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HCL Sametime

HCL Sametime
Formerly from IBM

Overview

What is HCL Sametime?

HCL Sametime (formerly IBM Lotus Sametime, acquired by HCL Technologies from IBM in 2018) is an enterprise-level unified communications and VoIP platform. It includes features such as instant messaging, web conferencing, voice and video integration, telephony capabilities, and presence information.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Sametime is widely used for internal communication purposes within organizations, enabling seamless collaboration across different …
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Sametime review

9 out of 10
June 04, 2019
Incentivized
IBM Sametime is being used globally in almost all departments from down to top in our company. We use it as a instant messenger to …
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Popular Features

View all 16 features
  • Directory of employee names (7)
    8.0
    80%
  • Message alerts (6)
    8.0
    80%
  • Mobile app for iOS (8)
    8.0
    80%
  • Mobile app for Android (7)
    8.0
    80%
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Pricing

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N/A
Unavailable

What is HCL Sametime?

HCL Sametime (formerly IBM Lotus Sametime, acquired by HCL Technologies from IBM in 2018) is an enterprise-level unified communications and VoIP platform. It includes features such as instant messaging, web conferencing, voice and video integration, telephony capabilities, and presence information.

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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What is 8x8 Work?

8x8 Work is a collaboration hub for phone, video, and messaging. It brings secure unified communication and collaboration experiences to every employee.

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Product Demos

HCL Sametime v12 Demo

YouTube
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Features

Cloud PBX

A cloud PBX system is based on cloud computing technology where data is stored and transferred over the intenet without any need for on-site PBX equipment

8.4
Avg 8.2

Call Management

Customized phone system settings

8
Avg 8.4

VoIP system collaboration

Team collaboration via cloud phone system

8
Avg 8.3

Mobile apps

Apps are compatible with mobile devices.

8
Avg 8.3
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Product Details

What is HCL Sametime?

HCL Sametime (formerly IBM Lotus Sametime, acquired by HCL Technologies from IBM in 2018) is an enterprise-level unified communications and VoIP platform. It includes features such as instant messaging, web conferencing, voice and video integration, telephony capabilities, and presence information.


HCL Sametime is ideal for cross-team chat in countries with strict data privacy and gravity laws, companies in regulated industries, and government entities who need to be able to ensure the security and auditability of their data.  ​ 


HCL Sametime Technical Details

Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

HCL Sametime (formerly IBM Lotus Sametime, acquired by HCL Technologies from IBM in 2018) is an enterprise-level unified communications and VoIP platform. It includes features such as instant messaging, web conferencing, voice and video integration, telephony capabilities, and presence information.

Reviewers rate Directory of employee names and Answering rules and Message alerts highest, with a score of 8.

The most common users of HCL Sametime are from Enterprises (1,001+ employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(21)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Sametime is widely used for internal communication purposes within organizations, enabling seamless collaboration across different departments and locations. It provides a range of features including instant messaging, persistent chat rooms, meetings, and VOIP to address various business needs. Many IBM customers rely on Sametime as their go-to instant messaging platform due to its integration with email and web-based programs. Additionally, its compatibility with telephony systems and availability of free mobile iOS and Android clients make it a versatile choice for users.

One of the main use cases for Sametime is facilitating quick internal team meetings and project discussions. Users appreciate the convenience of being able to connect with colleagues in different offices across regions without the need for constant emails. The platform's integration with IBM Notes allows for easy booking of web meetings and checking availability for chat. Furthermore, its centralized settings and preferences management reduces the learning curve for users.

Another advantage of Sametime is its flexibility in deployment options. Organizations can choose between on-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid setups based on their specific needs. This adaptability enables teams to communicate efficiently regardless of their location or work environment.

Users have found Sametime invaluable in improving productivity, collaboration, and communication within their organizations. For example, savvy users utilize Sametime as a tool for presentations instead of searching through shared drives for files. Salespeople rely on the mobile app to obtain quick responses to time-sensitive questions while on-site with customers. The ability to record meetings and transfer files faster than email further enhances workflow efficiency.

