Long Live the Business Tablet – Bye Bye Laptop?
I have been waiting for the research firms to publish some numbers regarding the adaptation of Tablets in the business environment. After many firms using Netbooks which is no different than the laptop, (except those that chose to pilot Linux models and its OS variants) the Tablet is becoming a prominent business tool.
Naturally, the first to lead and fast followers have already started their tablet agendas last year with the Apple iPad. Now that everyone is announcing and releasing new tablets has the IT departments and CTO/CIOs started to develop roll out plans.
Robert Half Technology’s recent survey of over 270 Canadian CIOs indicates over 40% are planning some kind of roll out in the next two years.
Forrester surveyed over 3000 decision makers in the Fortune 500 arena and found the number to be 30% have already implemented Tablets for employees and 75% will be doing so within the next 12 months.
Business has become serious about Tablets with the primary benefit is to increase employee productivity and mobility and to lower costs. The Tablet may become the business tool with the fastest growth.
Many organizations already have Wi-Fi networks in their offices for employees and the smart ones have guest access for visitors. Many organizations have networks in place to connect all their offices and servers together. Many already have data center environments to keep the clouds together. Those that don’t can easily add all the network elements needed in a cost-effective manner. Naturally , Cisco, Avaya (Nortel) and HP have all made enhancements in their technology to support newer and faster 802.11 networks, improved access Wi-Fi security, and fit for purpose LAN wan infrastructure to support centralized cloud computing. As laptop technology refreshes occur, decisions will be made to determine where the employee fits in the user profile. The basics of hard wired desktop, laptop, desktop and laptop, tablet, all three, green screen terminal or none will continue.
The Tablet players right now included Apple iPad, Cisco Cius, Avaya Flare, Google Chrome, Google Android, Dell Streak, Samsun Galaxy Tab, RIM Playbook, and the Hewlett Packard PalmPad. The Asus, Lenovo and Asus laptoppers have already made announcements.
Immediate Business Benefits are as follows:
Mobility – The small and lightweight form factor allows the device to easily be taken on business trips and business meetings. 3G or Wi-Fi will allow access to the corporate cloud. Battery life exceeds the laptops 2 hours dramatically.
Lower TCO – The lower cost, lack of expensive OS and productivity suites, and automated updates make these devices cheaper than laptops. I am sure there will be savings in having less LAN switches to support the tablets as they are wireless. The Kensington security cable can be reused.
Large Displays – The 10 inch display makes it possible to replace paper and the 7 inch screen is also workable. The tablet has the real estate advantage over the Smartphone. A Pharma sales person can slide a tablet across to a busy doctor and demonstrate the benefits of a new drug to a busy doctor very easily. A Sales Engineer can show a network diagram just as easily.
Security – Security is a chief concern with corporations and obviously RIM has an early advantage but the security companies will catch up very fast with apps for that. With syncing through the cloud, data storage is more centralized and not as pervasive on laptop hard rives.
New Applications – The tablet will drive innovation for new applications for how the device will be used. The tablet has replaced the menu at forward thinking restaurants. The tablet will change the way data is collected by field agents for the insurance companies, sales organizations and retailers. A huge area of improvement will be in medical applications with its forms, charts, and scan images and on going assessments. The drive for creating applications that will replace or improve current workflows will change dramatically. An investment advisor can visit you at your home, review your investment portfolio, make recommendations and changes and have you accept the changes. The changes or stock trades can take place first thing in the morning as the data is crunched overnight.
Simplicity – The new apps are simpler to use with less training. Letters can be prepared with light weight tools and do not need a 1000 feature document creator to use. LCD projectors can be used in a plug and play approach as opposed to the 20 minute key stroking the sales person goes though to connect his laptop to a projector. The workspace forces designers to work within the confines of the screen size in a more thoughtful approach. I have given up filling out surveys that take ten minutes and force you to go thorough 20 web screens. A tablet screen could force you to answer 5 questions on one screen and one swipe to send.
Green – Are tablets the new green? Lower power, less weight, less materials, faster to manufacture. I am sure there are green benefits but I can see a lot of PDF training information, brochures etc to be push from the cloud to the device. That saves paper.
Wireless is Mobility – These are wireless devices that can use the traditional Wi-Fi network or the cellular 3G networks. The data plans tend to be more forgiving without any data caps and roaming charges so they can access the cloud or intranet anywhere. The wi-fi networks are at many coffee shops, hotels, business environments and homes so those that don’t have cellular data plans need not worry.
Gaming – The business users will love the new gaming applications that will be created just for them. I know of two teenagers already creating the three hottest titles that will be a hug success. Angry Sales Birds : Sales reps throw flaming snowballs at customers that don’t buy from them after all their hard work. Angry Sales Mgrs: These characters hunt down sales reps in an enchanted forest environment and capture them and earn medals and points after torturing them with different administrative tasks. Angry Customers: This charmer features customers that retaliate by throwing flaming boulders at the incompetent salespeople that fall into the 4 universal classifications of incompetence. If they capture the brochure king, highest price of them all guy, Miss buy my software even if it’s not what you want, and the always golfing bobby you win a free tablet of your choice. At 99 cents an app fun, has finally arrived to corporate Global.
John Leonardelli
Senior Unified Communication Consultant
VOIPGURU
The writer may have owned an Apple Netwon or Palm Pilot at one time and may be biased.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Apple iPad, RIM Playbook, Samsung Androids, HP Tablet, Sales Tools, Productivity and the Cloud: 7 Super Tips
Apple iPad, RIM Playbook, Samsung Androids, HP Tablet, Sales Tools, Productivity and the Cloud: 7 Super Tips
Tablets are the hot item and it’s now become pervasive in the business environment. Progressive IT departments are now seriously looking at tablets in place on laptops due to a lower TCO and the perfect tool for Cloud Computing. Forward thinking sales departments are also embracing the tablet as the tool of choice to arm and differentiate their sales force from their competitors.
This means 2011 could be the tipping point for business use tablets but the market is in limbo right now. Apple has not released their new iPad although it’s rumored to feature a zippier CPU, more memory, a HD camera and possibly a SD card Slot. RIM is still not ready to ship but they featured a working model at CES last month and may be the only one with a real 4G radio inside. Samsung is making some headway with the Android powered Tab. HP is almost ready to go with their Palm OS version using WebOs. I am anxious to see what HP does come up with being a long standing Palm Pilot warrior ( I own the keyboard, Camera and modem and use the Palm III for a specialized application right now) but sure hope they don’t follow the disastrous Lifedrive product (As an early adopter I returned 2 weeks later sadly disappointed but it had the right idea. OK, enough about Palm so why would one consider a Tablet for business? The apps are here and the apps are cheap and cheerful to get things done quickly and efficiently.
Super Tablet App 1: Sales Brochure
You’re engaged in a discussion with a client and he is curious to see what the solution looks like and you slide the tablet across with a slide of an installation of a recent food processing assembly line for juice processing. Vibrant photos and instant ON allows things to be done quickly. Beats looking at a black and white slide deck.
Super Tablet App 2: Projected Sales Brochure
With the recent mini LCD projectors that fit in an overcoat pocket, this allows the sales executive to now project the slides onto the wall so a larger audience can benefit. Again, instant on with a simple connection. I once had to travel to Chicago to do a presentation and I had to carry my 10 lb laptop, power cords, mouse, Panasonic LCD projector 15lbs, printed slides etc. I was stalled at security as I had to demonstrate the projector to them by turning it on and almost missed my flight. Today I could do that with everything fitting neatly in my super useful Victorinox briefcase and demonstrating a professional image of selling in the NOW. I can also use the cloud to get access to other documents.
Super Tablet App 3: Increase Productivity
Do more in less time and do faster and easier is the mantra of the past 5 years. The cheap and simple 99 cent apps that do note taking (and can sync with your Windows desktop), margin calculator, idea charts and other business tools make things easier. A bunch of these applications due to the inherent memory restrictions of the tablets can now sync into the cloud and across corporate network laptops to access the information you require. Of course wifi and 3G/4G is needed at times to avoid syncing through iTunes. Everyone will have different needs but the tools are definitely there. Companies are taking notice and I give special recognition to Avaya and Benjamin Moore for specific tools for their extended sales force. I have noticed that some people have created specific documents in PDF format as reference material and this helps their personal workflow. Apples 10 hour battery life is a big game changer as many laptops and Netbooks usually get 2 hours of life.
