Employees are being subjected to an information avalanche from phone calls, email, fax and voicemail. Unified messaging helps to manage the information overload and thus increases employee productivity.

Unified Messaging is a solution that brings together electronic mail, fax and voice messaging onto a single interface. It uses a single directory and provides users message access via a common set of management tools. It gives users access to any message, any time, any where and at any place and on any device. This means that voice mail, email and faxes can be seen, sorted, prioritised and answered using a common screen.

As voice and fax messages are stored as data files, they can be filed and achieved like any other data file for future reference. Voice mail contact and fax group lists are managed as easily as today's email lists so users can more easily manage group messaging.

Another advantage is that unified messaging provides a telephone user interface (TUI), allowing users to access their email and/or faxes by phone, just as they do with their voicemail.

Organisations that implement unified messaging can provide common disaster recovery backup of all communication types, helping to ensure business continuity at all times.

Unified Messaging 'must haves' include a telephone user interface (TIU), a graphical user interface (GUI), integration with existing voice and data system elements, including security and management, and user customisation for message and call handling. Protocol support for SMTP, POP/IMAP, VPIM and LDAP are essential, as is a speech enabled IVR element. Support for TDM and IP Telephony integration is also mandatory.

Please contact us for more information on Unified Messaging.