Sametime is widely used as a standard text-based chat tool across organizations, especially for quick questions. Its REST API allows for easy integration of chat functionality into existing web apps. While Sametime is a preferred messaging app within many organizations, it may not be suitable for all teams, leading to competition from other messaging tools like Slack, Google Hangouts, and Skype. Organizations need to evaluate which solution best fits their specific requirements.

Based on user reviews, users recommend Sametime for its basic instant messaging capabilities and easy setup. They find it convenient for quick chats and collaboration, making it a suitable tool for internal team communication. Reviewers appreciate its features for file transfer and texting.

Users suggest using other apps like Microsoft Workspace, Slack, Google Chat, or Hangouts instead of Sametime. They feel that Sametime requires infrastructure, feels outdated compared to other solutions, and lacks updates. Users prefer these alternatives due to their ease of use, additional features, and better integration with video and audio.

Reviewers recommend Sametime for secure communication within companies. They appreciate it as a good software for video conferencing and messaging with most of the required features, such as an AI assistant, backup, video conferences, and multichats. However, some users mention slow service, frustrating attachment loading and transferring, and suggest making Sametime less resource-consuming and more affordable.

Overall, users have mixed opinions about Sametime but commonly recommend it as a basic communication tool while suggesting using other platforms for additional features.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-10 of 10)
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Bhawnish ㅤkumar | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • This is not good for a meeting with large number of users
  • Persistance chat inbuilt is a great feature to keep the teams under one sync
  • Pricing of the product is low and helps a lot in bringing down the investment
  • Cloud based feature enables you to setup zero hardware as software can be installed on your PC's and mobiles so no hardware cost
Mogana Tashiani | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • HCL Sametime is affordable thus it is cost-efficient for instant messaging compared to costs of phone calls, especially overseas calls.
  • As Sametime is integrated with Lotus Notes it is convenient to use both of these together without separately using them.
  • Still need to pay for other apps for effective video conferencing and webinar.
June 04, 2019

Sametime review

Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Easy for day to day communication with internal staff.
  • Has API provided for the user to build automation processes. We have an internal robot running on Sametime to do repetitive tasks.
Score 6 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Sametime keeps many of our team members in contact throughout the day which leads to increased productivity which makes everyone happy.
  • We use the team chat room feature every day. This allows a team to stay focused on the task without any extra messages that are not on topic.
  • The split between IBM Sametime, Slack and Google Hangouts has caused some issues when team members are not checking for messages on a certain app.
Score 1 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • As I've mentioned throughout the review, it covers the majority of our employee base as a lowest common denominator communications method. That's handy.
  • Sametime is pretty terrible, but as a result, when we switched to an open-office plan, people get up and talk to each other, rather than having to use Sametime to get a question answered.
  • Sametime has also demonstrated how behind the times my organization is with IT infrastructure, and has helped drive the conversation towards modern tools.
Victor Toal | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Licensing for existing IBM customers can be advantageous as they might actually already have a free entitlement (even if they do not know that yet) - so it can be quite cost-efficient.
  • Small environments can be fit onto a single server and run quite well
Chris Whisonant | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
ResellerIncentivized
  • In general, customers of IBM Notes would be able to use the core IM components as part of their license. This is good in itself, but also can lead to further desire to have more of the Sametime options.
  • On-premises installations have been good for our consulting business.
  • For customers, being able to provide presence awareness with global resource has been a huge time-saver.
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized
  • Faster response times to inquiries internally, from tech support to HR to marketing and finance. This means employees are generally happy with the technology and have improved their efficiency overall.
  • Better customer service from the Sales staff who have embraced the technology. The ability to reach in and see who's available and get a quick answer for a customer is very satisfying for us and for our customers.
  • If there is a negative impact, it's been that some people see Chat as "distracting" and who have complained that this technology hurts us more than helps us. At the end of the day, Sametime is just another tool and we have to train our users to use their tools appropriately.
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