As I watched my kids (ages 3 and 5) instinctively teach themselves how to navigate an iPad this past week, I began thinking about the concept of simplicity. True, when creating business applications, you obviously don’t need to cater the app to preschool kids. Yet, the marketing value of new users being able to open up a new technology or application and simply use it, without reading a 100 page instruction manual, should not be underestimated. This marketing value can be translated into a much shorter learning curve, which in turn could mean a quicker adoption rate of the new technology, even within a more mainstream, non-techie market.

The same concept rings true for many of the developments in the world of phones, including VoIP, phone apps, IVR, etc. Since people know how to use a simple telephone, the closer a new phone app’s design is to a simple telephone, the better.

On this note, I looked at the picture on the top left, and thought about how simple it is to dial a phone number on Google’s Desktop App. Check out TechCrunch’s video of the Google Voice’s Unreleased VoIP Desktop App, under the name Gizmo5 by Google:

Many blogs have picked up this video, encouraging Google to release this new app, but Marketing Pilgrim’s comment struck a chord with me. After stating that he uses a Google Voice number that routes automatically to his Skype account, Marketing Pilgrim sees this new desktop app as an opportunity to switch the whole call process over to Google Voice. He notes, “A lot more basic than Skype, but I only use the basic features of Skype anyway. I hope Google brings this to the public soon!” The concept of simplicity is one that Google needs to adhere to in all of its services, since Google’s free applications target a wider, more mainstream market than some of the more technical equivalents.

As you integrate new phone technologies into your marketing and advertising programs, think about how to use phones in the most natural way. Phones provide a great opportunity to take a most familiar device and offer a new spin. So, what’s the challenge? Remembering to keep it simple.

Related posts:

1. Snom Expands its VoIP Phones for Open Source Systems
2. Google Purchases Global IP Solutions: Where’s Video Conferencing Heading?
3. OnSIP Recognized as a Top 2009 VoIP Advance

Skype’s new beta release for developers, called SkypeKit, could change the whole dynamic of the world of communication. How? SkypeKit’s developer tools extend the power of Skype from the PC, Mac and Smartphone to almost any communications device (an HDTV, MID, UMPC, Tablet PC, vehicle, etc.). Here’s the picture that Skype describes on their website:

At Skype, we believe that every connected device is, potentially, a communications device. We envision a future in which you’ll see and converse with the people in your life no matter where you are or what you’re doing — sitting in your car, watching TV in your living room, or just checking the time.

While this description is cool, I want to zoom in on one sentence from a question/answer form about SkypeKit.

What is plugged into Skype?

SkypeKit developers can employ the plugged into Skype descriptor for marketing purposes.

By combining the futuristic picture of incorporating Skype into a whole variety of devices and the concrete application of SkypeKit marketing agencies could generate highly creative marketing ideas.

How do you think that marketers should utilize Skype’s new beta release to make their products “plugged into Skype?”

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Google’s acquisition of Global IP Solutions, a VoIP video conferencing provider, will now expand the voice capabilities of the big Internet search and advertising giant. Following Google’s Gizmo5 acquisition and Google’s Voice Services, the question becomes, “Where is Google headed now?”

For the VoIP industry, Google’s new VoIP acquisition is obviously big news. But what about for marketing and advertising agencies? How will Google’s newest purchase of GIP’s capabilities (shown in the image to the right) change the game for businesses?

Searching for answers to these questions, I came across the results of a recent GIPS marketing survey (in February).  It revealed the increasing value of video conferencing for businesses, as shown in the whitepaper’s title, “Video Conferencing is Here. Are You Ready or Falling Behind?”  One can attribute part of the rise to the need that video conferencing fulfills in enabling businesses more clear and efficient communication. Another contribution comes from the marketing dollars that the big vendors such as IBM, Cisco, Tandberg and Polycom are using to promote video conferencing. And yet another factor, mentioned in the whitepaper, is the effect that Skype, Gmail, and Yahoo have had on the wider population through their consumer apps.

