MyPage is a personalized page based on your interests.The page is customized to help you to find content that matters you the most.


I'm not curious

Microsoft Lync for Enterprise Collaboration

Published on 25 November 13
2 Jamie rewarded for 2 times 2 Jamie rewarded for 2 times   Follow
0
2

Larger organisations are not naturally homogenous, but rely on collaboration between smaller teams of employees in order to make any kind of progress. Unfortunately, enabling this collaboration can be difficult, particularly if staff are dispersed across multiple sites in a variety of geographic locations.


With Microsoft Lync, even enterprises and corporations which operate internationally can facilitate communication and collaboration among employees in a unified environment that will help to increase productivity and catalyse the creation of innovative new products and services. Lync can be deployed as a dedicated conferencing server platform and has been updated for 2013 with a variety of new features which make it worth upgrading even if you are a long time user of previous iterations of this service. But what are the benefits that Lync can bring to big business and does it live up to the hype which surrounds it, resulting in improved enterprise collaboration?

VoIP & Video Engagement

Communicating via phone and email is still common, but there are limitations to these technologies that mean that they never quite match a face to face meeting. It is harder to convey information and place proper emphasis on certain elements of a conversation through these channels, but with VoIP and video conferencing available through Microsoft Lync, such obstacles can be overcome.


Staff located on opposite sides of the planet can get in touch with one another using high definition streaming capabilities that give enough detail to make it feel like they are in the same room. This makes it easier for employees to hold meetings, carry out presentations and collaborate on projects.


IP-based voice and video capabilities remove the ambiguity from interactions and increase engagement, ensuring that everyone is on the same page. When projects are particularly visual, the HD footage will be more than adequate in conveying elements which might otherwise get lost in translation.

Communications Continuity
Lync is not just about unifying a variety of collaborative platforms, but also ensuring that there is a consistent through line, so that the thread of a conversation can be picked up and revived even if it has been left in limbo while employees were dedicating their attention elsewhere. For example, the instant messaging chat capabilities of Lync 2013 make it possible for users to jump back into conversations that persist perpetually, rather than having the content erased from existence as soon as a window is closed or a client disconnected. Being able to scan back over what was said in the past is incredibly useful and might mean that email chains become a thing of the past because of the immediacy and convenience that IM brings to the table.

Unparalleled Compatibility

For many big businesses the topic of BYOD is contentious, because there is a sense that allowing employees to use personal devices for work purposes is not only a potential security risk, but also a technical challenge because of all the conflicting and incompatible software platforms that are being brought into play. However, the best way to overcome any perceived limitations is to implement Lync and encourage staff to harness it on their smartphone or tablet of choice. There are some minimum specifications for devices which are required in order to run the Lync app, but if these are met then the cross-platform nature of this service will allow a business to transcend the usual restrictions.


This diversity of compatibility is also beneficial when it comes to training staff in the use of Lync, because the interface and functions are persistent across various platforms on which it can be found, which minimises the amount of time that it will take them to get to grips with it. In short you can save time and effort that would be spent trying to wrangle a range of different mobile and desktop solutions by choosing Lync for your business.

Tangible Savings

Microsoft Lync's conferencing capabilities can actively be used to save money in a number of areas, which means that your firm might be financially motivated to adopt it if the practical benefits are seen as secondary. Primarily you will be able to reduce travel costs, because collaboration between colleagues will not necessitate them sharing the same physical space, when they can occupy a virtual alternative which is much more convenient and entirely unrelated to their geographic position. This has an additional benefit of allowing employees to devote their time to more productive activities, which means that your human resources are not being wasted. And because Lync also offers compatibility with mobile platforms, staff can still be contactable while on the move so that their availability is optimally exploited.


Additionally, if your business is looking to replace an ageing and archaic on-site telephony set-up, the cost of a new PBX solution may be daunting. So choosing an IP-based solution like Lync which can be hosted internally or remotely could ease this transition and slash the cost of procuring hardware and maintaining equipment. Reducing IT and telecoms complexity is always a sensible way to save money and in larger businesses where such infrastructures might be particularly daunting, this is not an opportunity to be missed.


The final way to save with Microsoft Lync comes from the idea that rather than having to potentially pay for several different providers to deliver the VoIP, telephony and video conferencing services you require, you need only worry about one, unified solution. With funds not being siphoned off in several directions at once, it is easier to administrate this type of solution and further reduce expenditure.

Responsive Collaboration

Microsoft Lync's unified nature means that it can enable collaboration between large groups of employees and actively streamline their interactions so that time is not needlessly wasted. Users will instantly be able to see which of their colleagues are available, while also indicating whether certain team members are busy or away from their device of choice. Knowing who to contact and when to contact them will allow people to become more productive and will also lead to less distraction and annoyance as might otherwise be caused by other forms of communication.


Combined with cross-device connectivity, great support for mobile and remote working and a range of other benefits, it is easy to see why larger enterprises and corporations might be interested in adopting Microsoft Lync. So if you are ready to move away from a fragmented and expensive approach to business communications and use a solution that is still evolving and improving, you can take the initiative and investigate Microsoft Lync. Granting your firm the competitive advantage through enhanced collaboration capabilities is always sensible.
This blog is listed under Development & Implementations Community

Related Posts:
Post a Comment

Please notify me the replies via email.

Important:
  • We hope the conversations that take place on MyTechLogy.com will be constructive and thought-provoking.
  • To ensure the quality of the discussion, our moderators may review/edit the comments for clarity and relevance.
  • Comments that are promotional, mean-spirited, or off-topic may be deleted per the moderators' judgment.
 
Awards & Accolades for MyTechLogy
Winner of
REDHERRING
Top 100 Asia
Finalist at SiTF Awards 2014 under the category Best Social & Community Product
Finalist at HR Vendor of the Year 2015 Awards under the category Best Learning Management System
Finalist at HR Vendor of the Year 2015 Awards under the category Best Talent Management Software
Hidden Image Url

Back to Top