Super Tablet App 4: File Sharing
The biggest problem I have had with the iPad is its closed ecosystem and inability to have an SD card slot for file sharing. Everything has to be done in iTunes and it’s a hassle. However, some bypass that by using a VPN proxy using wifi to allow file transfer and more recent cloud computing access methods. It seems everyone else is talking about the ability to use SD Cards so Apple needs to listen to their consumers. Apps like Dropbox, Mover, PDF Viewer allow an easier cloud based method to share files from the laptop to the tablet device. This is a huge need as one can prepare a PowerPoint presentation in the office, slide it to their tablet, review and practice it while on the couch at home, and take it out to the customer presentation the next day.
Super Tablet App 5: Your Book and Magazine Reader
Although I am a big Kindle fan for reading books, it’s challenged for reading PDF magazine formats as I prefer a 10 inch screen. The Kindle is my preferred book reading device because they have nailed the reader ecosystem in a excellent way with cloud based whispernet ,but many may not wish to have multiple devices. Use it to catch up on reading on the train, bus, cab, airplane or while sitting on the beach. There are some new apps allowing one to also take web pages and format them into readable pages which could be useful in reading customer web sites for meeting preparation or just to see what your industry blogs are saying. There are also many RSS apps to keep you abreast of managing all the news feeds you follow. Read more in less time at a lower cost.
Super Tablet App 6: Office in a Large Manila Envelope
The box is so much thinner and smaller now that the envelope is appropriate. We have some excellent apps available now to edit and review all your Microsoft documents. The email tools are in-skin allowing easy access to emails, but it’s still going to be an issue for larger corporations to allow access to corporate exchange severs, but the SMB companies will embrace this very easily. Calendaring with Google calendar in the cloud is a great tool across multiple devices. So if you are away for a few days at your cousins wedding the tablet would allow one to be connected and still get some work done while away from the corporate grid.
Super Tablet App 7: Social Media Integrator
With Social Media maybe being the biggest Cloud app of them all and all avialable on tablets. I find it very easy to quickly update and see what others are doing as the Tablet allows a quick finger swipe to access the info and its in a easy to digest mobile format. I don’t have to tell you that Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and others are all app available on every device including your IP enabled refrigerator. Business is really seeing the mobile device becoming the new method to reach out to its audience and consumers and is formatting connect to be mobile friendly.
So its all starting to come to a convergence point for the business user that can harness immense benefits from light, travel friendly, instant ON, long battery life appliances to assist in getting things done faster, easier, better but not cheaper. I am seeing areas where organizations are taking the leap to buy these devices for their employees to drive revenue and increase productivity. Last year, the kindle was the reader of choice where companies stuffed them full of technical documentation and sales and marketing training bibles for its sales people to use to increase their knowledge and effectiveness and the shift is going to move to the tablet.
The biggest dilemma for 2011 will be which device and when is it going to be available???? Tough decision for sure but the results will be very impressive as the mobile workforce scurries about getting things done quickly and easily.
John Leonardelli
Senior UC Consultant
Tablets are the hot item and it’s now become pervasive in the business environment. Progressive IT departments are now seriously looking at tablets in place on laptops due to a lower TCO and the perfect tool for Cloud Computing. Forward thinking sales departments are also embracing the tablet as the tool of choice to arm and differentiate their sales force from their competitors.
This means 2011 could be the tipping point for business use tablets but the market is in limbo right now. Apple has not released their new iPad although it’s rumored to feature a zippier CPU, more memory, a HD camera and possibly a SD card Slot. RIM is still not ready to ship but they featured a working model at CES last month and may be the only one with a real 4G radio inside. Samsung is making some headway with the Android powered Tab. HP is almost ready to go with their Palm OS version using WebOs. I am anxious to see what HP does come up with being a long standing Palm Pilot warrior ( I own the keyboard, Camera and modem and use the Palm III for a specialized application right now) but sure hope they don’t follow the disastrous Lifedrive product (As an early adopter I returned 2 weeks later sadly disappointed but it had the right idea. OK, enough about Palm so why would one consider a Tablet for business? The apps are here and the apps are cheap and cheerful to get things done quickly and efficiently.
Super Tablet App 1: Sales Brochure
You’re engaged in a discussion with a client and he is curious to see what the solution looks like and you slide the tablet across with a slide of an installation of a recent food processing assembly line for juice processing. Vibrant photos and instant ON allows things to be done quickly. Beats looking at a black and white slide deck.
Super Tablet App 2: Projected Sales Brochure
With the recent mini LCD projectors that fit in an overcoat pocket, this allows the sales executive to now project the slides onto the wall so a larger audience can benefit. Again, instant on with a simple connection. I once had to travel to Chicago to do a presentation and I had to carry my 10 lb laptop, power cords, mouse, Panasonic LCD projector 15lbs, printed slides etc. I was stalled at security as I had to demonstrate the projector to them by turning it on and almost missed my flight. Today I could do that with everything fitting neatly in my super useful Victorinox briefcase and demonstrating a professional image of selling in the NOW. I can also use the cloud to get access to other documents.
Super Tablet App 3: Increase Productivity
Do more in less time and do faster and easier is the mantra of the past 5 years. The cheap and simple 99 cent apps that do note taking (and can sync with your Windows desktop), margin calculator, idea charts and other business tools make things easier. A bunch of these applications due to the inherent memory restrictions of the tablets can now sync into the cloud and across corporate network laptops to access the information you require. Of course wifi and 3G/4G is needed at times to avoid syncing through iTunes. Everyone will have different needs but the tools are definitely there. Companies are taking notice and I give special recognition to Avaya and Benjamin Moore for specific tools for their extended sales force. I have noticed that some people have created specific documents in PDF format as reference material and this helps their personal workflow. Apples 10 hour battery life is a big game changer as many laptops and Netbooks usually get 2 hours of life.
Super Tablet App 4: File Sharing
The biggest problem I have had with the iPad is its closed ecosystem and inability to have an SD card slot for file sharing. Everything has to be done in iTunes and it’s a hassle. However, some bypass that by using a VPN proxy using wifi to allow file transfer and more recent cloud computing access methods. It seems everyone else is talking about the ability to use SD Cards so Apple needs to listen to their consumers. Apps like Dropbox, Mover, PDF Viewer allow an easier cloud based method to share files from the laptop to the tablet device. This is a huge need as one can prepare a PowerPoint presentation in the office, slide it to their tablet, review and practice it while on the couch at home, and take it out to the customer presentation the next day.
Super Tablet App 5: Your Book and Magazine Reader
Although I am a big Kindle fan for reading books, it’s challenged for reading PDF magazine formats as I prefer a 10 inch screen. The Kindle is my preferred book reading device because they have nailed the reader ecosystem in a excellent way with cloud based whispernet ,but many may not wish to have multiple devices. Use it to catch up on reading on the train, bus, cab, airplane or while sitting on the beach. There are some new apps allowing one to also take web pages and format them into readable pages which could be useful in reading customer web sites for meeting preparation or just to see what your industry blogs are saying. There are also many RSS apps to keep you abreast of managing all the news feeds you follow. Read more in less time at a lower cost.
Super Tablet App 6: Office in a Large Manila Envelope
The box is so much thinner and smaller now that the envelope is appropriate. We have some excellent apps available now to edit and review all your Microsoft documents. The email tools are in-skin allowing easy access to emails, but it’s still going to be an issue for larger corporations to allow access to corporate exchange severs, but the SMB companies will embrace this very easily. Calendaring with Google calendar in the cloud is a great tool across multiple devices. So if you are away for a few days at your cousins wedding the tablet would allow one to be connected and still get some work done while away from the corporate grid.
Super Tablet App 7: Social Media Integrator
With Social Media maybe being the biggest Cloud app of them all and all avialable on tablets. I find it very easy to quickly update and see what others are doing as the Tablet allows a quick finger swipe to access the info and its in a easy to digest mobile format. I don’t have to tell you that Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and others are all app available on every device including your IP enabled refrigerator. Business is really seeing the mobile device becoming the new method to reach out to its audience and consumers and is formatting connect to be mobile friendly.
So its all starting to come to a convergence point for the business user that can harness immense benefits from light, travel friendly, instant ON, long battery life appliances to assist in getting things done faster, easier, better but not cheaper. I am seeing areas where organizations are taking the leap to buy these devices for their employees to drive revenue and increase productivity. Last year, the kindle was the reader of choice where companies stuffed them full of technical documentation and sales and marketing training bibles for its sales people to use to increase their knowledge and effectiveness and the shift is going to move to the tablet.
The biggest dilemma for 2011 will be which device and when is it going to be available???? Tough decision for sure but the results will be very impressive as the mobile workforce scurries about getting things done quickly and easily.
John Leonardelli
Senior UC Consultant
The Need for Innovation is NOW!
