UK Businesses are Struggling to Communicate With one Voice - new Research From Unified Communications Expo 2011

The Increase of Communication Channels Such as Instant Messaging and Social Media is Making it Harder for UK Businesses to Unify Their Communications

LONDON, February 21, 2011 - A survey by Unified Communications Expo 2011 - the UK's leading business
communication event bringing together the key technologies and key people of
this rapidly evolving world - has found that the majority of respondents
thought the sheer number of communication channels such as instant messaging
and social media has made it more difficult for business to communicate with
one voice. Of those surveyed, 50% have a unified communications and
collaboration solution in place yet over 80% do not feel they are getting the
most from it.

In the consumer world, integrated communications are commonplace. Smart
phones that can integrate voice, video and text are regarded as essential to
business, allowing employees to be even more productive. Almost 80% of
respondents agreed that the business world needs to catch up with the unified
communications of the consumer world.

The results also show that lack of finances is significantly slowing
adoption of unified communications in both business and technology sectors.
When asked what would make their company more likely to adopt unified
communications based solutions in the future, there was a marked difference
in response between the business and the IT department, with business wanting
a clear ROI and IT wanting lower cost.

Mike England, Director of Unified Communications Expo, added: "Right now,
companies are focussing on return to growth, so there is increasing demand
across the board to drive business outcomes, and unified communications could
help with this. However, the research suggests that UK businesses are still
struggling to get to grips with the approach, and that the wealth of
communication channels, especially social media related channels, is
hindering rather than helping them. At next month's conference we will be
exploring this difficult area and bringing decision makers and IT
professionals together to understand these particular channels under the
'Social Business & Collaboration' seminar stream."

Amongst the Social Business & Collaboration seminars are:

Social Business & Collaboration - Understanding the Business Benefits and
locating the ROI by Digirati Flying Cars and Cool Uniforms, - The Future for
Knowledge Workers? By AIIM Star Wars and Social CRM by Capgemini
The art of building corporate communities by Formicary

About the Research

The survey was completed by 126 decision makers and professionals who
have registered to attend the Unified Communications EXPO in Olympia, London
from 8-9 March 2011. These include key players and decision makers in
management, IT strategy, implementation, infrastructures, developers and
designers.

Niamh O'Grady, Kelly Kerruish, Epoch on behalf of Imago Techmedia, +44(0)20-7401-8001, nogrady at epochpr.com / kkerruish at epochpr.com