With Google’s new acquisition, we can expect to see them pumping up their advocacy of VoIP video conferencing. If Google succeeds in increasing the availability of options and the quality of VoIP services, then the value of video conferencing for businesses will increase. This added value can lead to an an even greater rise in the use of video conferencing for businesses, and thereby also increase the pressure on businesses to keep up with the new technology.

How does your business use video conferencing? How can your marketing firm increase your use of video conferencing in your marketing campaigns?

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Today, on the last day of the conference Channel Partner’s Conference & Expo, Cisco execs, Mark Monday and Kerry McDonough, will deliver a keynote speech. In anticipation of their talk,“The Future of VoIP for Small Business,” they commented, “VoIP has enabled innovation in telephony like nothing before it.” The innovation that they are referring to includes VoIP’s ability to consolidate networks, provide tighter computer/phone integration, and cut management costs.

While reading the VON (The Voice of Network Conversion) article’s coverage of the matter, what interested me the most was the Cisco execs’ recognition of where their SMB customers stand. While the future of VoIP for SMBs offers tremendous potential, the two execs comment insightfully on their current market perception:

“There are some small business owners that are adamant about owning their phone system and don’t feel comfortable knowing that after three years of payments they don’t own it, so premise is going to continually be the right match for them. On the other hand, we have customers that have several locations with only a few phones at each site, which is very costly for premise, but ideal for hosted.”

Some VoIP providers may argue that the small business owners’ hesitation to transfer from an on-premise system to a hosted system is unwise, but the Cisco execs argue that “It is not a matter of picking sides.” To their mind, premises based and hosted each have their own advantages and user experiences, and in essence, “It is a matter of what is right for the customer.” Cisco therefore ensures their ability to adapt to the customer’s changing requirements, so that they can easily transfer from one Cisco system to the other.

Other VoIP providers may combat this argument, saying the decision between a hosted and on-premises VoIP system is different than the decision of whether to buy or rent a house. People tend to think of renting homes as spending money that could otherwise be channeled towards the ownership of an asset (such as by paying off a mortgage), but that is because the ownership of the house provides value. If, however, one found that upkeep for the house incurred many more inconveniences and expenses, with no added value over paying rent, then one may assert that renting is preferable.

Strong proponents of hosted-VoIP would argue along similar lines. For example, MegaPath, a leading provider of managed IP data, voice, and security services in North America, announced their new Duet-Hosted at the conference yesterday. This new Hosted IP PBX Solution eliminates all management needs for small businesses, while providing them with the features and functionalities that were previously only available to big businesses. MegaPath’s hosted alternative also provides advantages such as the ability to unify workers in multiple locations, and to receive top voice quality, installation and maintenance, web based access, low cost per employee and more.

But, once again, the Cisco execs might argue that picking sides is not the point, and their message rings true in certain circumstances, from a broader marketing sense. Whether or not a product will better fit a customer’s needs on an objective level is sometimes irrelevant. If the customer does not recognize the added value of a product, then marketers must meet the customers at their frame of reference.

The debate over whether to offer both on-premise and hosted options in this particular case remains, but the marketing lesson of Cisco’s positioning shows a valuable perspective.

Let’s stay tuned to hear about their talk at the conference…

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As I was reading VoIP monitor, and saw the new announcement of Positron and babyTel’s new announcement of their interoperability, a thought crossed my mind. For small to mid-sized businesses with little experience in telephony, or VoIP in particular, reading these daily news reports about VoIP interoperability tests, SIP Trunking, Asterisk based business phone systems, etc. probably feels like reading a foreign language.

Luckily, Freedom IQ’s blog just posted an interesting piece yesterday that brings us back to the basics, called, “How to Choose a Business VoIP Phone System.” The post highlights the basic questions that businesses weigh when choosing a business phone system, including:

• Is it scalable?
• Is it VoIP based?
• Is it hosted VoIP or premise based?
• What are equipment costs?
• How does long distance work?
• What are the system’s special features?
• How long has the company been around?
• How does the system work for telecommuters?
• Does it enable unified communications?

Reading the full post gives businesses a great overview of the VoIP 101 issues to consider to choosing a phone system.