The Need for Innovation is NOW!
There has been a lot of talk about innovation and Canada is lagging far behind its peers. Over time this will continue to erode our place in the economic G20 and ability to be competitive. Economic theory will indicate that as a result this will impact us greatly in the future.
So the big economic question becomes where can we find new sources of economic value?
Growth comes from the simple fact of selling existing goods, products and services to new markets. Growth can also come from selling the same goods with an innovative slant to the existing markets.
The Chindia manufacturers have to only export their products abroad to North America to gain new revenues and increase market share. They have a very good idea of what people are looking to buy and at what price points. The consumer now has new products at lower prices (sometimes at a lower quality level) to buy and will take that market share from the local manufacturer. Usually these clone products offer no innovation except for a cheap price with a cheaper quality product.
Take the clothing industry for example where Canada was a prime exporter. The overseas manufacturers have basically destroyed and shut down many of our factories. In the past, we had Warren K. Cook making suits using needles and thread with Italian fabrics assembly line style where now they come from Indonesia using glue and Chinese fabrics. The bottom of Spadina used to have a huge manufacturing base. Now its all condos. What’s left of the haberdasheries on Spadina have actually moved a bit west on Queen street. Many tailors used to buy their canvas and fabrics from Archie Fine & Sons (who are still in business). Today it’s a dying art and a dying business.
The surviving Canadian fashion brands have been thinking about design innovation the past 10 years in order to remain in business. They are being innovative in the way they make their products and trying to cut as much cost as possible. These companies are still family owned and as their parents started it up in the 50s the kids are now running the business since the 80s and 90s. They believe in quality products and using a local workforce and being a Canadian business first. We are lucky though because there has been a shift in style that is favoring the Heritage brands. Roots still makes their leather goods in Canada, Canada Goose still makes their down filled coats and Parkas in Canada, Sorel boots are back in style, and Hudson Bay is still iconic. Today fashion is looking backwards in order to create a forward demand for their product. Take what worked in the past and modify or enhance it and now you have a new product that will fuel your growth and increase sales to the existing market.
Canada Goose has been making warm outdoor wear for over 30 years but was well suited for the North Pole than wearing it at a trendy bar sipping martinis. When the change their jackets and started offering a bomber style jacket at a more affordable price point – sales took off. However, the Europeans have been snatching up the line 5 years ago as it was a trusted brand.
The biggest US retailer looking backwards is J.Crew who has resurrected older labels and added some innovation to their products. Cole-Hann has done the same with Nike and added certain athletic shoe features into their dress shoes making them more comfortable to wear. Columbia sportswear has always been innovative in their approach to clothing and foot wear. Innovation can be the key driver that will fuel the growth in new sales.
The innovation touch points are where a gel heel insert makes a dress shoe more comfortable, a Gore-Tex liner in a dress boot makes it more comfortable, a running shoe with Kevlar shoe laces makes them better lasting, a handbag with a micro fiber lined pocket to protect an iPhone screen, a Victorinox suitcase with a numbered luggage tag that can be tracked back to its owner if lost, a Wolverine Trench Coat that has a Gore-Tex liner making it more comfortable, a Zegna sport jacket taking cues from high performance fabrics, the list can go on and on. This innovation is what the consumer uses to make buying decisions when buying a quality product and it differentiates the manufacturer from all the others.
Being innovative in taking an existing product and adding enhancements to it will fuel growth in the existing market and in current export markets a lot faster than trying to gain market share in brand new markets. It is a heck of a lot easier to sell new products to those that recognize your brand than trying to create brand awareness. This economic growth will then fund more opportunities to create demand and increase brand awareness into the new markets. This keeps jobs in Canada, revenues for Canadian retailers and the taxes can be used for provincial and federal budgets.
Canadians love their down filled parks, snowmobile boots, and leather goods and buying “Canadian Made” makes perfect economic sense.
John Leonardelli
Senior Unified Communication Consultant
VOIPGURU
There has been a lot of talk about innovation and Canada is lagging far behind its peers. Over time this will continue to erode our place in the economic G20 and ability to be competitive. Economic theory will indicate that as a result this will impact us greatly in the future.
So the big economic question becomes where can we find new sources of economic value?
Growth comes from the simple fact of selling existing goods, products and services to new markets. Growth can also come from selling the same goods with an innovative slant to the existing markets.
The Chindia manufacturers have to only export their products abroad to North America to gain new revenues and increase market share. They have a very good idea of what people are looking to buy and at what price points. The consumer now has new products at lower prices (sometimes at a lower quality level) to buy and will take that market share from the local manufacturer. Usually these clone products offer no innovation except for a cheap price with a cheaper quality product.
Take the clothing industry for example where Canada was a prime exporter. The overseas manufacturers have basically destroyed and shut down many of our factories. In the past, we had Warren K. Cook making suits using needles and thread with Italian fabrics assembly line style where now they come from Indonesia using glue and Chinese fabrics. The bottom of Spadina used to have a huge manufacturing base. Now its all condos. What’s left of the haberdasheries on Spadina have actually moved a bit west on Queen street. Many tailors used to buy their canvas and fabrics from Archie Fine & Sons (who are still in business). Today it’s a dying art and a dying business.
The surviving Canadian fashion brands have been thinking about design innovation the past 10 years in order to remain in business. They are being innovative in the way they make their products and trying to cut as much cost as possible. These companies are still family owned and as their parents started it up in the 50s the kids are now running the business since the 80s and 90s. They believe in quality products and using a local workforce and being a Canadian business first. We are lucky though because there has been a shift in style that is favoring the Heritage brands. Roots still makes their leather goods in Canada, Canada Goose still makes their down filled coats and Parkas in Canada, Sorel boots are back in style, and Hudson Bay is still iconic. Today fashion is looking backwards in order to create a forward demand for their product. Take what worked in the past and modify or enhance it and now you have a new product that will fuel your growth and increase sales to the existing market.
Canada Goose has been making warm outdoor wear for over 30 years but was well suited for the North Pole than wearing it at a trendy bar sipping martinis. When the change their jackets and started offering a bomber style jacket at a more affordable price point – sales took off. However, the Europeans have been snatching up the line 5 years ago as it was a trusted brand.
The biggest US retailer looking backwards is J.Crew who has resurrected older labels and added some innovation to their products. Cole-Hann has done the same with Nike and added certain athletic shoe features into their dress shoes making them more comfortable to wear. Columbia sportswear has always been innovative in their approach to clothing and foot wear. Innovation can be the key driver that will fuel the growth in new sales.
The innovation touch points are where a gel heel insert makes a dress shoe more comfortable, a Gore-Tex liner in a dress boot makes it more comfortable, a running shoe with Kevlar shoe laces makes them better lasting, a handbag with a micro fiber lined pocket to protect an iPhone screen, a Victorinox suitcase with a numbered luggage tag that can be tracked back to its owner if lost, a Wolverine Trench Coat that has a Gore-Tex liner making it more comfortable, a Zegna sport jacket taking cues from high performance fabrics, the list can go on and on. This innovation is what the consumer uses to make buying decisions when buying a quality product and it differentiates the manufacturer from all the others.
Being innovative in taking an existing product and adding enhancements to it will fuel growth in the existing market and in current export markets a lot faster than trying to gain market share in brand new markets. It is a heck of a lot easier to sell new products to those that recognize your brand than trying to create brand awareness. This economic growth will then fund more opportunities to create demand and increase brand awareness into the new markets. This keeps jobs in Canada, revenues for Canadian retailers and the taxes can be used for provincial and federal budgets.
Canadians love their down filled parks, snowmobile boots, and leather goods and buying “Canadian Made” makes perfect economic sense.
John Leonardelli
Senior Unified Communication Consultant
VOIPGURU
What? Can the PSTN be Shut Down?
What? Can the PSTN be Shut Down?
I will refer you to the excellent article put forth by Gary Audin, Delphi Inc. in July 2010 and his immense research so I will just provide the short form. (Go to www.nojitter.com for a PDF version of Gary’s full article)
As you know, the VOIP phone service business has been steadily increasing since the late 90s. We have the Telco providers, Cableco providers, Mobileco providers and even the disruptive free providers like Skype all providing VOIP lines.
