Advocates of unified communications (UC) argue that it is exactly the type of technology that IT leaders should turn to in these credit-crunched times because it promises to herald significant productivity gains, as staff are equipped with powerful tools that facilitate teamworking and help them tap into deep pools of knowledge within the business.

But how realistic is that? Is the management board likely to be receptive to plans for improving corporate communication, or should senior IT executives stick to more proven cost-cutting measures? Our panel of experts give their views.

Gary Bellfield, manager of information and communications technology, Tayside Fire and Rescue

The successful strategy for “selling” any project to the executive management, regardless of whether it is technology based, requires a number of key strategies to be employed. The first and most important of these is to ensure that the chief executive and all supporting senior managers are fully conversant with the use of the technology ­ at first glance the significance of a multicoloured presence icon on a monitor is not instantly recognisable as being the catalyst for major organisational business efficiency and effectiveness gains.

It is therefore vital that long before the final board report is delivered and the project mandate has been agreed, these key decision-makers are comfortable with all the UC features and modalities, the ways in which they are to be used and the clear benefits that will be achieved during their deployment within the organisation.

Our aim as a modern fire and rescue authority is to provide the highest standard of fire safety and emergency response services to the communities we serve and this relies upon a strategic understanding that communications is one of our key business enablers.

A unified communications project should re-emphasise the success of previous capital investment and avoid the usual rip-and-replace mentality often witn essed in the world of IT.

The case that needs to be sold to the board should therefore be specifically about working smarter, not harder, increasing business agility, providing additional communications modalities regardless of location, and reducing organisational environmental impact ­ all within existing or reduced resource limits.

Mark Deakin, unified communications product manager, Microsoft

In the current economic climate, any extra expenditure by IT is heavily scrutinised as the board will concentrate on cutting costs, while continuing to drive revenue and seize new opportunities as much as possible. While the initial instinct may be to slash IT budgets, I would instead recommend looking at the bigger picture. There is a genuine opportunity to enhance existing and new IT resources to drive value through these tough times.

Using UC and mobile technology such as smartphones and UC-enabled laptops can save your employees time and money ­ and also avoid overseas travel.

House of Fraser, for example, recognises the growing need for communication and collaboration to be financially competitive in business today. Through deploying Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007, the retailer has been able to achieve this. The UC software helps to improve the company’s operating efficiency and competitiveness through such functions as presence awareness and videoconferencing.

Put simply, the conversation you should be having with the board regarding UC is not about fixed-mobile convergence or anything else based on technology, but instead it should be about how you can reduce company expenditure and increase productivity through the medium of UC.

Josie Sephton, principal analyst, Freeform Dynamics

Confusion around the benefits of UC has meant that it has been slow to gain traction in companies. This is not being helped by the economic downturn, with IT leaders increasingly asking themselves how spending on UC projects can be justified, and indeed, whether it is sensible to even consider spending in this area.

The financial downturn will affect IT budgets, including spending in the area of UC. However, far from a complete halt on spending, most IT professionals anticipate a relatively limited impact. To simply stand still, businesses find they need to improve on sales and marketing activities which will underpin their revenues going forward.

So how might this relate to UC? The key principles of any sales and marketing activity are that it is information intensive, communications intensive and time sensitive. And this is where UC can make a difference. UC helps people work together more effectively and efficiently, improving on information flows and communication, which positively affects the company’s reputation.

Particularly in the current climate, however, a measured, more selective approach is essential. One such approach might be implementation within the contact centre, where the addition of physical presence can have a significant positive impact on first-call resolution. It can also provide immediate access to information and experts in the case of sales enquiries, which in turn can help close deals.

Far from being off the agenda, IT leaders should ensure that they have considered whether UC can give them the edge that they will no doubt so desperately need in these uncertain times.