Beyond Phone Calls to Collaborative Business Processes. Companies will
go beyond the initial capabilities of IM to deep integration with busi¬ness
processes and line-of-business applications, where they can realize the
greatest benefit.
IMs offer organization and workers the ability to determine what channels
of communication are available to them. The concept of "PRESENCE" has
broken new grounds in communication and information exchange. For example,
if I want to reach out to a co-worker on his mobile, even before I dial the
number, I would have a clear idea where he/ she is and what channels/
devices of communication are available to him at that given point of time.
For instance, at the time that I wish to call him, he might be in a meeting
and therefore not in a position to respond to me over phone. However, he
might be carrying his black¬berry and would therefore be able to have a
conversation with me over email. This sort of awareness about the recipient
of your messages saves a great deal of time. In a whole lot of
circumstances, this would translate into faster decision making and
increased business productivity.
Minhaj Zia says that one of the biggest advantages that such integration of
IM into line of business applications offers is the understanding of who is
available on which platform. "In a typical sales scenario, if the sales
representative does not have an answer to a customer/ customer's question,
then he breaks the conversation and comes back to him with a response
later. This dents the image of the organization and delays the business
process."
With IMs being integrated into line of business applications, employees
will be able to tap into the knowledge and expertise available within the
organization. "If I do not have the requisite knowledge to address your
doubts/concerns, with the help of IM I can instantly determine the best
person in my buddies list who will be able to clarify my cus¬tomer's
doubts. I am also in a position to see what platforms of communication is
this colleague of mine available at."
Experts feel that such collaborative business processes will increase
employee productivity, and bring down costs associated with setting up and
maintaining communications infrastructure. This will ensure that
organizations have access to greater productivity and innovation. In a
globalized organizational structure, workers want to tap into the pockets
of excellence available in different countries. People want to be empowered
to search by expertise rather than by area.
IMs, as part of UC suites, can be used to initiate multimedia conferences
and multiparty meetings. Virtual Communication, presence and integration of
IMs within line of business applications can actually make the world pretty
flat as far as organizations are concerned!
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