However, the legacy copper based landline and PSTN switched architecture is still very much in place. The services are being disconnected on a daily basis as many subscribers are moving to the VOIP based services. So AT&T wants to retire the PSTN and POTS infrastructure and concentrate their network focus onto broadband based services. So in a document published on Dec 21, 2009 titled “Comments-NBP Public Notice #25, Comments of AT&T Inc. on the Transition from the Legacy Circuit-Switched Network to Broadband” submitted to the FCC, AT&T wants to shut down the PSTN with the FCC’s approval. They are also asking the FCC to remove them as the Carrier-Of-Last-Resort and thus any responsibilities within the current regulations
So AT&T really wants to eliminate the PSTN and its components and deliver all services over broadband. The PSTN network cannot be shut down overnight without advance planning but AT&T wants approval and then is able to determine timelines. The PSTN network will lose the Class 5 and 4 circuit switches, all the tie lines in between the Central Offices, all local loop coppers pairs (the last mile), the operations centers, the real estate and the legacy support staff. This would be a huge undertaking, without any doubt.
The areas of impact to this massive elimination (or maybe it’s a sell off of the PSTN assets) would fall into several sections of importance:
1) POTS Customers: What’s my mom going to do with her digipulse bedroom telephone, rotary telephone in the basement and her shiny new Panasonic DECT cordless in the kitchen? Does she really need to have a Cableco VOIP line?
2) Wireless Providers: Many use fiber links between towers and their co-lo into the network but in many areas copper based services are cheaper and easier to install, especially in rural areas. Handsets are wireless but the call carrying needs the PSTN network.
3) ILEC and CLEC: The smaller organizations rely heavily on the PSTN. Are they expected to purchase PSTN assets or are they going to be desperate in fast tracking in their VOIP investments?
4) Resellers: They will or could be out of business soon as they resell PSTN services that they don’t own and enjoy the luxury of wholesale rates. Sure, they resell VOIP as well depending on the geographic market but they will not have any money to buy PSTN networks in their serving area.
5) Military Security and Government Communications: These users will have to move towards IP services very quickly as they rely heavily on the PSTN. In fact, the PSTN can be more secure than IP based networks and the Darknet AUTOVON Dept of Defense PSTN network is considered very secure – all copper.
6) International Toll: Since, everyone else in the world will retain their PSTN; the US callers will need to go through gateways in order to make calls outside their borders. These gateways will push up the cost of long distance possibly making it unattractive so many users will just use Skype or Google Voice as they do today.
7) Regional Telco’s: In the USA there are a lot of small regional Telco’s in play and they may have difficulty to purchase their PSTN networks and would have to migrate to VOIP a lot faster than planned. Will their local rates rise too high in order to pay for the infrastructure change?
8) Emergency 911: The current 911 infrastructure today offers the best in class method of determining where you are calling from based on the physical wires. With a change to VOIP, a robust and reliable replacement service will be of highest priority and new technologies may be needed to offer this service.
So there will be many questions and many challenges as AT&T moves forward to shut down the PSTN over the next 5-10 years. Naturally, other countries will follow suit but then we have a 25 year window for all that to happen. I know I will be sitting in my rocking chair, telling my grandchildren stories of the good old days when your telephone connected to a jack in the wall and if there ever was a power outage the telephone still worked. They will marvel at the rotary dial telephone set, the Northern Telecom Contempra telephone set (beige with DTMF) and of course my Mitsubishi Analog Cellular CDMA Bag phone.
“Hey granddad what was it like when the dinosaurs roamed the earth? Were you ever scared of them” “No I was not because they were friendly in those days and they were always around to help me with the turning the TV antenna on the roof!”
John Leonardelli
Senior Unified Communication Consultant
VOIPGURU
I will refer you to the excellent article put forth by Gary Audin, Delphi Inc. in July 2010 and his immense research so I will just provide the short form. (Go to www.nojitter.com for a PDF version of Gary’s full article)
As you know, the VOIP phone service business has been steadily increasing since the late 90s. We have the Telco providers, Cableco providers, Mobileco providers and even the disruptive free providers like Skype all providing VOIP lines.
However, the legacy copper based landline and PSTN switched architecture is still very much in place. The services are being disconnected on a daily basis as many subscribers are moving to the VOIP based services. So AT&T wants to retire the PSTN and POTS infrastructure and concentrate their network focus onto broadband based services. So in a document published on Dec 21, 2009 titled “Comments-NBP Public Notice #25, Comments of AT&T Inc. on the Transition from the Legacy Circuit-Switched Network to Broadband” submitted to the FCC, AT&T wants to shut down the PSTN with the FCC’s approval. They are also asking the FCC to remove them as the Carrier-Of-Last-Resort and thus any responsibilities within the current regulations
So AT&T really wants to eliminate the PSTN and its components and deliver all services over broadband. The PSTN network cannot be shut down overnight without advance planning but AT&T wants approval and then is able to determine timelines. The PSTN network will lose the Class 5 and 4 circuit switches, all the tie lines in between the Central Offices, all local loop coppers pairs (the last mile), the operations centers, the real estate and the legacy support staff. This would be a huge undertaking, without any doubt.
The areas of impact to this massive elimination (or maybe it’s a sell off of the PSTN assets) would fall into several sections of importance:
1) POTS Customers: What’s my mom going to do with her digipulse bedroom telephone, rotary telephone in the basement and her shiny new Panasonic DECT cordless in the kitchen? Does she really need to have a Cableco VOIP line?
2) Wireless Providers: Many use fiber links between towers and their co-lo into the network but in many areas copper based services are cheaper and easier to install, especially in rural areas. Handsets are wireless but the call carrying needs the PSTN network.
3) ILEC and CLEC: The smaller organizations rely heavily on the PSTN. Are they expected to purchase PSTN assets or are they going to be desperate in fast tracking in their VOIP investments?
4) Resellers: They will or could be out of business soon as they resell PSTN services that they don’t own and enjoy the luxury of wholesale rates. Sure, they resell VOIP as well depending on the geographic market but they will not have any money to buy PSTN networks in their serving area.
5) Military Security and Government Communications: These users will have to move towards IP services very quickly as they rely heavily on the PSTN. In fact, the PSTN can be more secure than IP based networks and the Darknet AUTOVON Dept of Defense PSTN network is considered very secure – all copper.
6) International Toll: Since, everyone else in the world will retain their PSTN; the US callers will need to go through gateways in order to make calls outside their borders. These gateways will push up the cost of long distance possibly making it unattractive so many users will just use Skype or Google Voice as they do today.
7) Regional Telco’s: In the USA there are a lot of small regional Telco’s in play and they may have difficulty to purchase their PSTN networks and would have to migrate to VOIP a lot faster than planned. Will their local rates rise too high in order to pay for the infrastructure change?
8) Emergency 911: The current 911 infrastructure today offers the best in class method of determining where you are calling from based on the physical wires. With a change to VOIP, a robust and reliable replacement service will be of highest priority and new technologies may be needed to offer this service.
So there will be many questions and many challenges as AT&T moves forward to shut down the PSTN over the next 5-10 years. Naturally, other countries will follow suit but then we have a 25 year window for all that to happen. I know I will be sitting in my rocking chair, telling my grandchildren stories of the good old days when your telephone connected to a jack in the wall and if there ever was a power outage the telephone still worked. They will marvel at the rotary dial telephone set, the Northern Telecom Contempra telephone set (beige with DTMF) and of course my Mitsubishi Analog Cellular CDMA Bag phone.
“Hey granddad what was it like when the dinosaurs roamed the earth? Were you ever scared of them” “No I was not because they were friendly in those days and they were always around to help me with the turning the TV antenna on the roof!”
John Leonardelli
Senior Unified Communication Consultant
VOIPGURU
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
5 Ways to Improve Your IVR and Retain Customers
5 Ways to Improve Your IVR and Retain Customers
Lately, I have had to make many calls to different companies to resolve customer service issues. As usual the front door is always an IVR and it causes a lot of grief and headaches. Most companies have the IVR set up incorrectly which further infuriates the caller. A positive customer experience creates a longer lasting customer relationship. It’s the stickiness that keeps customers coming back if you make the self service application easy to use.
The main thing that all contact centers need to do immediately is remove the “WE ARE EXPERIENCING A HIGHeR NUMBeR OF CALLS THAN USUAL SO WAIT TIMES MAY BE LONGER”. Really? You may mean to say we only have 2 agents in the ACD queue so please be very very patient this evening while we take our time processing your call. Then you always hear “YOUR CALL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US”. Really? You may mean to say if it was important you would have been answered on the first ring.
The days of 80% of calls answered within 20 seconds are over. 20 seconds is 3 ring cycles.
Now when you call if you hear clicking or a sudden drop in volume or a ring cycle then you know your call has left the country to be answered politely by hard working ACD agents in anther country. The interconnect lines are heavily compressed making it hard to understand them These agents basically will never have the tools or access to information that can help you due to security measures. Best to hang up and try again later. Trust me they cannot assist you in any way.
