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Cisco Smart Business Communications System: A New Way for Small Business to Communicate

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The Cisco® Smart Business Communications System (SBCS) is a complete system of voice, data, video, and wireless networking products for small businesses. It provides a new way to communicate, enabling highly secure access to information anytime and anywhere, while helping people work together more efficiently and effectively. The Cisco SBCS enables your business to better reach, serve, and retain customers.

Executive Summary

The Cisco Smart Business Communications System provides a unique, comprehensive business communications solution with tightly coupled voice, data, video, network security, wireless mobility, and system management that other vendors simply cannot provide. Its components were designed to be deployed individually or as a complete system, allowing your business communications to evolve as your needs change. The industry-leading Cisco Unified Communications applications and hardware, including the full line of Cisco Unified IP Phones and networking solutions, are now available to small businesses. With secure "anytime, anywhere" access to information, your business can communicate more effectively with customers and employees. The system is easy to deploy and use, and it scales to accommodate business growth. In addition, Cisco and its partners provide end-to-end service and support that can help increase the network's business value and return on investment.

Challenge

Today's small businesses face relentless pressures. To keep up with large global organizations and more technology-enabled businesses, they must boost productivity through better communications, simplify business processes, get full value from resources and applications, and manage costs effectively. The proliferation of mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), notebook computers, and other devices has made communications increasingly complex, and we now do business everywhere--in a taxi, on an airplane, at a customer site, at home, in the office, or at a coffeehouse. Users in these "workspaces" want to connect--anywhere and anytime, using a variety of media, devices, and operating systems. They want the experience to be media rich yet easy to use, consistent, and effective. Businesses of all sizes want more efficient operations and a more effective way to communicate. The Cisco SBCS can help you do all this with an affordable, complete system that is designed and built for businesses like yours.
Small businesses have identified the following as their top challenges. The Cisco SBCS can help your business address each of these issues:

• Improving operational efficiency and productivity

– The Cisco SBCS simplifies communications and provides unique features that help employees save time and work more productively. Integrated messaging allows employees to see and prioritize voicemail, from either a PC or an IP phone. Built-in video communications capabilities make instant face-to-face video a reality. The Smart Business Productivity Applications integrated into the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series use the Cisco Unified IP Phone as a tool for tracking hours worked and setting up collaboration and conferencing. Mobility solutions allow the use of a mobile phone as an office handset. The Cisco 520 Secure Router combines Internet access, advanced security, virtual private network (VPN) access, and optional wireless networking, all in a single easy-to-use device. Cisco ESW 500 Series Switches support all devices and applications attached to the network, to more effectively manage and prioritize high-bandwidth traffic, keeping employees productive and continually connected to business applications. Cisco Mobility Express also delivers secure and reliable wireless LAN (WLAN) capabilities at an affordable price. It provides anywhere, anytime access to voice and data, and can also allow nonemployees or guests to have highly secure Internet access.

• Controlling costs

– Unified communications can reduce local-line fees and long-distance costs while eliminating the cost of duplicate cabling for separate data and voice systems. It minimizes the time and costs associated with system installation and configuration and provides easy administration by allowing customers to make moves and changes without special tools or outside expertise. Cisco ESW 500 Series Switches and Mobility Express access points are scalable, enabling businesses to protect and extend their investments and to more cost-effectively manage growth by adding devices as needed. Additional third-party applications such as call accounting and call recording help companies manage and optimize communications and employee resources. In short, Cisco SBCS helps customers maximize financial resources as well as human resources.

• Providing superior customer service

– Cisco SBCS improves customer interaction, providing around-the-clock availability and quick and effective service. The Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series offers call processing, voicemail, automated attendant, and basic automatic call distribution (B-ACD), making it easy for your customers to reach company employees. Cisco Unified CallConnectors provide integration with customer relationship management (CRM) solutions and Microsoft Outlook. Single Number Reach gives mobile workers the ability to respond to customers more quickly, no matter where they are located. These applications can help businesses create a network that enables them to offer availability and services, leading to increased customer satisfaction.

• Achieving a competitive edge

– Cisco SBCS provides small businesses with greater business agility--the ability to quickly access and act on information at any time, from anywhere, on a variety of devices. Whether working in the office, from home, or remotely, employees get a highly secure connection to the system to reach the right resource the first time and do their jobs regardless of location. This agility can help businesses like yours keep pace with competitors.

Business Benefits

The Cisco Smart Business Communications System helps small businesses respond to and serve their customers quickly and efficiently and create faster, closer connections with customers and other employees. It provides immediate, highly secure access to information, improves responsiveness and productivity, and, ultimately, produces a competitive advantage.

Solution

The Cisco Smart Business Communications System includes the following:

• Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series for Small Business, supporting 8, 16, 24, 32, 48, and 64 users with the Cisco Unified Communications 520 models. The new Cisco Unified Communications 540, part of the Cisco Small Business Pro Series, is available in 8-, 16-, 24-, and 32-user versions.

– FXO, Basic Rate Interface (BRI), and T1/E1 voice trunking interfaces are available on specific Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series models. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking and FXS ports are standard on all models.

– Call processing features, including support for IP phones and analog, to connect a variety of devices.

