Businesses still have expansion plans

More than 100 CEOs, CFOs and CIOs from different Australian companies took part in a Polycom-commissioned survey, which was conducted in late-April by Woolcott Reseach into the current priorities of Australian businesses. Reducing costs and increasing efficiency were identified as top priorities by the survey respondents, along with customer retention. Interestingly, however, the research also found more than a quarter of Australian businesses plan to expand this year — despite the global economic slowdown.

Travel was highlighted as one area where organisations are looking to find immediate cost savings, with the research finding 44% of businesses plan to travel less in 2009.

Michael Chetner, country manager for Australia and New Zealand at Polycom, commented: “For me, the most interesting result from the research was that almost half of the respondents said they would tele-work if they could use business-quality video communications at home. This underlines one of the biggest benefits of the proposed National Broadband Network, with video-based teleworking enabling employees to be more productive and responsive, whilst reducing the environmental impacts of commuting.”

Chetner added: “With fibre connecting the majority of Australian businesses and households, we will see HD video and telepresence solutions underpin a significant shift in how and where people work.”

The survey also indicated that few Australian businesses have thorough environmental measurement practices in place, with more than two thirds (67%) reporting that they do not measure the carbon footprint of IT equipment (servers, PCs, etc), travel or communications.

Chetner commented: “My view is that environmental responsibility remains a priority for Australian businesses, but the challenges of the global financial crisis have increased the focus on achieving cost reductions and operational efficiencies — as the Polycom commissioned survey findings bear out.

“Anecdotally, we are receiving a lot of information enquiries and new sales from companies looking to reduce their travel budgets, be ‘greener’ and establish more flexible workforces. Many of these calls are from customers wanting to extend the benefits of telepresence and video beyond the boardroom; to desktop and mobile environments.”

Indeed, the survey found 76% of medium to large businesses in Australia see a need for telepresence. Moreover, of those respondents that had experienced HD telepresence, all believed it to be as effective for conducting a meeting as having all participants situated in the same room.

Chetner noted: “Companies undoubtedly achieve far greater time, travel and carbon emission savings when high-quality video communications is made available to staff at all levels of an organisation, rather than just senior executives in the boardroom.