IF I PUNCH IN MY ACCOUNT CODE OR CELL PHONE NUMBER DO NOT ASK FOR IT AGAIN? This means they only make you punch in the digits to annoy you because the agent has no clue who is calling.
When in doubt always press zero or use a rotary telephone. Then you don’t have to worry about punching any digits in.
NEVER EVER tell the caller to go to the website for inquiries as my mother doesn’t have a computer. She is calling the IVR because that’s how she does her inquiries.
So here are 5 simple and common sense ways to improve your IVR system so that your callers will have a much better customer experience.
1. Define the purpose of the IVR
It’s a tool and will enhance the self service experience of the caller. A sales queue needs different treatment than a service queue. If the average sale is $100 then every lost call is lost revenue. Yes, they won’t call again. Teens have no patience for this.
If its service related and there is an outage then play the message up front telling the caller that.
2. Keep It Simple Sir
Keep it brief and simple up front with no more than 3 options to choose from. The reason you press 9 to repeat the menu tree is because there are 8 items and the caller can’t remember which menu number he needs anymore.
Make sure it’s relevant to the caller and he is experiencing the right information for the service he is calling.
3. Branding and Marketing
Remember, the IVR is the front door and a welcome to the caller. Here is a chance to use the right branding messages while they are on hold or going through the menu items. If there is a special sale then say it, if there is certain support issues then say it. Callers who get told information stay on the call longer.
4. IVR Applications that make Sense
IVR is just a tool and when designed properly it allows one to quickly get a bank balance, flight information, track a package or follow up on a service issue with a case ID. This as designed was to have less agents in the queue answers silly questions like “Do I have money in my account”. So gather the marketing and sales staff and work through some of their input in making an efficient IVR. They put on your blindfold and pretend you’re a harried housewife who is calling after a hard day and needs some customer service TLC.
5. Bottoms Up
Involve the ACD agents in refining the IVR. They handle hundreds of calls a day and they can tell you what callers want and how best to serve them and how to simplify their jobs. I would say their participation is mandatory in any design. Actually ask them to help design the call queues as well.
Make the IVR efficient and relevant and easy to use and your customers will thank you and stick around to buy more products form you.
Lately, I have had to make many calls to different companies to resolve customer service issues. As usual the front door is always an IVR and it causes a lot of grief and headaches. Most companies have the IVR set up incorrectly which further infuriates the caller. A positive customer experience creates a longer lasting customer relationship. It’s the stickiness that keeps customers coming back if you make the self service application easy to use.
The main thing that all contact centers need to do immediately is remove the “WE ARE EXPERIENCING A HIGHeR NUMBeR OF CALLS THAN USUAL SO WAIT TIMES MAY BE LONGER”. Really? You may mean to say we only have 2 agents in the ACD queue so please be very very patient this evening while we take our time processing your call. Then you always hear “YOUR CALL IS VERY IMPORTANT TO US”. Really? You may mean to say if it was important you would have been answered on the first ring.
The days of 80% of calls answered within 20 seconds are over. 20 seconds is 3 ring cycles.
Now when you call if you hear clicking or a sudden drop in volume or a ring cycle then you know your call has left the country to be answered politely by hard working ACD agents in anther country. The interconnect lines are heavily compressed making it hard to understand them These agents basically will never have the tools or access to information that can help you due to security measures. Best to hang up and try again later. Trust me they cannot assist you in any way.
IF I PUNCH IN MY ACCOUNT CODE OR CELL PHONE NUMBER DO NOT ASK FOR IT AGAIN? This means they only make you punch in the digits to annoy you because the agent has no clue who is calling.
When in doubt always press zero or use a rotary telephone. Then you don’t have to worry about punching any digits in.
NEVER EVER tell the caller to go to the website for inquiries as my mother doesn’t have a computer. She is calling the IVR because that’s how she does her inquiries.
So here are 5 simple and common sense ways to improve your IVR system so that your callers will have a much better customer experience.
1. Define the purpose of the IVR
It’s a tool and will enhance the self service experience of the caller. A sales queue needs different treatment than a service queue. If the average sale is $100 then every lost call is lost revenue. Yes, they won’t call again. Teens have no patience for this.
If its service related and there is an outage then play the message up front telling the caller that.
2. Keep It Simple Sir
Keep it brief and simple up front with no more than 3 options to choose from. The reason you press 9 to repeat the menu tree is because there are 8 items and the caller can’t remember which menu number he needs anymore.
Make sure it’s relevant to the caller and he is experiencing the right information for the service he is calling.
3. Branding and Marketing
Remember, the IVR is the front door and a welcome to the caller. Here is a chance to use the right branding messages while they are on hold or going through the menu items. If there is a special sale then say it, if there is certain support issues then say it. Callers who get told information stay on the call longer.
4. IVR Applications that make Sense
IVR is just a tool and when designed properly it allows one to quickly get a bank balance, flight information, track a package or follow up on a service issue with a case ID. This as designed was to have less agents in the queue answers silly questions like “Do I have money in my account”. So gather the marketing and sales staff and work through some of their input in making an efficient IVR. They put on your blindfold and pretend you’re a harried housewife who is calling after a hard day and needs some customer service TLC.
5. Bottoms Up
Involve the ACD agents in refining the IVR. They handle hundreds of calls a day and they can tell you what callers want and how best to serve them and how to simplify their jobs. I would say their participation is mandatory in any design. Actually ask them to help design the call queues as well.
Make the IVR efficient and relevant and easy to use and your customers will thank you and stick around to buy more products form you.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
What’s with the Wireless G Revolution?
What’s with the Wireless G Revolution?
The Canadian wireless industry has been going through a series of revolutions the past 20 years as the need for more bandwidth and faster data speeds is required to keep up with the latest technology.
So what do all these Gs mean?
• 1G – The first networks implemented in the mid-1980s, were purely analog and used primarily for voice. These brick-like phones were often carried around in large bags or had to be hardwired into vehicles. Remember the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X? Or the hardwired transportable Motorola DynaTAC 8000X?. The analog nature of the network prompted the US to declare it to be illegal to eavesdrop on cellular calls after calls made by senators were leaked to the media.
• 2G – Starting in the early 1990s, this generation migrated the industry to digital devices that delivered better voice quality, more reliable service and SMS. The entry of the GSM standard also came about at that time. The text messaging revolution owes its existence to this second-generation wireless technology. Popular telephones where the Nokia 6190 series. I was able to send and receive emails using this telephone and my Palm Pilot with a data cable. Simple SMS was also available on GSM and the ability to do simple WAP pages.
• 3G – These updated networks increased speed and capacity around the year 2000. The first Blackberry 850 was a two line device that worked like a pager. However it’s only been the past 5 years that Canadian carriers discovered that smart phones took advantage of these features. It’s what we use today typically that allows faster speeds and multimedia capabilities on our Blackberry’s and iPhone devices. Sometimes I think the explosion of devices was caused by the boomers kids becoming obsessed with smart phones.
• 4G – This is the next generation of networks. This standard is currently being piloted in a few Canadian cities. It promises the type of speeds that we are used to on wired networks such as 50MB to 100MB speeds. This standard is still under development. This will drive more video applications and our use of cloud computing.
Current LTE and WiMAX implementations are considered pre-4G, as they don't fully comply with the planned requirements of 1Gbit/s for stationary reception and 100Mbit/s for mobile. Besides speed, a number of other requirements and features have been identified for wireless communication standards to qualify as 4G such as.
• Spectrally efficient
• Dynamically share and utilize the network resources to support more simultaneous users per cell
• Smooth handovers across heterogeneous networks
• Ability to offer high quality of service for next generation multimedia support
• Based on an all-IP packet switched network
All this will require more frequency spectrum availability and bandwidth. This is the primary reason why the United States and Canadian analog television channels were shifted and reorganized into digital channels to make room available in the 700 MHz band for reassignment for 4G.
However, it really means spectrum auctions and millions of revenue into the government pockets. The good thing about 700 MHz is that it penetrates buildings better allowing your conversation to not drop when you run into a Starbucks to pick up a coffee.
The Canadian wireless industry has been going through a series of revolutions the past 20 years as the need for more bandwidth and faster data speeds is required to keep up with the latest technology.
So what do all these Gs mean?
• 1G – The first networks implemented in the mid-1980s, were purely analog and used primarily for voice. These brick-like phones were often carried around in large bags or had to be hardwired into vehicles. Remember the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X? Or the hardwired transportable Motorola DynaTAC 8000X?. The analog nature of the network prompted the US to declare it to be illegal to eavesdrop on cellular calls after calls made by senators were leaked to the media.
