Unlike traditional voice features, UC&C applications typically require a more complex configuration of multiple network and application elements, including dial plan management, i.e. the way that calls are routed across the network, based on abbreviations of the numbers dialed, including the numbers that a user is not allowed to dial.
Added to this, enterprises do not want open access to their networks. They want ready access from a range of approved, best in class, collaboration application providers and they don’t want to be locked into a single vendor’s roadmap.
Enterprises also want a range of commercial options for the delivery of these services (dedicated, managed, hosted, UCaaS) independent of their carrier or service provider.
Let's consider the example (explained on the previous page), but this time, with a fulfillment management solution in place:
- The same IT administrator logs into the fulfillment management portal that shows all of the location’s users and telephony resources. Importantly, they cannot access any other data but their location and the portal can be customized to allow that administrator to perform many functions or only the most basic ones.
- The IT administrator selects the business process that they require, such as "add a user". The portal takes the administrator through a simple process where phone types, service levels and numbers are offered and selected through drop-down menus. At the end of the process the IT administrator clicks on the “modify” button and that’s it.
- The fulfillment management engine automatically performs all the manual configuration tasks on all the various systems, replacing the service desk, the NOC and all the works orders.
- The process is performed in real time, taking less than a minute.
- The error rates are low and can be corrected by the IT administrator themselves anyway.
- And the cost is only the time it would have taken the IT administrator to complete a change request … effectively zero dollars.
As the number of collaboration applications grows for complex, multi-faceted communications requirements, the benefits from a fulfillment management solution grow exponentially - one business portal automating many systems.
It is the ability to effectively deliver collaboration services that determines success. In today’s competitive environment, the business that can rapidly deploy new products and services and increase profitability, by accomplishing more from the existing infrastructure at no additional cost, will gain true competitive advantage.
This is where collaboration fulfillment comes into play. Read more...
