Teleworking: Real Value for Virtual Workers
By Avaya
Teleworking is on the rise—transforming the way companies do business and delivering benefits that can lead to competitive differentiation. But are organizations making as much of their telework initiatives as they could? This is a critical question as the number of teleworkers continues to grow. Unfortunately, many companies are unable to fully realize teleworking benefits as teleworking initiatives tend to be a patchwork arrangement involving multiple devices, contact points, and communications links, which negates the advantages companies are seeking. What’s needed is a way to ensure the ability of teleworkers to communicate quickly, reliably, and accurately at all times. A comprehensive, unified approach comprising products, services, and partners can answer this need—helping organizations maximize the business benefits of teleworking while reducing IT management complexity.
Denis Du Bois said:
October 23rd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Teleworking is widely implemented and has solid metrics. Some companies are also deploying “home agents” to reduce cost and carbon.
Very few hard numbers are available at this stage, but the potential is huge, when you consider the number of agents in large contact centers. Their commutes alone are responsible for 7,000 pounds of carbon emissions per agent per year.
As if saving the world weren’t reason enough to test home agents, early indications are that the cost savings are significant.
As with other types of teleworkers, the savings are turning up in recruiting and paying talent, business continuity, and real estate.
And, as with telecommuting, the technology to do it is here today. The vendors need to get that word out. Your podcast helps. Thanks.
Nick Lippis said:
October 23rd, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Thanks for your comments Denis. The industry has turned the corner with holistic solutions that scale and centralize complexity, thus reducing operational cost. Also there are professional services from suppliers that can turn-on massive teleworking solutions across large geographies so that corporations don’t have to wait to gain the value and reduce corporate operational cost, which is so important in today’s economic climate.
MyHome-MyOffice.com said:
February 13th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
An interesting topic for the times that we are in. According to the economic terms it gives huge savings to firms. However, telecommuting opens more avenues such as finding highly qualified, talented off-shore telecommuters to work for firms round the clock for lesser fees thus opening lot more avenues. This has resulted in starting a political debate “politics vs economics” of off-shoring! Will US Govt accept what US Firms wants to do? or will US Firms accept what US Govt wants to do? Where do we draw the line?
Denis Du Bois said:
February 17th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
The lines don’t follow national boundaries. Business has been a global game since the 1980s. Companies go to a worldwide market for goods, services and customers. Off-shoring decisions are based on the trade-offs of cost, quality and control. Whether the U.S. raises protective barriers for American jobs, or counts outsourcing as a form of U.S. aid to developing nations, American technology is there to support it.