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Microsoft Bolsters Its Install-Heavy Software Strategy With Enterprise IM Buy
from the chattin-at-work dept
There is little doubt that instant messaging has become a tool in many employees' arsenal, with one estimate saying it's used in some manner by 85% of all businesses. To some extent, though, employees and their employers are still trying to figure out the best way to integrate IM in the workplace. There are several companies selling enterprise-focused IM systems, but for the most part, corporate IM use still relies on the same consumer-focused services used by teenagers and web surfers everywhere. This would seem to indicate that there's still a lot of potential in the market for IM services with features geared towards the corporate environment, whether they're enhanced security or compliance features, or different communications functions. To that end, Microsoft has announced that it's buying Parlano, which makes enterprise group chat software, and says it will integrate it into its Office Communications Server and Office Communicator. There's little doubt that there's room for a lot of features to be added for enterprise users, but the big question -- particularly for SMEs -- is whether they're worth paying for. One of the key factors in helping IM spread through the enterprise is the fact that there's a wide range of providers offering "good enough" solutions for free. Bundling the functionality in with other software, as Microsoft plans to do, is one way to try and compete with this, and reflect's Microsoft's strategic view that the emerging software as a service model in the enterprise market is bunk. Of course, the company says that because it's the complete antithesis of its own strategy, requiring huge amounts of installed software with expensive licenses. But with the growth in low-cost, or even free office software, the outlook for most paid IM solutions looks pretty cloudy. While enterprises might see the benefit in paying for software like Microsoft Office over less fully-featured free solutions, the idea that IM isn't so mission-critical (despite its widespread use) will help ensure the ongoing popularity of free IM systems.
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IM devauates business conversation and creates le
I could see how when your M$ and get subpoena for email records and the like, IM may be a better option because people chat about lunch, the kids etc etc, and the platform of IM just can't be seen as "seriously" as email, writing, et al.
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Compliance could drive adoption
I'm not sure if Parlano supports this or not but it will be interesting if this feature makes it into the Microsoft offering.
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Based on my experience...
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I've used Parlano's product.
Key features:
backchat - if you join a group chat, you get to see the context of the last 50 or so chats.
archive - so you can prove that so and so agreed to such and such via chat.
bots - IM gains lots of power when a trader can chat for information just like he chats for support. Systems announce problems and status in chat channels
alerts - ctrl-g entered in a window makes it go bong and tell you that there's important information there. Like an exclamation point with an effect.
Corporate IM worked really really well there.
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My company ripped out Jabber and we are much happier and the addition of the Mind/Align chat will fill the one void OCS had.
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english
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