Unified communications (UC) provides an intelligent hardware and software platform that links people to people and people to applications, simply, and it reduces delays found in business communications. UC enables organizations to collaborate more effectively by allowing employees to quickly reach co-workers using only a single telephone number or URL across multiple = devices. It integrates telephone features with employees' desktops to allow a worker to identify the availability of co-workers and simply point and click on their PC to reach them via telephone, cell phone, PC, or other communication devices. Additionally, employees can launch ad hoc conference sessions – audio, Web, or video – easily from their desktop and know their co-workers availability beforehand by seeing their status or presence indicator on their PC. While UC increases worker productivity and reduces communication blocks, it also improves existing business processes such as sales support, problem resolution, and access to experts.

To quantify how UC affects the small and medium-size business (SMB) sector, Forrester Consulting surveyed 374 organizations with 125 employees or less and no more than seven locations to determine the significance of UC in this market segment. Business and technology decision-makers in six countries participated in this survey, including the US (34%), France (16%), the UK (19%), Italy (13%), and Australia (18%). The survey included organizations from manufacturing, financial services, and professional services firms. This document focuses only on the manufacturing segment. See parts one and three for detailed findings on the financial services and professional services firms.