WIRELESS TELEPHONYReaching the unreachables
Workplace Wi-Fi telephony supplier, SpectraLink, is of the firm opinion
that more effective communication is needed in the workplace to improve
efficiency and customer care.
The Hampshire-based company maintains that businesses risk hindering
productivity and lowering customer service performance if they fail to
improve communications for onsite mobile workers.
The company is concerned that many of the latter, dubbed the ‘unreachables’,
are ill-equipped to maintain contact with customers and colleagues
throughout the working day. This category of worker, which includes
nurses, factory workers and retail staff, spend less than half their day
at a dedicated workstation. They:
- often work in environments where cellular phones are not permitted
or do not function reliably;
- are normally shift workers who do not need to be reached outside of
the workplace in connection with their jobs, and whose employers do not
furnish them with a company-paid mobile;
- generally work on large sites and need to be in regular contact with
colleagues in different departments; and yet they
• need to be easily reached to answer customer inquiries efficiently.
Among the technologies available to overcome these challenges are running
voice calls to portable handsets over existing wireless networks —
according to SpectraLink, a cost-effective and more viable alternative to
cellular communication in the sort of environments where ‘unreachables’
work. Additionally, voice over Wi-Fi handsets can integrate with the
existing telephone systems, giving all of the functionality of a desk
phone — such as call forwarding and hold facilities, but without the
wires.
Gary Mead, Vice-President International, SpectraLink, says: “It’s clear
any business can benefit from a communications system that is tailored to
its specific needs, but many overlook how easy it is to implement. For
those that already have a wireless LAN, the increased return on investment
achieved by running voice over the network should be incentive enough to
migrate their telephone system.
In the case of a nurse, for instance, being easily reachable could be
critical to the level of patient care provided.”
Source: bjhc&im September 2005
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