At Cisco, we have thought long and hard about how to ensure workers and customers can communicate when and how they want to while ensuring that systems are robust, cost-effective, manageable and secure for enterprises. We have also considered how next-generation technologies such as AI and machine learning can contribute to performance.
The solution is to simplify in order to amplify the impact that IT can have. When it comes to collaboration, this means consolidating systems into one common backbone. With a single backbone, the organization can gain end-to-end visibility of its traffic. This is critical to ensuring quality, security and compliance in ever-expanding communications environments.
For example, the global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney recently reduced its number of unified communications platforms from 40 to just three. This provided immediate financial benefits and operating efficiencies. It also paved the way for the business to move more than 1 million minutes’ worth of phone calls per month from a traditional voice network provider to Cisco Webex, reducing its calling charges while simplifying its networking.
Create a common backbone for your communications and collaboration
We also understand that organizations often have large existing investments in communications systems such as Microsoft’s Office 365 or directory services. For this reason, we’ve ensured that Cisco’s backbone solution is standards-based and highly interoperable with solutions from Microsoft and other vendors. This allows existing investments to be augmented to optimize speed, security and control.
Further, we know progressive organizations want to ensure that any new system will be futureproof. When it comes to collaboration, that means being able to use the power of cloud computing, AI and machine learning to elevate performance.
These possibilities can be glimpsed in Cisco’s Cognitive Collaboration Solutions. The solutions use capabilities such as facial recognition and smarter scheduling to provide more contextual information to participants. They also make it easier to set up meetings across multiple offices and time zones, and enable the use of voice commands.