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The plans for Astricon 2010 Open Source Telephony Conference and Exhibition are up and running, so mark your calendar to be just outside Washington D.C. on Oct. 26-28. The press release announced:

AstriCon gives all members of the Asterisk community—from telephony enthusiasts to people betting their businesses on the booming appeal of Asterisk communications—a forum to learn about the technology in depth, to discuss its newest uses and to meet potential collaborators.

The conference organizers aim to provide businesses added value beyond exchanging technical ideas with members of the Asterisk community, which now includes over 65,000 users. The conference hopes to explore new ways to use Asterisk “in commerce, in the cloud, by government agencies and larger enterprises, call centers, and more.”

Asterisk, the most widely used open source telephony software, lies on the cutting edge of today’s business communication solutions. Small and medium sized businesses can purchase Digium’s Switchvox IP PBX, or they can create their own custom telephony solutions. But the number of ways that businesses can leverage their telephony communication using Asterisk are endless. Astricon will be a great opportunity for businesses of all sizes to learn how to use Asterisk to best suit their needs.

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Snom technology announced its new partnership with ScopServ International, which expands its VoIP services compatibility with open source systems.“This combination gives users an interoperable end-to-end telephony system from server to desktop,” said Denis Trépanier, president and CEO of ScopServ.

How does this partnership provide added value for Snom’s customers?

With ScopServ’s ScopTEL IP PBX, a web-based graphical user interface, Snom’s VoIP phones systems can work alongside the management and configuration of Asterisk, an open source telephony platform.

Why is this important for marketers and businesses using Snom VoIP?

According to TMCnet, “the end user interface of ScopTEL allows phone users to easily set up their own personal and customized calling preferences, including call forwarding, three-way calling and find-me-follow-me, company officials said.” The interoperability of a VoIP phone system adds tremendous flexibility and potential for Asterisk developers, who can use Snom’s VoIP services to address a business’s full telephony needs.

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Vocalocity, a leading VoIP provider that exclusively services small businesses, announced Wain Kellum as their new CEO. Vocalocity hopes that Kellum’s leadership experience with “a variety of technology companies through various stages of growth and exit” with drive Vocalocity’s 20 employee team to successful accelerated growth.

Kellum commented in the press release, “Vocalocity has a unique and distinct value proposition and there is a tremendous upside in accelerating our business model of bringing VoIP communications to the small business market… There is also a nearly unlimited potential in helping small businesses take advantage of additional capabilities of the cloud computing phenomenon by extending our core offerings.”

What does Vocalocity’s Small Business VoIP mean?

Vocalocity’s phone systems use ordinary office phones, quality certified by the company. True to the definition of VoIP, the phones run over VoIP instead of traditional telephone lines. Yet, beyond a standard VoIP package, Vocalocity provides small businesses with Hosted PBX. This means that small businesses can run sophisticated phone systems without any on-site equipment, thereby eliminating the maintenance hassle, installation, and about 50-85% of a traditional phone system cost.

Here’s a short blurb about Vocalocity’s new CEO Wain Kellum,

Kellum is a veteran technology executive and entrepreneur with more than 25 years of experience leading fast-growth technology companies. Kellum has a proven track record in consistent revenue growth, acquiring and integrating companies, forging strategic alliances, and raising venture capital, including equity transactions with Microsoft and Hewlett Packard (HP).

Wain Kellum, with his high level of experience, is going to take Vocalocity for a drive… but where will they be headed?

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Digium, the Asterisk Company, announced their sponsorship of an extreme phone makeover contest, in which they will select one company for a complete VoIP phone system transformation.

SMBs may find themselves in a catch 22 when it comes to updating their phone systems. Especially in today’s economy, small to mid sized businesses with tight budgets hesitate to upgrade their outdated phone systems. Yet, the outdated phone systems not only lack the efficiency and competitive edge necessary to compete in the tight economy, but they are also expensive and clunky to upkeep.Digium is offering one business winner a way out of this situation, based on the company’s story of why they need a new phone system.

