus Upgrades, which provide a three-year subscription to major
releases to let customers gain always-on access to the latest capabilities
of Avaya's UC solutions.
"Today's businesses recognize that Unified Communications will transform
enterprise communications as we know it," said Wu Zhou, senior research
analyst, IDC, "but it will be a challenge for businesses to determine the
best approach to UC, which requires open, multivendor solutions to thrive.
Through open standards-based UC services -- backed by experienced
consultants that can plan and navigate every angle of an implementation --
businesses can gain the full benefits driven by UC."
Avaya UC Helps Black & Decker Create Global Mobile Communications Strategy
A company that counts on Avaya Unified Communications to support mobile
employees and help them be more productive wherever they are working is
Black & Decker. A global manufacturer with several leading brands, Black &
Decker is known for quality power tools and accessories, hardware and home
improvement products, and technology-based fastening systems.
Avaya Unified Communications Services will play a key role in helping
ensure the benefits of end-to-end UC for Black & Decker. Their network
architecture is powered by Avaya Communication Manager, the company's
flagship IP telephony software, and Avaya
Modular Messaging, a leading application that unifies voicemail, email, and
IP deskphones and softphones. With support from Avaya UC Services, these
devices and applications will be unified to create a cost-effective
long-term mobility strategy for Black and Decker's employees. As part of
this, they will be able to use any approved device to more easily access
their communications, messaging, conferencing and calendaring -- whether
they are in the office, at home or on the road.
"Avaya's UC consultants helped us gain a better understanding of the
technology choices available to us for unified communications, and create a
long-term strategy for our global mobile communications," said Karen Dean,
director, Global Telecommunications, Black & Decker. "By tapping the
expertise of Avaya UC Services, we expect to see greater cost-savings and
employee productivity driven by our increasingly mobile workforce."
"Avaya's new services make UC a reality for today's increasingly virtual
businesses. Using UC, workers anywhere are more accessible, making for more
productive employees and happier customers," said Ajay Kapoor, leader of
the Unified Communications Practice within Avaya's Consulting & Systems
Integration organization. "But to attain UC's transformative benefits,
businesses should begin with a clear plan, carried through by the right
experts. Avaya's new services are designed to do this -- and fulfill the
promise of UC."
About Avaya
Avaya delivers Intelligent Communications solutions that help companies
transform their businesses to achieve marketplace advantage. More than 1
million businesses worldwide, including more than 90 percent of the FORTUNE
500®, use Avaya solutions for IP Telephony, Unified Communications,
Contact Centers and Communications-Enabled Business Processes. Avaya Global
Services provides comprehensive service and support for companies, small to
large.
For more information visit the Avaya Web site: http://www.avaya.com.
(1) For New UC Solutions press release, visit Avaya press room at
www.avaya.com