New Avaya IP Office Release 6.1 improves user experiences, drives cost-savings, and reduces software installation time by nearly 75%
BASKING RIDGE, N.J. – Avaya, Inc. today introduced the new version of Avaya IP Office—the company’s flagship communications solution for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). Avaya IP Office Release 6.1 delivers a host of business collaboration and customer service enhancements that can improve ease-of-use and worker productivity for SME workers, and generate significant new efficiencies for businesses.
Avaya IP Office has been recognized for its total cost of ownership (TCO) benefits, delivering savings of approximately 25% in acquisition and ownership costs when compared with a competing vendor solution.1 The new version of Avaya IP Office expands upon its TCO strengths by enabling installation via a single DVD containing the open standards-based Linux® operating system (OS) and key communications applications. Formerly, the OS and IP Office applications had to be installed via several sources and multiple DVDs.
This new approach can cut down software installation times by as much as 75%,2 saving on labor costs while simplifying installation. Additionally, when compared to other OS environments, Linux does not require user licenses, driving further savings for Avaya IP Office users.
Other advancements introduced today include:
- Flexible Avaya one-X™ Portal for IP Office: The solution’s dynamic Web-based desktop communications interface for remote, mobile and office workers features a newly-designed, customizable interface with drag and drop application gadgets. The solution—which lets users manage calls, instant messages and e-mails from one PC-based portal—is more flexible, allowing users to place gadgets (i.e. Directory, Call Log, etc.) wherever they want on their screen. Further customization includes ‘skins’ and branding with a business’ name.
- Improved Contact Center Reporting: Now, an SME can gauge the success of a customer campaign through location-based business intelligence that analyzes the calls flowing into a contact center, and makes them viewable on a geographic map. This capability provides a visual report of the volume of customer interaction based on each customer’s location.
- Expanded Video Options: Avaya IP Office expands upon its videoconferencing capabilities, going beyond Softphone-based video to now offer more advanced multi-point HD videoconferencing with up to 4 parties.3 Additionally, it enables video integration with selected third-party SIP phones.
- Multi-site Management: SME owners can now manage multiple office sites using one consolidated interface and a single log-in. This lets users view and manage all of the key communications parameters (i.e. user rights, hunt groups) of multiple locations (up to 32).
Avaya is the worldwide leader in the SME market, with leadership in both revenue and line share.4 With Avaya IP Office 6.1, the company accelerates unified communications and contact center technologies in the SME market, helping SMEs compete more effectively, but in a cost-conscious manner. According to a recent survey,5 even as most SMEs (61%) believe technology is key to staying competitive, more than half (54%) believe cost-savings is the main driver for new technology adoption.
“Small and medium-sized businesses want the competitive edge that real-time communications can deliver,” said Alan Weckel, research director at Dell’Oro Group, “and they will seek out collaboration solutions that are easy and cost-effective to install, manage and use. Those who can deliver on these benefits will lead the next phase of communications in the SME space.”
True Textiles, Inc. Advances UC, Customer Service with Avaya IP Office
A company that is gaining the benefits of Avaya IP Office 6.1 is True Textiles, a commercial fabrics industry leader committed to delivering exceptional products through increasingly sustainable design and manufacturing processes. To ensure seamless communications throughout the company’s Grand Rapids, Michigan headquarters and two manufacturing sites, True Textiles chose Avaya IP Office. With this solution, True Textiles can keep all employees well connected regardless of location—including home-based and mobile workers – using communications that makes economic sense.
Avaya IP Office also helps True Textiles excel in a competitive manufacturing market by providing everything from four-digit dialing to one-X Portal for IP Office. According to Scott Pellerito, network administrator for True Textiles, one-X Portal gives employees a convenient way to make calls, get voicemails and instant message, and he sees the application becoming a critical mobility tool for all employees.
“IP Office 6.1 lets us introduce new levels of capability and flexibility to employees in a way that is easily scalable,” said Pellerito. “With enhanced one-X Portal and call center reporting, we are well-positioned in mobility and customer service.” On a cost-savings level, Pellerito adds he is pleased to see a better way to manage multiple sites using a single view, and believes the single-DVD install could take thousands of dollars out of installation costs.
Avaya business partner CCI Telecom, Inc. which helped True Textiles install Avaya IP Office, agrees that the new single DVD with the Linux OS and key applications is a game changer.
“With this single-DVD install, we are seeing an even more flexible approach for customers that further reduces the time spent in labor and equipment to install IP Office,” said Bobby Stewart, co-founder and CTO/CIO from CC Telecom. “This improves TCO, and we are seeing about a seven to eight percent drop in costs due to software reductions. This is going be fantastic for customers and the business partner community.”
“Our vision is to bring all of the powerful collaboration capabilities of big business to the SME community – without the complexity,” said Anthony Bartolo, general manager, SME communications, Avaya. “With the latest release of Avaya IP Office, we are advancing on this vision, while introducing new levels of savings driven through advanced communications.”
Avaya IP Office Roadmap and Business Communication Manager 6.0
The company also completed significant elements of its Avaya IP Office roadmap, post the Avaya-Nortel Enterprise Systems (NES) merger. This includes interoperability between Avaya IP Office and the Business Communication Manager (BCM) platform (formerly NES’ SME offering) to mix and match in multi-site deployments. The newly Avaya branded BCM 6.0 introduces enhanced unified communications and collaboration capabilities for greater productivity and efficiency. This includes improved mobility for the ‘Find Me, Follow Me’ and conferencing applications, as well as the ability for BCM users to add teleworkers.
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