– Voicemail and faxmail, with message access via common email applications, including Microsoft Outlook, or as an XML application on IP phones, in addition to phone access.

– Full-featured automated attendant with multiple greetings based on number dialed, time of day/day of week, holiday greetings, one-button menu selections, directory, and zero out to operator or mobile phone.

– Integrated Smart Business Productivity Applications including Cisco Single Number Reach, TimeCard View, and WebEx™ Phone Connect.

• A range of optional third-party business productivity applications that integrate with the system.

• The new Cisco SPA500 Series IP Phones, part of the Cisco Small Business Pro Series, a complete portfolio of IP phones for small business with robust features that support the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series. They provide an intuitive, rich user experience with wideband audio to connect employees and offices; high-quality speakerphone for ease of use; 10/100 switch port for a co-located PC; and application support on the phone to enhance productivity. Available models include one line (handling two calls), four buttons, eight buttons, eight buttons with four additional Busy Lamp Field (BLF) buttons, and wired or wireless 5-button color display desktop model. Each button can be configured to support a directory number/line, BLF, or speed dial.

• Cisco Unified IP Phones 7900 Series, including Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phones and Cisco IP Communicator (a soft phone). Customers can choose from a wide range of IP phones, from basic phones for break rooms to executive phones with color/touch display, with investment protection for expansion to other Cisco Unified Communications solutions.

• Support for the dual-mode cellular/802.11 phone from Nokia.

• Cisco Unified CallConnector for Microsoft Office delivering contact management with click to dial and inbound display call information with Outlook, plus Presence, instant messaging and advanced Mobility integration including rules based single-number reach

• Cisco ESW 500 Series (part of the Small Business Pro Series) or Cisco Catalyst Express 520 Series Switches with choices in the number of Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports to support expansion in multiple deployment scenarios

• Cisco 520 Series Secure Routers, which combine Internet access and wireless services with advanced security features to protect the business from threats and malware, including the Cisco SR 520 T-1 Secure Router that is part of the Pro Series

• Cisco Mobility Express wireless solution for both data and voice, with the Cisco 521 Wireless Express Access Point and the Cisco 526 Wireless Express Mobility Controller

• Customizable secure guest access web portal is included in the Cisco 526 Wireless Express Mobility Controller

– Optimized for voice over WLAN with highly secure, fast roaming and quality of service (QoS).

• Simple system configuration for Cisco SBCS components using the Cisco Configuration Assistant.

For more information about the Cisco Smart Business Communications System, visit 0Hhttp://www.cisco.com/go/sbcs.

Intelligent Networking

Integrating your communications systems with an intelligent IT infrastructure allows your business to move with you. Security is everywhere, and your information is always available--whenever and wherever it's needed. You can efficiently access information on demand, interact with virtual teams all over the world, and manage these interactions on the go, in real time, as if you were everywhere at once. Every interaction is more valuable. Everyone is more efficient. All communications are more effective and secure. These capabilities let you excel in today's fast-paced marketplace and give your business the agility it needs to innovate continuously, adapt quickly, and grow successfully.

Cisco SMARTnet Service

Cisco SMARTnet® Service for the Cisco Smart Business Communications System delivers award-winning Cisco service to small business customers. It provides a flexible service plan supported by Cisco that includes full voicemail coverage, software upgrades and updates, around-the-clock telephone and web-based support, and on-site parts delivery. A single Cisco SMARTnet Service contract covers most of the Cisco SBCS products attached at the initial point of sale.

Cisco Small Business Pro Service

New Small Business Pro Service delivers a cost effective support solution especially designed for Small Business customers. This device-level, subscription-based service includes software upgrades and updates, extended access to the Cisco Small Business Support Center, and next-business-day hardware replacement as necessary. It provides community-based support to enable small businesses to share knowledge and collaborate using online forums and wikis to help boost business efficiency, identify and reduce risks, and serve customers better. The Cisco SB Pro Service is available for the Small Business Pro branded components of the Smart Business Communications System - UC 540, ESW 500 Series switches, the SPA 500 Series IP Phones and the Cisco SR 520 T-1 Secure Router.

Why Cisco?

Cisco is a worldwide leader in networking technologies, with a 20-year record of supporting customers of all sizes. The industry-leading, rich communications experiences provided by Cisco solutions and network connectivity are now available to small businesses. By working with the established industry leader, customers can benefit from:

• More than a decade of experience with video and Internet initiatives

• Proven network performance, reliability, and security

• Award-winning services and support provided by Cisco and its partners

• Flexible end-user and partner financing packages

The Cisco Smart Business Communications System provides an affordable, complete business communications solution to small businesses. Other vendors provide components separately, or they are provided by multiple vendors, and integration is often limited. The components of the Cisco Smart Business Communications System were designed to work together. In addition, the entire network can be configured and managed using a single tool. The ability to migrate customers to the full line of Cisco products is also a crucial feature, unlike the limits customers face with other vendors. Finally, the integration of business productivity applications by Cisco and select third-party vendors uses the infrastructure provided by the Cisco Smart Business Communications System.
Overall, Cisco is the only vendor that can deliver a complete solution to small businesses and provide a single tool to deploy and manage the solution.

For More Information

For more information, visit 1Hhttp://www.cisco.com/go/sbcs