What is Telephony?

Is IT literally coming through your ears? Give it time, Telephony is on the move for the simple reason that IT makes sense.

Internet protocol telephony or IP Telephony Systems are systems that transmit voice calls over Internet Protocol based networks.

Who's providing this technology? Alcatel, Avaya, Cisco Systems, Mitel Networks,NEC, Nortel Networks, Siemens, and 3Com to name a few.

These systems "break up audio, convert it into digital packets and then send those packets over a data network." One infrastructure for all forms of data transmission.

It makes sense if your phone systems are still a major appliance in your sales, customer service, and accounting systems. Often information that we receive over the phone still has to be translated and input into preexisting data systems. Telephony says it can be one thing. Like eCommerce was then so is Telephony now. It is even possible for your automated sales services to sent directly to your eCommerce transaction service so that an order can be confirmed and billed and ready for shipment with the same automated ease of your website.

As with all of the more complicated details of IT sometimes the need has to be understood before sales see a difference.

If your company is simply used to having to check emails for sales and voice mail and the website it is difficult to envision what connecting and automating all of this will do.

IT is the latest trend for 2005. Will your company be in a position to convert this year? Maybe, but if not at least you can start learning more about what it takes now so that when it is time to update your network Telephony deployments are in the budget.

Baseline Magazine was one of several Ziff Davis Publications that did a lengthy info story on IP Telephony including more enterprise related walk throughs on what it takes to implement or even planning to implement Telephony in your company. Business to Business transactions can also flourish with Telephony. Step by Step instructions make it easy to gather support in the office as well as discussing the shift with your technology providers and administrators.

Set a goal Set a budget. Technology is fun and easy to use. Less work means more time for things like innovations.

I can tell you, I have had long time customers call in on their cell phones while driving to work to place reorders for product and for product related questions that easily convert to sales. If you make it easy for customers to place orders they will take advantage and buy.

People go with their options. Make it possible for sales transactions via cell phone they'll call and order.

In fact it is the sudden gross success of cell phones that is increasing wireless development anyway.

Society is responding to modern methods of connectivity. It is good business to realize this evolution and find ways the company can do the same.