The guide provides an in-depth look at how video collaboration tools, including Telepresence, are being used by companies , in a cost-effective way, to bring together business stakeholders throughout the value chain, conveniently, easily and more often from around the globe. The guide was originally produced for the CBI magazine Business Voice and includes: • The latest video conferencing tools • Video collaboration benefits • Market trends from Ovum • Case studies from Hannover Re and Arup You can download additional copies of this guide at www.videocollaboration.info where you will find even more valuable information on video collaboration.

1. The CBI magazine
business voice
FACE TO FACE
How video collaboration is transforming
business productivity and efficiency
In association with
tata communications

2. from the top
Contents Welcome to the future
Claude Sassoulas, managing director, Europe and Americas, Tata Communications.
4 B
Better collaboration, usiness travel In this publication, we
better businesses spending globally is discover how global
Video technologies are transforming on the rise. Beyond corporations are already
how organisations communicate and the escalating costs, this harnessing these
collaborate globally. We explore how travel is degrading air technologies and
that provides an important quality and contributing to supporting services to
competitive advantage. global warming. For improve their ability to
businesses with a global innovate and communicate
8 Built to last
To uphold its reputation for
innovation, global design and
footprint and frequent
international meetings, the
social implications of
with colleagues, clients,
partners and suppliers
around the world.
engineering firm Arup draws on reducing travel are therefore We examine just how far
expertise from around the world. no less significant than the economic. video technology has come since its
How does video help? A new wave of video collaboration early days. Once plagued by unreliability,
tools is now available that will help poor audio and visual quality, today’s
10 Options open
Advances in video collaboration
technology and services mean
reduce the need for corporate travel.
However, they also enhance how we
work and communicate in a global
high-definition Telepresence rooms
create an immersive virtual meeting
environment that can make
organisations can start reaping the economy – from improving staff geographically separated users feel as if
rewards with minimal investment. work-life balance and bringing dispersed they are together in the same room.
We look at the options. teams closer together to speeding up We also look at the options now
decision-making and opening up new provided by video technology, in the DIY
13 The analyst’s view
According to Ian Jacobs, a principal
analyst at independent research firm
business opportunities.
Global changes, both in the physical
and digital worlds, are accelerating the
approach and via fully managed
end-to-end services, available through
companies such as our own. With
Ovum, employees’ changing adoption of these video collaboration managed services such as public
expectations will drive business tools. Changes in demand stem, for Telepresence rooms, B2B video calling
demand for video technologies. example, from organisations’ need for and inter-connect with other third-party
multicultural experiences, the war for networks, it is possible to exploit the
15 Lights, camera, action
Everything you need to know
to achieve the perfect virtual
talent and rising urban real-estate prices.
On the digital side, ubiquitous
connectivity, the proliferation of
benefits and connect with more
businesses around the world with
minimum cost and pain.
meeting experience. connected, ‘smart’ portable devices and We hope that this publication
the emergence of new collaborative demonstrates the scope and potential of
16 Communication, tools under the Web 2.0 banner are all video collaboration services in a wide
covered enabling employees and organisations range of business sectors. How might it
Reinsurance giant Hannover Re is to consider virtual work environments affect your organisation? We look
committed to innovation rather than more seriously. forward to helping you find out.
imitation. How has it used video to
take its internal and external “A new wave of video collaboration tools is now
communications to the next level? available that will help reduce the need for
corporate travel, while enhancing how we work”
www.videocollaboration.info 3

3. changing how we work
Better collaboration,
itineraries are less rushed and more product teams, in marketing initiatives
focused,” says Quinlan. and global product launches, and by HR
Telepresence is proving increasingly for training and recruitment purposes.”
better business
popular as a way to collaborate more
closely internally, often initially between Come together
distributed senior management teams. Increasingly, businesses are widening
By making it possible for multiple areas their scope and applying the same
Once viewed largely as a way to reduce the financial and of the business and members of principles of internal video collaboration
environmental burden of travel, video collaboration tools are management to get together whenever to their dealings with external
they need to, without the traditional stakeholders, advisers, third parties and,
now delivering a host of compelling business benefits.
constraints of travel, Telepresence is particularly, in supply chain relationships.
simplifying and accelerating the “People may be working on different
H
ow can your people work together historically centred on mitigating travel, decision-making process. sides of the world and never have the
to innovate and make quick, the new wave of technologies goes But, adds Quinlan, while many chance to meet, but with Telepresence,
informed decisions when they much further. It enhances how organisations start off using video to they can do so every day,” says Quinlan.
