Unified Communications and Team Collaboration: The Enlightened Response to Shadow IT

Transcription

1 Unified Communications and Team Collaboration: The Enlightened Response to Shadow IT A white paper from Mitel

2 The Shady World of Mobile Communications and Collaboration Unified communications. It sounds simple enough. But the reality is that achieving unity is complicated in a world where communications are highly individual. Many employees, for example, are empowered to choose and manage their own mobile devices for work. And while they may not be empowered to pick their own business applications, it s nearly impossible to prevent individuals from loading their own mobile apps on their devices and self-policing those apps with little or no security in place. The result is a proliferation of mobile apps and cloud services determined by personality rather than corporate policy something that industry experts have dubbed Shadow IT. The Shadow IT situation didn t happen overnight. In many ways, it had been brewing for years as employees grew increasingly disillusioned with traditional communications and collaboration tools. Many enterprise communications applications are still difficult to use, offer limited functionality, lack the latest features and behave differently on different devices, driving users to look for something better in the shadows that is, in mobile app stores or in an unvetted third party s public cloud. A study by Frost & Sullivan reports that 24 percent of all users say non-approved software meets their needs better than the IT-approved equivalent. Shadow IT is a big problem with big consequences. In fact, Shadow IT is a much bigger problem than most enterprises realize. In one study of large enterprises1, CIOs were asked how many Shadow IT apps they thought were in their enterprise. Their answer? Less than 100. The reality? More than 1,200 Shadow IT apps per enterprise on average. In other words, CIOs only see about eight percent of what is really happening in the shadows. Further, Frost & Sullivan report that more than 80% of employees admit to using software as a service (SaaS) applications in their jobs without IT approval. 1 The problem with Shadow IT isn t simply its size, but the risk it represents. Because Shadow IT apps operate outside of the enterprise data center, they also operate outside of its security policies, compliance requirements and business analytics. Employees are left to create their own security policies for these apps, and this self-policing often leads to a greater chance of data theft. Frost & Sullivan report that on average, 15 percent of employees have experienced a security, access, or liability event while using Software as a Service (SaaS). And then there is the matter of the data itself. It s one thing to manage data stored in a corporate database, but quite another issue when that data is stored in a personal cloud account. What happens to that data when an employee leaves the company? Or when the cloud app is purchased by another company? Data loss and the absence of data for analytical purposes can both be damaging to an enterprise. By minimizing Shadow IT spread and bringing users back into the corporate fold, enterprises can regain control of their data, protect their corporate and data privacy, avoid non-compliance issues and, perhaps most importantly, unify their users on a standard set of tools that promote better communications and collaboration. So what can enterprises do to lure their users out of the shadows? Simply, they need to provide a better experience one that users will embrace rather than replace. Mitel 2

3 AN ENLIGHTENED APPROACH Shadow IT could be viewed as a rejection of traditional IT applications. It is not, however, a rejection of IT s traditional role as technology gatekeeper. If anything, Shadow IT should be a cause for IT reflection that is, it should drive them to reflect on how they can better serve the needs of employees. For unified communications and collaboration (UCC) applications, IT departments should look for solutions that are simple to use, support a wide variety of devices and compare favorably with the cloud apps that employees are already using. Delivering a better UCC experience is an enlightened approach to the problem of Shadow IT. For example, from a cloud communications perspective, 65 percent of enterprise users said they were dissatisfied with what their company offered. This dissatisfaction comes into play when an enterprise implements a first-generation solution, without stopping to reflect on what their employees would actually use in their workdays. Employees wouldn t be so tempted to look for alternatives if they already had a single UCC solution that provided the features they needed, such as unified messaging, intuitive interface, simple self-provisioning tools, file and desktop sharing, presence-aware IM/conferencing and the ability to make phone calls, video calls, send s, start text chats and share files all from a single screen. The good news is that enterprises can deliver these features, and more, in a single solution provided they choose the right UCC platform. In doing so, they will not only reduce the risks associated with Shadow IT, but also deliver on the true promise of UCC: Compete more effectively Execute go-to-market strategies faster ncrease visibility into coworkers availability so issues get resolved faster Connect subject-matter experts across the organization Improve communications with partners and customers Provide better security that s simpler to manage BRINGING BUSINESS AND IT TOGETHER FOR BETTER COMMUNICATIONS In the past, enterprises that wanted a rich UCC experience needed to build that richness by piecing together various best-of-breed applications. This approach was expensive, time-consuming and, as Shadow IT has revealed, often less than complete. Today, however, enterprises have the option of choosing a pre-built and pre-integrated UCC platform that addresses all of their needs, or that fits seamlessly with existing components to create a complete UCC solution. This preintegrated, pre-validated approach frees IT departments to focus on what they do best driving business innovation and productivity through new technology rather than cobbling together communications applications from different vendors. The role of IT doesn t diminish with a hosted UCC solution. Instead, it shifts their efforts from tactical to strategic ones. Enterprises that use an all-in-one UCC platform see their IT departments creating more value for the business by focusing on efforts that enhance the UCC experience to drive revenue and improve customer service. These efforts include: Creating and managing enforceable security policies Migrating applications onto public, private or hybrid cloud platforms to optimize scalability and performance Consolidating UCC services to reduce costs Ensuring consistent access to UC apps from any location/device Providing training and troubleshooting as needed but spending far less time on it than they do today Mitel 3

