Is the Next Big Thing in Communications: Unified Social Communications? (USC)

 

Is the Next Big Thing in Communications Unified Social Communications? The marriage of Unified Communication and Social Networking? With the “Facebook generation” bringing their habits to work this is likely inevitable, but Microsoft’s purchase of Yammer has put the spotlight on Social joining hands with collaboration and Unified Communication in the enterprise. It seems Microsoft may be building out what could be called “Unified Social Communication” offering by it’s purchase of Yammer making Microsoft’s USC platform consist of:

• Communication/Collaboration
  • Microsoft Lync
  • Skype / Live Messenger
• Collaboration/Social
  • Sharepoint
  • Yammer
• Mobility
  • Lync for WindowsPhone, iPhone, iPad, Android, etc
• CEBP/Integration
  • Client SDK’s/Lync UCMA Server Side SDK’s
  • Allows mashups of communication, collaboration, social and business process

The Microsoft’s Unified Communication solution has continued to evolved into a continuously more social experience. It has become more social in Lync 2010 with people Pictures, Status, and Activity Feeds (much like a Facebook timeline).  This direction can be expected to continue and likely at a faster pace.

But Microsoft is not the only one building out Unified Social Communication. The king of social, Facebook, has been working on this for a while with:

• Instant Message
• Presence
• Facebook Video Calling (Click Here)
• Facebook Phone? (rumor) (Click Here)

And, of course, Google has what looks an awful lot like USC as well:

• Instant Message/Presence
• Video (Google Hangouts)
• Google Talk (PSTN Calling)
• Google+ (Social)
• Android (mobile)

UPDATE 6/28/2012: Looks like Google is merging Hangouts, Talk and Messenger: http://gigaom.com/2012/06/27/google-to-merge-hangouts-talk-messenger/?utm_source=%23frankguillen&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=FrankGuillen+Buzz

I think we’re taking another interesting step in the long evolution of business communication. I’d be glad to hear you thoughts.

Links

OpenScape Contact Center Talking About Integration with Twitter/Google Latitude in 2010: