Tennyson Networks' New Zealand distributor, ADV Systems originally introduced SOX to Microsoft New Zealand, which was seeking solutions for voice-enabling Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server (messaging and collaboration software) and Outlook (information and communication software).
As a result of the accreditation, Microsoft, ADV Systems and Telecom New Zealand will launch a marketing campaign to promote SOX to businesses throughout the country.
Tennyson CEO, Leigh Coleman, believes the software giant's accreditation will give it a -beachhead" into a huge potential market.
"Now that Microsoft knows it can rely on SOX as a platform that is built for seamless integration with its products, we expect that opportunities will open up for us across the board," he said.
ADV Systems MD Simon Hepburn said that as 80 percent of New Zealand businesses have up to 50 users on their computer systems this is the ideal market for the integrated SOX and Microsoft Small Business Server 2000 solution.
"It's all about the productivity gains that can be achieved by integrating desktop software tools with the office communications system," Hepburn said. "In our studies at ADV Systems, we have found our SOX clients saving a minimum 30 minutes a day per user, using unified messaging integrated with telephony on the desktop."
Microsoft New Zealand's Mansur Zwart, manager, line of business applications believes that 2002 will be the year when unified messaging will begin to take off.
"In today's business environment, where our workforce is so highly mobile, companies require a robust and powerful IT infrastructure for the creation, storage and sharing of information, irrespective of whether staff are in the office, working from home or out on the road," he said. "SOX and Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server provide that ability anywhere, anytime, on any device and most importantly at a price that the New Zealand business community can readily afford. This solution matches how a lot of us work in this day and age."
According to Tennyson the key facilities that SOX provides businesses using Microsoft software, include autodialing from Contacts in Outlook; screen pops of Outlook records on incoming calls, Voicemail, faxes and SMS messages delivered to Outlook Inbox, and an Auto Attendant which can read e-mails, check and book appointments through speech command IVR and read out contact numbers to staff while they are away from the office.
Bought it.