4 PICKING THE RIGHT PLATFORM To be effective, a UCC platform must address the shortcomings of today s communications and collaboration tools the same shortcomings that drive users into the shadows in search of something better. Without a compelling experience, user adoption of any UCC solution will be inconsistent, and true unification will never happen. What does a compelling experience look like? It can be boiled down to several key requirements: A COMPLETE SOLUTION Enterprise users are drawn into the shadows to fill a perceived productivity or functionality gap. That s why it s critical that enterprises fill those gaps with a complete UCC solution one that offers a complete suite of applications including enterprise-grade voice, video, conferencing, web collaboration, and calendar integration, instant messaging, presence, team collaboration, unified messaging and file sharing. Providing a complete solution ensures that users don t have to trade in functionality for simplicity and security. Where can enterprises find a platform that does all that? With Mitel. Our UCC platform delivers all of those features, and more, in one solution with one intuitive interface for every device. BROAD INTEROPERABILITY Proprietary UCC platforms place limitations on the way enterprises work and interact. An open platform allows enterprises to get maximum value from legacy investments including third-party applications from vendors like Microsoft, IVR systems and all major phone/ mobile devices. This integration also makes it simple to embed communications capabilities into existing business applications, such as customer relationship management and service logistics. Mitel solutions are built on open standards and support integration with a wide range of legacy and third-party systems to ensure enterprises can work the way that works best for them. BUILT FOR MOBILE FIRST UCC solutions should be built around mobile, realtime communications and the shifting topography of organizations as more employees work remotely. We call this a mobile first approach because it s designed around the belief that mobile communications will be the first choice for enterprise users, particularly as the majority of the global workforce shifts to mobile-centric millennials. Mitel s mobile-first philosophy is clearly reflected in our UCC platform, which features a consistent and intuitive UI design across mobile devices and a mobile app-like simplicity. A FEW BRIGHT IDEAS TO GET THE BALL ROLLING Communications and collaboration are mission-critical applications for any enterprise. Thus the decision to change, update or enhance UCC capabilities requires a thoughtful and thorough approach. From planning through implementation, there are steps that every organization should follow to help ensure that their UCC implementation is successful: 1. Assemble a cross-functional UCC project team including representatives from sales, marketing, customer service, risk management and human resources. 2. Choose a project leader from IT to drive the project. 3. Create an implementation roadmap and timeline. 4. Identify your requirements (and nice-to-haves) for UCC and turn them into a checklist for your request for proposals (RFPs). 5. Select a cross-functional workgroup that will serve as beta users for the new UCC solution. 6. Launch pilot programs in various departments as a way to gather user feedback. 7. Develop an implementation plan that aligns with both user requirements and broader business goals. 8. Use mentors and Help Desk resources to streamline training and user adoption. 9. Add new applications incrementally and ensure that users promote these applications internally. 10. In conjunction with the HR department, post technical support resources on the corporate intranet including training materials, FAQs, user testimonials and user support forums. 11. Regularly update management on project status and any measured improvements in Shadow IT reduction. 12. Maintain an ongoing dialog with users to keep them abreast of new UCC features on the horizon. Mitel 4

5 GETTING IT RIGHT: MICHAEL JOHNSON PERFORMANCE Michael Johnson Performance (MJP) is an athletic coaching and training center founded by four-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Johnson. As a global and growing business, MJP is a great example of how to take an enlightened approach to communications technology. When MJP needed to update their outdated Nortel phone system, they took the time to review how their company worked together as a team and where their communications and collaboration were hitting bottlenecks. With an internationally and geographically dispersed staff, including both coaches and salespeople who were often on the road, MJP identified a need for team collaboration tools that would offer mobility, personal connections and integration with the applications its team relies on daily, like Salesforce.com. Rather than let Shadow IT take hold among their growing team, MJP chose to get ahead of the challenge and looked for a solution that would provide videoconferencing, instant messaging and secure document sharing across devices and across locations. MJP found a solid UCC platform with all the capabilities their employees needed. By focusing on implementing a simple to use, feature-rich, consistent user experience across multiple devices, MJP brought a proactive approach to preventing people from relying on Shadow IT to perform daily work tasks. CONCLUSION The longer that organizations wait to address Shadow IT, the longer those shadows will grow, particularly for mobile-driven applications such as communications and collaboration. Having a UCC solution in place that serves the needs of a diverse internal user group can help address this problem, provided that employees are unified in their adoption of the UCC platform. In order for that to happen, enterprises need to offer a robust UCC solution that is simple to use, rich in features and delivers a consistent user experience across multiple devices, including desk phones, laptops, smartphones and tablets. Mitel s UCC platform delivers everything that today s mobile-centric worker is looking for: simplicity, flexibility and productivity-enhancing features. Just as importantly, Mitel s UCC platform supports organizational requirements for improved security (including regulatory compliance), competitive pricing and cloud-based delivery. Mitel s UCC platform truly is the enlightened approach to the problem of Shadow IT. Learn More To learn more about Mitel s UCC solutions, visit us online at Footnotes 1. Stratecast Frost & Sullivan Research, The Hidden Truth Behind Shadow IT, November Cisco, Shadow IT: Rampant, Pervasive, and Explosive!, January mitel.com Copyright 2017, Mitel Networks Corporation. All Rights Reserved. The Mitel word and logo are trademarks of Mitel Networks Corporation. Any reference to third party trademarks are for reference only and Mitel makes no representation of ownership of these marks. XXXXXX-R16XX-EN