• 2G – Starting in the early 1990s, this generation migrated the industry to digital devices that delivered better voice quality, more reliable service and SMS. The entry of the GSM standard also came about at that time. The text messaging revolution owes its existence to this second-generation wireless technology. Popular telephones where the Nokia 6190 series. I was able to send and receive emails using this telephone and my Palm Pilot with a data cable. Simple SMS was also available on GSM and the ability to do simple WAP pages.
• 3G – These updated networks increased speed and capacity around the year 2000. The first Blackberry 850 was a two line device that worked like a pager. However it’s only been the past 5 years that Canadian carriers discovered that smart phones took advantage of these features. It’s what we use today typically that allows faster speeds and multimedia capabilities on our Blackberry’s and iPhone devices. Sometimes I think the explosion of devices was caused by the boomers kids becoming obsessed with smart phones.
• 4G – This is the next generation of networks. This standard is currently being piloted in a few Canadian cities. It promises the type of speeds that we are used to on wired networks such as 50MB to 100MB speeds. This standard is still under development. This will drive more video applications and our use of cloud computing.
Current LTE and WiMAX implementations are considered pre-4G, as they don't fully comply with the planned requirements of 1Gbit/s for stationary reception and 100Mbit/s for mobile. Besides speed, a number of other requirements and features have been identified for wireless communication standards to qualify as 4G such as.
• Spectrally efficient
• Dynamically share and utilize the network resources to support more simultaneous users per cell
• Smooth handovers across heterogeneous networks
• Ability to offer high quality of service for next generation multimedia support
• Based on an all-IP packet switched network
All this will require more frequency spectrum availability and bandwidth. This is the primary reason why the United States and Canadian analog television channels were shifted and reorganized into digital channels to make room available in the 700 MHz band for reassignment for 4G.
However, it really means spectrum auctions and millions of revenue into the government pockets. The good thing about 700 MHz is that it penetrates buildings better allowing your conversation to not drop when you run into a Starbucks to pick up a coffee.
Gartner's Top 10 Technologies for 2011
I have been using my own small list of technology trends as discussion points with my customers. It seems that every CIO and Director has objectives put in place to transform their organization, but sometime the transformation has many steps and requires their infrastructure to be ready.
The common misconception is that to have Unified Communication, one must have IP Telephony in place. Yes and No. A voice mailbox appearing in Outlook doesn’t require an IP telephone set, it can be associated with a traditional digital or analog telephone set. Having an IP Softphone on a laptop only requires the PBX infrastructure to be current in its software and the WAN to support a secure VPN connection. This would then entail adding a security appliance to the solution to support the new application. However, if you want the full suite of UC applications to be available then a new PBX infrastructure is required with supporting LAN and WAN components. This is very important when video is added to the mix. Most 10/100MB LAN switches will create bottlenecks and WAN bandwidths need to accommodate the demand for High Definition streaming. The old 3Com LAN switches with a simple data T1 will provide a major constraint in achieving real time communications in the moment.
This is all a moot point as most organizations are looking at MPLS networks for their voice and data transport, larger Internet access connections, and an overhaul of their LAN infrastructure to support additional layers of switching with 1GB ports and POE connections. Replace the12 year old PBX with a new one and add a data center or two with SAN capability, and give everyone a laptop with a dual core CPU and a 500 GB hardrive. Pretty simple!!
Let’s see what the good folks at Gartner have come up with and my comments.
Gartner's Top 10 Technologies for 2011
October 20, 2010 Larry Dignan
1: Cloud computing
This group of technologies has been on the top 10 lists for a few years. Now everything as a service will alter business models and IT procurement. Gartner analyst David Cearley said what has changed is that there are multiple services. Companies will probably need cloud computing brokers. Things to watch:
• Where does the public cloud fit? IT is generally scared of the public cloud, but select workloads are fine.
• Beware cloud washing. IT execs are comfortable with the vendors cloud washing but may not get real capability.
• Limit access to specific clouds based on community and groups. That approach would minimize security risks. Gartner has exclusive clouds and community clouds as services to watch.
• Private clouds are custom and packaged.
My impression: A safe pick for sure, but the cloud is getting more granular as it matures. Think cloud washing magnified.
John’s Opinion: We are seeing a lot of this from Google and Apple and some others for the home user and the Smartphone user community but until business really starts adopting devices that will seek its apps from corporate clouds then it can’t be the number one topic. I think security within the corporate cloud attaching to the public cloud to be the biggest concern.
2: Mobile apps and media tablets
Tablets and touch aren't new. Claunch said that the selection of applications changes the game for businesses. "Apple has leveraged the ecosystem of the iPhone," Claunch said. "And Apple has created consistency." In addition, Apple's iPad is the poster child for how consumerization is affecting corporate IT. Things to think about for enterprise IT:
• Enterprise apps will need to be designed for the tablet.
• Delivering these apps gets complicated due to the selection of platforms.
• Context-aware computing can connect to customers better.
• Marketing will drive a lot of projects to utilize tablets, but these devices can be used for inspections, surveys, image capture, documentation, and training.
Cearley added, "The PC era is over. Think of mobile design points."
My impression: It's stunning how many iPads are in this crowd of 7,000-plus IT execs and managers. Another thread: Almost all of these IT execs are carrying PCs not Macs. Typically, CIOs and the like are the last to get on board an early adoption curve for a new device. There's a frenzy over tablets.
John’s Opinion: I am starting to see more and more interest from the business community in rolling out these devices as it could simplify and lower the TCO. However, the iPad isn’t really ready for business prime time. I would see next year as the pivot point for iPad 2.0 and a real look at what the RIM playbook will truly be. However, Cisco and Avaya have their versions of tablets and although they appear very much application limited it is the one device that’s truly embedded into the corporate telecom infrastructure. We are all getting tired carrying a 10 lb laptop, power supply, mouse, cables etc. and a simple tablet would shed many pounds. However, I still need access to corporate applications and should be able to print and use Microsoft Office very easily. This could be a struggle if Apple or RIM or Android doesn’t allow others into their ecosystem. It’s a safe bet the TCO for a tablet would be lower than a laptop. Of course, the fixed desktop users get to keep their P2 machine for ever and ever as their use seems specific to a user profile community unaffected by the tablet/Smartphone hype.
3: Next-gen analytics
Companies need to develop "operational analytics" to make predictions and use data mashups. "There's value in very current information. We are now shifting our focus to start doing simulations and modeling to predict the future," Claunch said. These simulations would ultimately be run on Smartphone’s and other devices. Algorithms will really matter to companies to support the right type of prediction.
Gartner didn't advocate doing a lot of analytics investment yet, but be ready to invest.
My impression: Analytics is largely untapped ground for many companies. Claunch's key point: "This is just being enabled now." Another key item: A show of hands revealed that the entire room had business intelligence software. A show of hands also indicated that no one thought those applications were delivering real value.
John’s Opinion: Now is the time to add these applications to your business decision making toolkit. This is how you put buying trends, customer profiles, consumer behavior, sales segmentation and other reports to assist in generating more revenue. If you don’t know your customer or can use the data for forecasting then you will be out of business very very soon. Quickly – What do your customers located in Alberta buy the most of??? When do you sell the most of the 735 widget?
4: Social analytics
This concept revolves around taking social networking data and incorporating it into enterprise analysis. Sentiment, context, and influence are key areas for companies. "We're starting to see the tipping point," Cearley said. "It's moving from bleeding edge to mainstream activity." For now, look at communities you have to support and analyze an entry.
My impression: CIOs should be watching this stuff, but given the crowd response to business intelligence, I'm not seeing much progress on the analytics-social intersection.
John’s Opinion: This is still new and those selling through Facebook have a good handle on it but if you have no BI tools in place today then you can’t break it down and add social tabs to the spreadsheet. I would hope that if you get a good chunk of business though Groupon you are tracking it.
5: Social communication and collaboration
Social collaboration is "inevitable," Cearley said. "Over the next few years, it will be impossible to ignore this," he added. By now, companies should have policies, high value social uses identified, and have experiments to link social with CRM systems. Meanwhile, unified communications will merge with social. Expertise location will probably be the best use case.
My impression: Gartner makes a good point, but I'd be willing to bet that enterprises are way behind the curve on social communication and what it means for collaboration and productivity.