The VoIP phone makeover prize is valued at $10,000. However, the real purpose of the contest is to demonstrate that even enterprise class phone systems are not out of the price reach of today’s SMBs, according to Tristan Barnum, director of Switchvox product marketing at Digium.

The first recipient of this prize was Huntsville Flight Center. “As part of Extreme Phone Makeover, their phone system was upgraded to Digium’s Switchvox SMB, a full-featured VoIPUnified Communications (News - Alert) solution designed for SMBs, and all phones were upgraded to Polycom IP phones,” noted TMCnet in their article on the subject.

Huntsville Flight Center’s general manager, Tim Thomas, expressed his appreciation for the company’s new Digium Switchvox SMB:

By integrating phone, fax and conferencing, our office is much more productive, and we can focus more attention on our customers. Our business now runs more smoothly and it’s much easier to manage the Switchvox Unified Communications system and Polycom phones.

To learn more about Digium’s VoIP services and the Phone Makeover Contest, click here.

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After listening to 16 voicemail messages on my cell phone today, I can definitely relate to a small business user’s need for a voicemail transcription service. On a personal note, I’m stuck between the world of SMSs and voicemail. On the one hand, I sometimes think that I’m only one of a handful who still prefers calling someone over typing out a long SMS, even at the risk of leaving a voicemail message. Yet, on the other hand, because I’m so used to SMSs (when they’re short), I have stopped feeling the need to check my voicemail consistently, rationalizing to myself that if the message is truly important, then the party will just send me a text.

This is the power of Vocalocity, as the VoIP feature article on TMCnet notes. Vocalocity does not only save you time in dialing your voicemail and listening to each message. The ability to read a top quality speech-to-text transcription, built on Yap’s carrier grade speech recognition infrastructure, enables users to keep records of important information in their email boxes, and to read them at anytime and anyplace.

Check out Vocalocity’s website to learn more about their VoIP solutions for small businesses.

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Junction Networks announced today (PRWeb) that its OnSIP Hosted PBX, with the introduction of My.OnSIP, was awarded as one of the top 2009 advances in VoIP by VoIP Evolution.

My.OnSIP is “a browser based unified communications tool combining phone presence, IM and real time status notifications.” The novelty of the users’ ability to integrate with other users in the organization by viewing the status of others, transferring or placing calls with the simple click of a mouse, or exchanging secure IMs, provides businesses with an added value efficient and effective internal communication.

The availability of My.OnSIP challenges the traditional model of PBX boxes, in favor of the new hosted platform, which offers more features and enhanced scalability at a lower cost. VP of IT for Baer Brake Systems commented on how My.OnSIP surpassed his expectations:

“My.OnSIP has been a great added feature to the system for us, with our old phone system we appeared and acted like a mom and pop shop, with the new User Interface, call routing and answering and the ease of use for reception, we now appear to be the large-scale company that we are. OnSIP is a great product, it scales with us during our busy season and our bills are never a surprise.”

For a basic feel of how OnSIP works, watch this great video on their homepage. Through an entertaining cartoon, the video shows the simplicity, flexibility and seamlessness of OnSIP’s service.

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Windstream, a rural Telecom company, unveiled a new technology for their VoIP services. The new launch “combines voice, data and high-speed Internet services over a single connection and offers customers both the cost-savings and advantages of VoIP technology,” according to the news release on EON (Enhanced Online News).

What are the customer benefits of this new launch?

Reduced Costs- Wondstream’s Dynamic Office- Session Initiation Protocol cuts the costs of using traditional phone lines, by enabling customers to “exchange voice traffic over an Internet connection” through its nee IP solution.

Remote Personnel- Dynamic Office- SIP can route a phone call simultaneously to remotely located agents, so that the next available agent can provide immediate service. This level of remote support also enables businesses to boost agent productivity.

Additional Features- “The product offers synchronous high-speed Internet for equally fast upload and download capability, plus intelligent call routing, sophisticated messaging and many more advanced features.”

For more information about Windstream’s business services, click here.

To view Zack’s equity research report, click here.

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