Earlier this year, following the first annual Lync Conference, Microsoft hit the nail on the head in their official blog about their vision for the future of communications:
“From the living room to the boardroom: Our vision for the future of communications
I am excited to outline our vision for the future of communications in my keynote today. It’s about re-humanizing communications “from the living room to the boardroom.” People are at the center of this vision. All day, every day, we are all simultaneously consumers and professionals, friends, family and colleagues – and our communications technologies need to move between these dimensions as seamlessly as we do.
Today people adapt to the requirements of technology. Multiple devices, applications and networks each have their own rules and identities and require that we conform to them. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Our vision puts people first by focusing on these core fundamentals:
- People-centric design. Creating a common user experience that’s simple, convenient and natural.
- Access and reach. Breaking down the barriers that separate one channel from another to allow people to communicate how and when they want.
- Endpoint device choice. Designing services that fit the devices people choose and how they use them.
- Security, reliability, services. Taking care of reliability and security so people can focus on conversations and content.”
I truly believe that Microsoft is heading in the right direction with Lync. The first time I looked at the Lync desktop client over three years ago, I was astounded by the simplicity and elegance of the design. At first glance, it looked to me like any other instant messaging client, but the deep integration into SharePoint and Outlook quickly set it apart. There is no doubt that Lync has a “simple, convenient and natural” design.
Earlier this summer, I was without Lync for a brief period of time. I found myself struggling to use another phone system and really missed everything Lync used to provide. It is no wonder Microsoft states that as of February 2013, 90 out of the Fortune 100 companies are Lync customers. But the real growth for Microsoft will be with small businesses. With the affordability of Office 365 and the integration capabilities of Lync Hosting providers, small businesses can realize for themselves how Lync “puts people first”.