Convergence, Cloud and Unified Communications are terms which have bandied around by technology companies for a few years now, but tend to mean little to the businesses I talk to. Over the next few weeks we will look at some of these terms and discuss some of the benefits that can be gained by adopting some of the applications and work practices these technologies enable.

Convergence
Let's start with convergence, what does it mean to a SME? To me it is something that cannot be ignored by any business whatever the size. It is all about leveraging assets and getting the most out of the investments you make in your ICT infrastructure. It's relevance to your business is key in 4 areas:

Hardware
laptops, soft phones and smart phones becoming interchangeable in functionality

Networks
Voice and data running on the same network, whether fixed or wireless

Suppliers
Voice data and applications from one source

Applications
Instant Messaging (IM), email and voice with file and media management all available in one application

Whilst convergence of the first three may offer some cost savings, they are unlikely to improve the way your whole business works. To achieve this you need to change the way technology is used in your business.

Better communication and collaboration between employees, customers and partners can lead to better productivity which can be best achieved through widespread utilisation of productivity applications. Convergence can enable (already familiar) applications to allow your users to access people and information whether they are in the office, on the move or at home.  How much time could your people save by unlocking the power of truly integrated applications?

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