Microsoft Unified Communication Platform Playbook Understanding the Market Vendor Connections Powered by Training Resources Solutions Central Selling Support Unified Communications Powered by Playbooks Objective This playbook was created to provide a roadmap for those resellers that are interested in entering the Unified Communications space leveraging a software based solution. The format is based on walking these resellers through 12 activities that we believe are essential to building the foundation for a successful Unified Communications practice. Let’s get started! Steps to Success 1 Why the time for unified communications is now 2 How Unified Communications can save your customers money 3 Understand the “decision makers perspective” 4 Complete Partner Program Registrations 5 Become a member of the social media community 6 Order your demo equipment 7 Complete critical sales and technical certifications 8 Become familiar with the product guides 9 Discover Vertical Market Unified Communications Solutions 10 Questions to avoid Unified Communications mistakes 11 Leverage Tech Data’s Product Sales Specialists Unified Communications Powered by Understanding the Market The unified communications market is forecast to top $14B by 2015 1 Why the time for unified communications is now Understand how Microsoft Unified Communications make it easier for people to communicate by viewing the “Demo Video” 2 How Unified Communications can save your customers money Consolidating messaging, voice mail, and telephony systems into an integrated unified communications platform that is based on Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 reduces hardware, software, and IT staff costs. Customers who use Microsoft Unified Communications report that they can: •Lower messaging costs 50 to 80 percent* through reduced spending on storage, third-party mobility, archiving, and backup solutions—they’re all included in Microsoft Exchange. •Trim long-distance and audio conferencing costs 20 to 40 percent* with the Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and unified conferencing capabilities in Office Communications Server. •Shrink the cost of communications systems 40 to 60 percent* by replacing legacy voice mail with Exchange Server 2010 and replacing expensive private branch exchange (PBX) equipment with Office Communications Server. •Reduce real estate and facility costs 30 to 40 percent* by freeing employees from working at fixed desks or offices. •Cut travel spending 20 to 40 percent* by replacing meetings with the Web, video, and audio conferencing capabilities that are built into Office Communications Server. Cost Savings Calculator; http://www.microsoft.com/uc/en/us/uc-calculator.aspx 3 Understand the “decision makers perspective” See how others have used Unified Communications solutions from Microsoft to improve their business performance. Case Studies: http://www.microsoft.com/uc/en/us/evidence.aspx Unified Communications Powered by Vendor Connections 4 Complete Partner Program Registrations Microsoft Unified Communications solutions combine Microsoft technology with industry-leading partner products and services. Together with our partners, we form an ecosystem of communications specialists dedicated to streamlining and improving communications across different media platforms. Expanding on the Microsoft Unified Communications platform, Microsoft partners have developed a wide range of applications and solutions to address unique customer requirements. Start enjoying partner benefits including demo discounts, training modules, and access to a wide array of selling information by register to become a Microsoft partner here. Microsoft Partner Network •Visit the Microsoft Partner Network •Learn about Unified Communications competencies Which Unified Communications Competency is Right for You? Previously Known As Key Products and Services Related Microsoft Resources Unified Communications Solutions competency, Microsoft Exchange Server including the follow ing specializations: Microsoft Offic e Competency quic k reference Communications Server card Voice IM/Presence Messaging Microsoft Offic e Unified Communications Unified Communications Communicator Competency overview Business Productivity Online presentation Suite 5 Become a member of the social media community Keep up to date with news an information related to your vendor partners and fellow resellers by joining the conversation via facebook and twitter. Unified Communications Powered by Training and Education Microsoft's UC solution is based on Exchange Server, OCS and Active Directory. Microsoft has strategic partnerships with Aspect and HP, along with a large and growing set of partnerships for gateways, survivable branch appliances, IP phones, audio conferencing service providers and SIP trunking, along with major system integrators and channel partners. OCS also integrates with collaboration and business applications like SharePoint. The same OCS and Exchange application is also used for Microsoft's online collaboration suite, Business Productivity Online Standard Suite (BPOS). 6 • Microsoft OCS 2010 R2 has seen year-over-year increased adoption for voice and audioconferencing, and now states that it has 100-plus deployments of over 2,000 telephony users. The next release of OCS, Microsoft Communication Server "14," scheduled for this calendar year, will add several critical telephony functions. • Exchange UM continues to gain acceptance and maturity in the market. Deployments have expanded beyond smaller (fewer than 2,000 subscribers) into the midsize (2,000 to 5,000 subscribers), with a few deployments in the very large (10,000-plus subscribers) market. In Exchange Server 2010, calendar access is integrated with the UM telephone interface, as is text-tospeech rendering of audio messages. • Microsoft's historic strength in collaboration and desktops, combined with promising, emerging realtime communications, results in significant potential. Emerging areas include increased visibility of SIP trunks from carriers and from IP-PBX providers, significant new end-to-end UC solution providers, such as HP, and increased presence in contact centers. • Enterprises looking into UC, particularly those with Microsoft applications already in place, should understand Microsoft's broad UCC paradigm. When considering telephony specifically, OCS can be deployed in different configurations, depending on enterprise directions and requirements. It can be deployed with a PBX so that both are in parallel use for telephony, or it can be deployed to perform non-telephony functions, leaving telephony to the IP-PBX. As OCS matures in 2011, OCS may be able to perform complete stand-alone telephony services. 7 Complete critical sales and technical certifications Which Unified Communications Competency is Right for You? Previously Known As Key Products and Services Related Microsoft Resources Unified Communications Solutions competency, Microsoft Exchange Server including the follow ing specializations: Microsoft Offic e Competency quic k reference Communications Server card Voice IM/Presence Messaging Microsoft Offic e Unified Communications Unified Communications Communicator Competency overview Business Productivity Online presentation Suite Unified Communications Powered by Solutions 8 Become familiar with the product guides Microsoft Unified Communications provides an extensible, software-based platform that integrates your existing essaging and voice infrastructure. By anchoring your unified communications solutions on Microsoft Exchange Server and Office Outlook—the mostly widely used and trusted enterprise e-mail system in the world—your organization can save time for end users and IT staff, thus saving money. E-mail and Telephony Integration; http://www.microsoft.com/uc/en/us/desktop-integration.aspx Download the Credit Agricole case study here or review Microsoft’s Unified Communications for Wealth Management Advisors video here. 10 Enterprise Download the Ontario Assocation of Community Care Access Centres study here or review Microsoft’s UC industry stories here. Last, there is a video on Unified Communications for Caregivers. Government Healthcare Discover Vertical Market Unified Communications Solutions Finance 9 Download Dassault Avaiation enterprise Unified Communications case study here. Download the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention case study here. Also, a video on enabling efficient government teams with Unified Communications. Questions to avoid Unified Communications mistakes Review Microsoft Network Considerations for OCS Deployments that you may not have considered. Be prepared for the opportunity when it arises, read more here. Unified Communications Powered by Selling Support 11 Leverage Tech Data’s Product Sales Specialists Tech Data has dedicated support resources in place to help you through the Unified Communications deal process at various levels. Whether it’s confirmation of product specifications, review of solutions design or guidance through a special pricing process, Tech Data’s dedicated product sales specialist are here to help you close the deal. The Tech Data product specialists for Microsoft Unified Communications can be reached via our Unified Communications SBU at extension 79284 and the Microsoft Hotline at 80031. Visit the Microsoft Store at TechData