Managing Employee-led Communication
                   Tools at Work


Microsoft OCS: The Missing Link in Productivity

April 2008  Print

Did you know the average employee loses up to one hour each day trying to contact team members, suppliers or customers via email or phone?

This equates to hundreds of hours of lost productivity time each year.

And the bigger your organisation, the greater the impact.

To overcome these challenges, many employees are turning to consumer web applications such as IM or social networking sites to keep in contact.

But these can compromise the security and integrity of an organisation’s standard operating environment.

Faced with rogue applications, businesses could choose to either block access to the applications or open the floodgates to security threats: the answer is neither. It’s about taking control.

Instant messaging is a good example of a consumer technology that has been widely adopted by corporate Australia.

These days, chat via instant messaging is a useful application for business. It cuts down on email time, has little impact on bandwidth requirements and can be downloaded as a free application.

 

The Proof in the Pudding: Justify the Technology

Microsoft’s Office Communication Server (OCS), which, simply put, is the server version of IM, can enable IT managers to take back control.

Microsoft OCS manages all real-time communications including instant messaging, VoIP, audio and videoconferencing. It is powered by presence, which unites all the contact information stored in Active Directory with the way people communicate. 

With presence, you can see whether the person you are trying to contact is available and check on their preferred communication tool.

Never let an email go into the ether again.

One of the most important reasons to use OCS is grounded in compliance. Your ability to archive all communication centrally is the missing link between consumer-led communication tools and the needs of your business.

If you allow employees to use alternative communication tools like IM without adequate policies in place, you may lose vital business information. The alternative is decreased productivity. You decide.

 

Do you want to learn about how Microsoft OCS can help your business? You can get a preview at our ‘TrainIT for Charity’ day on April 24, 2008.

>> Learn more about TrainIT for Charity