operate in different timezones? How can organisations operate, enabling more facilitate executive level communication, “Supply chain relationship become more
you build relationships and provide key effective, productive collaboration its use quickly filters down to middle productive as a result, because more
services using limited resources? at lower risk. management and all areas of the people at all levels of the engagement
In today’s global economy, Tata Communications has seen business. “Organisations are using video have the opportunity to interact directly,
organisations often exist as ecosystems the benefits first hand, its in-house collaboration technology to leverage face to face, and build a rapport. We find
of offices and associates, and work in Telepresence facilities clocking up six their resources around the world and that people become more motivated and
increasingly lengthy supply chains. to eight hours of use per day. As well as apply their expertise in a much more simply do a better job together.”
Getting everyone talking to one another reducing the number of business trips, global fashion,” he says. “We’re seeing Manufacturing companies, financial
productively and cost-efficiently is no it has made the travel that does take greater collaboration between global services providers, universities and
mean feat. place more productive. software development firms are all using
Yet, in a turbulent economy, being “As we’re able to hold regular “Manufacturing companies, Telepresence to close the gaps created
able to communicate and collaborate virtual meetings in between trips, financial services providers, by the global economy. Research
effectively is an important competitive project momentum is maintained, and universities and software institutes, in particular, are harnessing
advantage. It enables organisations to travel becomes more effective when development firms are all using video to draw on their complementary
adapt quickly to changing conditions we do fly, since everyone is better telepresence to close the gaps expertise to cut R&D costs and shorten
and identify and capture business informed and prepared, and our created by the global economy” development pipelines.
opportunities. Businesses can harness “The trend, particularly in the
the skills and experience within their pharmaceuticals and software
organisations and exploit relationships development industries, is for large
with valued partners, suppliers and corporations to leverage the expertise
stakeholders worldwide. of much smaller organisations to speed
up time to market and innovation,” says
Reaching out Claude Sassoulas, managing director,
“As companies seek globally to develop Europe and Americas, for Tata
new markets or find new ways to Communications. “We’re also seeing
compete, any technology that allows more open innovation - where
them to eliminate or mitigate the effects
of physical and cultural distances and
improve the effectiveness of their
collaboration is very valuable,” says
Peter Quinlan, vice president of
integrated business video services at
Tata Communications.
Videoconferencing has been an
option for a number of years. However,
while the business case for video
4 FACE T0 FACE

4. changing how we work
companies are working Video collaboration
together towards a technologies are Watch this space
mutually beneficial goal. already changing how As organisations can already link into a services and retail. One major
Video collaboration will organisations offer see the benefits of videoconference using mobile retailer, for example, is already
become an increasingly their services and video collaboration for devices such as iPads and looking into installing in-store
important enabler reach out to customers. themselves, its popularity is tablets, combining highly videoconference booths,
of these types of Some universities, for set to snowball. Peter predicts effective, face-to-face which will enable customers
business models.” example, are developing its use will become collaboration with today’s to receive one-to-one help
new ways to deliver their increasingly pervasive within need for employee mobility. with their kitchen designs
Building a case courses, using the organisation, filtering Peter also expects from a centralised resource.
By positively impacting a Telepresence to stream down from senior Telepresence technology to There’s similar scope for
business’ core attributes, such tutorials and seminars to management to all levels of expand outwards, gaining workers who are traditionally
as the efficiency of its supply overseas students around the staff, who will connect with ground as a tool to collaborate mobile – such as mortgage
chain, time to market, agility and world. In another case, an entrepreneurial one another via a growing with external users and brokers and investment
capacity to make quick, informed conference organiser is selling seats in a choice of endpoints. expanding into more analysts – to make contact
decisions, Telepresence provides public Telepresence room, enabling In addition to desktop specialised applications in with customers remotely from
genuine competitive advantage. That, businesspeople to take part in virtual devices and PCs, employees sectors such as financial a single location.
says Sassoulas, is especially important in thought leadership roundtables with
a down economy, when the scarcity of invited CEOs and experts.
opportunities makes competition even Meanwhile, in the US, a family of experience they require are important the same result as a face-to-face
more aggressive. hospitals is deploying a new factors in determining which meeting,” says Quinlan. “The foundation
“Businesses need to look at how Telepresence solution to provide technologies will provide the best return. is there to accelerate and enhance how
video collaboration technology can healthcare to people in hard-to-reach The range of technologies available we do business.”
