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Press ReleasePaying Attention at Work? Majority of Business Professionals Aren't - at Great Cost to BusinessRoperASW-TANDBERG survey reveals that much of today's business communication falls on deaf ears What's the price tag for inefficient communications at work? The survey found that 56 percent of business professionals estimate they waste more than half-an-hour a day using inefficient communication methods. In the U.S., among management, sales and office professionals, TANDBERG estimates inefficient communication represents an annual cost to U.S. businesses alone of a shocking $297 billion.* People are least focused when they rely on the phone and e-mail and are noticeably more attentive face-to-face, reveals the online survey of 625 respondents in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway and Hong Kong. For instance, only one-in-four respondents say they pay full attention when participating in an audio conference call, and only one in four will finish reading an email completely before deleting it. This begs the question: how many important messages are being deleted or forgotten? "This survey proves what we at TANDBERG have believed for years: there's a genuine communication gap that impacts a company's bottom-line - few people are fully paying attention," says Andrew Miller, TANDBERG chief executive officer and vice chairman. "The reliance on approaches besides face-to-face communication contributes to confusing discussions, failure to establish trust among all parties, less accountability, and slower, more complicated negotiation processes." The survey results strongly indicate that in today's wired world, face-to-face presence has become more important than ever. Tony Venables, an economist at the London School of Economics, believes that businesses that thrive on face-to-face communications or - F2F, as he terms it - now account for a growing share of economic activity. He reasons that in those workplaces where F2F contact thrives, employees generate increasing returns and so do the companies in which they work. Indeed, business professionals overwhelmingly say that face-to-face communication when compared to audio and online/web-based communication - is easier to understand, is more personal, enables quick decisions, builds high trust, makes negotiating easier, reduces confusion and misunderstanding, makes people more accountable, and is better for detailed explanations. In addition, respondents reported that seeing people is more effective:
"Most people understand that face-to-face interaction is optimal, but only recently have technologies such as video communication become mature and available for mainstream use," said Lou Latham, a Gartner industry analyst. "This has allowed real, visual interaction with colleagues across the globe. Video is the productivity tool that is the missing piece in enabling the enterprise to operate in a truly real-time environment." And business professionals strongly believe video communication can offer many of the same benefits as in-person communication:
"TANDBERG's advanced video communication systems and services are focused on helping customers close the communication gap," said Miller. "Because of TANDBERG's unique industry-specific knowledge and consultative approach, customers are increasingly relying on us to extend video from the boardroom to the workroom." TANDBERG serves a growing roster of diverse industries - from health care, manufacturing, financial services and consumer products to distance education and the public sector. Like respondents from the survey report, TANDBERG customers conclude that communicating face-to-face makes their organizations more effective. The following customers are examples of how companies depend on video every day: Aon Corporation - Chicago-based Aon, the global insurance company, relies on video to collaborate visually with customers and bring employees together from various locations around the world. It also uses video for training purposes, which officials find leads to a smarter and more integrated work force. Australian Government - In Victoria, Australia's Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) uses the Internet Protocol (IP) network to connect video at more than 100 offices, some separated by more than 500 miles. IP video improves employee collaboration and safety, and at a low cost to the DNRE. United Kingdom Health Center - Broadwater Farm Health Center's general practitioners use video during surgeries for translations to communicate with patients who understand little or no English. This allows doctors to communicate with patients through an off-site interpreter. Texas School System - Region 14 Education Service Center (ESC 14), located in Abilene, Texas, serves a predominately rural, economically disadvantaged area of Central West Texas. It uses video to provide countless educational options for students and educators in small, remote communities. Through distance-learning classes, virtual field trips and adult education offerings, video systems help to educate lives in this underserved area. "The RoperASW survey has validated what TANDBERG customers already know - video is a proven productivity tool in every industry. TANDBERG's commitment to standards-based video technology, and the cost-effective collaboration now available using the Internet Protocol (IP) network, will make visual communication just as ubiquitous as e-mail and telephone calls," said Miller. About TANDBERG About RoperASW *Estimate based on survey findings and statistics from US Bureau of Labor.
Lisa Wilkins Gillian K. Dalslaaen |
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