John’s Opinion: Agreed, today’s marketing departments talk a good story but are way behind what I would consider effective and integrated strategies for social networking. However, the Unified Communication space is showing interest and I think Avaya right now is in the lead with a credible storyline. I wouldn’t rule out Cisco but they are up to something but maybe haven’t been exactly clear on where they fit. The new guys definitely get it – Look at Kobo, Skype and Amazon. It’s coming but we just need it tied into business a lot better. It looks like Microsoft’s new Lync platform might be the enabler we all need in business or Cisco’s Quad platform.
6: Video
Corporate use of video is becoming mainstream. Low-cost video recorders are everywhere. Companies will need video content management systems and better design skills, and they'll need to address privacy issues and policy concerns. Will all conference rooms be recorded by default? E-learning, merchandising, marketing, webinars, and Telepresence will all be key video uses. The tipping point will come in 2011 to 2013. In addition, video will be needed to reach younger employees.
My impression: Video has hit mainstream, but networks haven't. Will Vlogs really be the best use of employee time? One other key point: How will business intelligence systems digest video content?
John’s Opinion: Once you get off the ISDN BRI lines and onto a real MPLS network do things happen very easily. I disagree, video has been on an uptrend and being used more and more as the picture quality is much improved, LCD screens are cheap, networks are faster and better and the UC manufacturers are on the ball right now. Cisco has added Tandberg and Avaya have a new product launch and its all video aware intelligence to the endpoints and true call and watch functionality. Microsoft has beefed up their offering with the new Lync servers. I doubt the other UC providers have the bench strength for a seamless user experience like these big three.
7: Context-aware computing
The idea here is that social analytics and computing leads to knowledge about preferences. User interfaces would change based on context. Today, it's all reactive. By 2011 to 2013, there will be more proactive alerts. By 2014 to 2018, you'll have context integrated with enterprise systems. Ultimately, there will be a context platform. Portals, mashups, mobile, and social will combine. Vendors will offer "user experience platforms."
My impression: I have a hard time seeing strapped enterprises going all contextual. Look for business units such as marketing to launch these projects to drive sales. Companies will need to deliver context-aware services to businesses. Can't wait for all of those user experience platform pitches.
John’s Opinion: This is all heady stuff and its coming but I expect the new start ups to really make headway in this regard and be swallowed up by the larger players. I can get a coupon from Starbucks on my smart device while in store using their free wifi connection, but that’s simple as they have me log onto the connection. If Amazon suggests a book while I am in the Kindle store it is pretty easy as well. I doubt anyone can succeed in this without a Business Intelligence platform with recent user data. If you really want to offer me a Pizza coupon from another Pizza shop Friday nights then they need to know who I order the pizza from, what I order, do I have it delivered? And what time I order and my preferred communication method. Google can do this if I do it all through the Google Pizza Portal but without it the back end computers need to really crunch numbers. It would be easier to just send me a flyer at my doorstep…no?
8: Ubiquitous computing
This topic has been discussed in previous years on Gartner's lists. In a nutshell, computers melt into objects. There will be machine-to-machine connections, portable personalities, and connectivity changes across multiple devices. There will be thousands of computers for each person on the planet, and you'll have multiple devices.
My impression: Ubiquitous computing is more a guiding principle for projects than something you think about in terms of budget. The timeline here is decades. What's also notable: Everyone has punted on getting one device to consolidate them all. We're doomed to carry a bunch of devices.
John’s Opinion: Yeah that’s a good one. I still need a Kindle to read books, an iPad to read PDF magazines and check emails, a Blackberry for work and BBM, a flashlight, a Western Digital 2 TB pocket drive, and a thumbnail mp3 player, a Kodak Zi HD video camera and my trusty Nikon D300 digital SLR. Hey it’s just me but add a Sony Shortwave portable radio to the list as well. What we should push for is Ubiquitous batteries.
9: Storage class memory
When Flash meets RAM, there are differences in speed and costs. Persistent storage will also alter management. Claunch said that storage class memory goes beyond solid state drives. This new class of storage will lead to software where operating systems determine where data goes. Storage class memory will become more important over the next two to three years.
My impression: It's a bit experimental, but storage class memory will ride shotgun with analytics. Companies will have to define what data goes into fast memory.
John’s Opinion: I don’t understand anything of the above but I can show you the bills for 16MB Compact Flash cards from 10 years ago that cost hundreds of dollars. For every memory device I have purchased the storage size was double at half the price a few weeks after I bought it. Maybe I better take notice as my LG Blueray player requires a persistent memory device for storage of Live content. I use a Cisco 4GB USB stick for that.
10: Fabric based infrastructure and computers
Every vendor will talk fabric computing, so get ready for fabric-washing. The overall idea here is that you'll have infrastructure that manages resources in an integrated fashion. Cisco UCS and HP Matrix are examples. New ways of building servers will mean you buy pools of processors and memory instead of physically swapping boxes.
My impression: Forming your own flexible servers sounds appealing. The fabric thing sounds way futuristic for now, but the seeds are being planted.
John’s Opinion: Its here and a factor in the virtualization game and Cisco is positioned for it in their Human Powered network philosophy. This should be on every IT road map as it will be the way to manage storage and computing resources. Probably a key infrastructure requirement for the new applications and services coming our way and supports all of the above technologies in a way. IBM is the seasoned expert and a nice tie into their blade servers and data center centric methodology.
My top picks still are wireless and mobile devices creeping into the business community, more and more adoption of Unified Communication applications to drive productivity and sales revenues (now with video) and more Web 2.0/3.0 applications becoming prevalent and changing our behavior.
John Leonardelli
Senior UC Consultant
This article reprinted courtesy of TechRepublic.
The common misconception is that to have Unified Communication, one must have IP Telephony in place. Yes and No. A voice mailbox appearing in Outlook doesn’t require an IP telephone set, it can be associated with a traditional digital or analog telephone set. Having an IP Softphone on a laptop only requires the PBX infrastructure to be current in its software and the WAN to support a secure VPN connection. This would then entail adding a security appliance to the solution to support the new application. However, if you want the full suite of UC applications to be available then a new PBX infrastructure is required with supporting LAN and WAN components. This is very important when video is added to the mix. Most 10/100MB LAN switches will create bottlenecks and WAN bandwidths need to accommodate the demand for High Definition streaming. The old 3Com LAN switches with a simple data T1 will provide a major constraint in achieving real time communications in the moment.
This is all a moot point as most organizations are looking at MPLS networks for their voice and data transport, larger Internet access connections, and an overhaul of their LAN infrastructure to support additional layers of switching with 1GB ports and POE connections. Replace the12 year old PBX with a new one and add a data center or two with SAN capability, and give everyone a laptop with a dual core CPU and a 500 GB hardrive. Pretty simple!!
Let’s see what the good folks at Gartner have come up with and my comments.
Gartner's Top 10 Technologies for 2011
October 20, 2010 Larry Dignan
1: Cloud computing
This group of technologies has been on the top 10 lists for a few years. Now everything as a service will alter business models and IT procurement. Gartner analyst David Cearley said what has changed is that there are multiple services. Companies will probably need cloud computing brokers. Things to watch:
• Where does the public cloud fit? IT is generally scared of the public cloud, but select workloads are fine.
• Beware cloud washing. IT execs are comfortable with the vendors cloud washing but may not get real capability.
• Limit access to specific clouds based on community and groups. That approach would minimize security risks. Gartner has exclusive clouds and community clouds as services to watch.
• Private clouds are custom and packaged.
My impression: A safe pick for sure, but the cloud is getting more granular as it matures. Think cloud washing magnified.
John’s Opinion: We are seeing a lot of this from Google and Apple and some others for the home user and the Smartphone user community but until business really starts adopting devices that will seek its apps from corporate clouds then it can’t be the number one topic. I think security within the corporate cloud attaching to the public cloud to be the biggest concern.
2: Mobile apps and media tablets
Tablets and touch aren't new. Claunch said that the selection of applications changes the game for businesses. "Apple has leveraged the ecosystem of the iPhone," Claunch said. "And Apple has created consistency." In addition, Apple's iPad is the poster child for how consumerization is affecting corporate IT. Things to think about for enterprise IT:
• Enterprise apps will need to be designed for the tablet.
• Delivering these apps gets complicated due to the selection of platforms.
• Context-aware computing can connect to customers better.
• Marketing will drive a lot of projects to utilize tablets, but these devices can be used for inspections, surveys, image capture, documentation, and training.
Cearley added, "The PC era is over. Think of mobile design points."
My impression: It's stunning how many iPads are in this crowd of 7,000-plus IT execs and managers. Another thread: Almost all of these IT execs are carrying PCs not Macs. Typically, CIOs and the like are the last to get on board an early adoption curve for a new device. There's a frenzy over tablets.
John’s Opinion: I am starting to see more and more interest from the business community in rolling out these devices as it could simplify and lower the TCO. However, the iPad isn’t really ready for business prime time. I would see next year as the pivot point for iPad 2.0 and a real look at what the RIM playbook will truly be. However, Cisco and Avaya have their versions of tablets and although they appear very much application limited it is the one device that’s truly embedded into the corporate telecom infrastructure. We are all getting tired carrying a 10 lb laptop, power supply, mouse, cables etc. and a simple tablet would shed many pounds. However, I still need access to corporate applications and should be able to print and use Microsoft Office very easily. This could be a struggle if Apple or RIM or Android doesn’t allow others into their ecosystem. It’s a safe bet the TCO for a tablet would be lower than a laptop. Of course, the fixed desktop users get to keep their P2 machine for ever and ever as their use seems specific to a user profile community unaffected by the tablet/Smartphone hype.
3: Next-gen analytics
Companies need to develop "operational analytics" to make predictions and use data mashups. "There's value in very current information. We are now shifting our focus to start doing simulations and modeling to predict the future," Claunch said. These simulations would ultimately be run on Smartphone’s and other devices. Algorithms will really matter to companies to support the right type of prediction.
Gartner didn't advocate doing a lot of analytics investment yet, but be ready to invest.
My impression: Analytics is largely untapped ground for many companies. Claunch's key point: "This is just being enabled now." Another key item: A show of hands revealed that the entire room had business intelligence software. A show of hands also indicated that no one thought those applications were delivering real value.
John’s Opinion: Now is the time to add these applications to your business decision making toolkit. This is how you put buying trends, customer profiles, consumer behavior, sales segmentation and other reports to assist in generating more revenue. If you don’t know your customer or can use the data for forecasting then you will be out of business very very soon. Quickly – What do your customers located in Alberta buy the most of??? When do you sell the most of the 735 widget?
4: Social analytics
This concept revolves around taking social networking data and incorporating it into enterprise analysis. Sentiment, context, and influence are key areas for companies. "We're starting to see the tipping point," Cearley said. "It's moving from bleeding edge to mainstream activity." For now, look at communities you have to support and analyze an entry.
My impression: CIOs should be watching this stuff, but given the crowd response to business intelligence, I'm not seeing much progress on the analytics-social intersection.
John’s Opinion: This is still new and those selling through Facebook have a good handle on it but if you have no BI tools in place today then you can’t break it down and add social tabs to the spreadsheet. I would hope that if you get a good chunk of business though Groupon you are tracking it.
5: Social communication and collaboration
Social collaboration is "inevitable," Cearley said. "Over the next few years, it will be impossible to ignore this," he added. By now, companies should have policies, high value social uses identified, and have experiments to link social with CRM systems. Meanwhile, unified communications will merge with social. Expertise location will probably be the best use case.
My impression: Gartner makes a good point, but I'd be willing to bet that enterprises are way behind the curve on social communication and what it means for collaboration and productivity.
John’s Opinion: Agreed, today’s marketing departments talk a good story but are way behind what I would consider effective and integrated strategies for social networking. However, the Unified Communication space is showing interest and I think Avaya right now is in the lead with a credible storyline. I wouldn’t rule out Cisco but they are up to something but maybe haven’t been exactly clear on where they fit. The new guys definitely get it – Look at Kobo, Skype and Amazon. It’s coming but we just need it tied into business a lot better. It looks like Microsoft’s new Lync platform might be the enabler we all need in business or Cisco’s Quad platform.
6: Video
Corporate use of video is becoming mainstream. Low-cost video recorders are everywhere. Companies will need video content management systems and better design skills, and they'll need to address privacy issues and policy concerns. Will all conference rooms be recorded by default? E-learning, merchandising, marketing, webinars, and Telepresence will all be key video uses. The tipping point will come in 2011 to 2013. In addition, video will be needed to reach younger employees.
My impression: Video has hit mainstream, but networks haven't. Will Vlogs really be the best use of employee time? One other key point: How will business intelligence systems digest video content?
John’s Opinion: Once you get off the ISDN BRI lines and onto a real MPLS network do things happen very easily. I disagree, video has been on an uptrend and being used more and more as the picture quality is much improved, LCD screens are cheap, networks are faster and better and the UC manufacturers are on the ball right now. Cisco has added Tandberg and Avaya have a new product launch and its all video aware intelligence to the endpoints and true call and watch functionality. Microsoft has beefed up their offering with the new Lync servers. I doubt the other UC providers have the bench strength for a seamless user experience like these big three.
7: Context-aware computing
The idea here is that social analytics and computing leads to knowledge about preferences. User interfaces would change based on context. Today, it's all reactive. By 2011 to 2013, there will be more proactive alerts. By 2014 to 2018, you'll have context integrated with enterprise systems. Ultimately, there will be a context platform. Portals, mashups, mobile, and social will combine. Vendors will offer "user experience platforms."
My impression: I have a hard time seeing strapped enterprises going all contextual. Look for business units such as marketing to launch these projects to drive sales. Companies will need to deliver context-aware services to businesses. Can't wait for all of those user experience platform pitches.
John’s Opinion: This is all heady stuff and its coming but I expect the new start ups to really make headway in this regard and be swallowed up by the larger players. I can get a coupon from Starbucks on my smart device while in store using their free wifi connection, but that’s simple as they have me log onto the connection. If Amazon suggests a book while I am in the Kindle store it is pretty easy as well. I doubt anyone can succeed in this without a Business Intelligence platform with recent user data. If you really want to offer me a Pizza coupon from another Pizza shop Friday nights then they need to know who I order the pizza from, what I order, do I have it delivered? And what time I order and my preferred communication method. Google can do this if I do it all through the Google Pizza Portal but without it the back end computers need to really crunch numbers. It would be easier to just send me a flyer at my doorstep…no?
8: Ubiquitous computing
This topic has been discussed in previous years on Gartner's lists. In a nutshell, computers melt into objects. There will be machine-to-machine connections, portable personalities, and connectivity changes across multiple devices. There will be thousands of computers for each person on the planet, and you'll have multiple devices.
My impression: Ubiquitous computing is more a guiding principle for projects than something you think about in terms of budget. The timeline here is decades. What's also notable: Everyone has punted on getting one device to consolidate them all. We're doomed to carry a bunch of devices.
John’s Opinion: Yeah that’s a good one. I still need a Kindle to read books, an iPad to read PDF magazines and check emails, a Blackberry for work and BBM, a flashlight, a Western Digital 2 TB pocket drive, and a thumbnail mp3 player, a Kodak Zi HD video camera and my trusty Nikon D300 digital SLR. Hey it’s just me but add a Sony Shortwave portable radio to the list as well. What we should push for is Ubiquitous batteries.
9: Storage class memory
When Flash meets RAM, there are differences in speed and costs. Persistent storage will also alter management. Claunch said that storage class memory goes beyond solid state drives. This new class of storage will lead to software where operating systems determine where data goes. Storage class memory will become more important over the next two to three years.
My impression: It's a bit experimental, but storage class memory will ride shotgun with analytics. Companies will have to define what data goes into fast memory.
John’s Opinion: I don’t understand anything of the above but I can show you the bills for 16MB Compact Flash cards from 10 years ago that cost hundreds of dollars. For every memory device I have purchased the storage size was double at half the price a few weeks after I bought it. Maybe I better take notice as my LG Blueray player requires a persistent memory device for storage of Live content. I use a Cisco 4GB USB stick for that.
10: Fabric based infrastructure and computers
Every vendor will talk fabric computing, so get ready for fabric-washing. The overall idea here is that you'll have infrastructure that manages resources in an integrated fashion. Cisco UCS and HP Matrix are examples. New ways of building servers will mean you buy pools of processors and memory instead of physically swapping boxes.
My impression: Forming your own flexible servers sounds appealing. The fabric thing sounds way futuristic for now, but the seeds are being planted.
John’s Opinion: Its here and a factor in the virtualization game and Cisco is positioned for it in their Human Powered network philosophy. This should be on every IT road map as it will be the way to manage storage and computing resources. Probably a key infrastructure requirement for the new applications and services coming our way and supports all of the above technologies in a way. IBM is the seasoned expert and a nice tie into their blade servers and data center centric methodology.
My top picks still are wireless and mobile devices creeping into the business community, more and more adoption of Unified Communication applications to drive productivity and sales revenues (now with video) and more Web 2.0/3.0 applications becoming prevalent and changing our behavior.
John Leonardelli
Senior UC Consultant
This article reprinted courtesy of TechRepublic.
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