fundamentally change and enhance how areas. The technology even works today and the flexibility of the Technology providers have taken
they do business, above and beyond with diagnostic equipment, such as videoconferencing proposition make away many of the traditional pain points,
simply improving communication,” stethoscopes, to capture patient this an easier decision than it was in the enabling users to achieve maximum
says Sassoulas. information, while allowing patients to past. Whereas videoconferencing once reach with Telepresence for minimal
“Video collaboration can be applied discuss their conditions interactively meant a static piece of hardware that investment. For example, by using their
within any area of an organisation, with their physicians. had to be wheeled into the office, network and hosted infrastructure,
whether that be sharing statistical data today’s suite of Telepresence tools is organisations don’t need to invest,
in oil and gas exploration, interviewing No pain, more gain broad and flexible enough to meet any upgrade and manage their own
someone for a job or discussing a As well as looking at where video might organisation’s objectives. infrastructure, dramatically cutting costs
client’s investment portfolio. To generate add value, organisations should also From installing high-end Telepresence and improving return on investment.
the maximum return, you have to consider what kind of investment is endpoints or fully immersive rooms into Organisations can also take
identify where and how enhanced appropriate for their needs. How often their offices to connecting individual advantage of a host of professional
collaboration could make a real and in what situations they might use it, users via their desktop devices to services to manage their video
difference to your business model.” and the quality of virtual meeting booking a public Telepresence room in a collaboration activities, ensuring they
local hotel, businesses can choose from always get a reliable, high-quality
a range of options and scale up or down Telepresence experience, backed up
FACTS & STATS over time. (Read more on page 8). with full support.
The quality of the meeting experience The challenge now for Telepresence
40%
of business travellers say
50%
of frequent flyers in the
90%
of frequent users say
is also a quantum leap ahead of what
companies may have experienced in the
past. Interoperability issues, unreliable
connectivity, poor video and sound
providers is to demonstrate just how far
the technology has come in providing a
fully immersive virtual meeting
experience and the flexibility at which
travel stress has a negative US need up to two days to video collaboration
catch up on work, recover technologies save them quality and a lack of synchronisation multiple endpoints can link up.
impact on their family life.
Two-thirds would rather physically and get their at least two hours of work meant many investments in For organisations that venture into the
spend time in a dentist’s personal lives back in time a week. One-third videoconferencing went unused. Telepresence space, the question is not if
chair than take their next order after a business trip. estimate it saves nearly a “Telepresence now offers such a high video collaboration could make a
business trip. (Microsoft) (Kensington Technology Group) full day. (Cisco Systems) level or reliability and standard of positive impact to their business, but
service that the technology can achieve how to apply it to maximum effect.
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5. CASE STUDY
Built to last
With a reputation for innovative yet sustainable designs, Arup
faced a challenge – how to balance the need to collaborate
globally with a commitment to environmental responsibility?
I
f any organisation should understand These incredibly complex projects are
the importance of worldwide the product of a global, organisation-
collaboration it is global design and wide effort, involving the expertise of as
engineering company Arup. The many as 25 unique disciplines,
independent firm of designers, planners, distributed across the globe. It requires
engineers, consultants and technical close collaboration between the
specialists has a reputation for delivering company’s 80 offices worldwide as well
highly innovative and sustainable as with clients and third parties.
designs. Past achievements include the However, while this level of
Sydney Opera House, the Water Cube cooperation is essential in order to bring
for the Beijing Olympics and, more Arup’s pioneering projects to life, it
recently, the California Academy of presents some challenges. The firm is
Sciences museum. renowned for delivering sustainable
designs and a commitment to the “Time spent travelling could be used more productively
environment and sustainability is integral and employees are often left tired, which reduces their
to the business as a whole. Yet the efficiency and responsiveness, and in turn slows down
frequent travel involved in productive projects and decision-making”
face-to-face collaboration and the
associated environmental costs are in
direct conflict with the company’s ethos. Because the rooms are available Another major draw for Arup was the
Attempting to get experts in different around the clock, Arup can easily quality of the audio and video. “When
timezones and geographies together in organise meetings with its offices in we hold a virtual meeting, we don’t want
one place can also be very inconvenient different time zones and, where the people to be worrying about the
for those involved. The time spent timing is difficult, participants can stay technology. In fact, we don’t want them
travelling could be used more overnight in the hotel’s rooms. Food and thinking about it at all,” says Clover. “But
productively, and employees are often snacks are also available during people forget there’s even equipment
left tired, which reduces their efficiency meetings to help them flow without there; they believe the people opposite
and responsiveness, and in turn slows unnecessary interruption. them are sitting in the same room.”
down projects and decision-making. “One recent example was the Arup Arup has found that using Tata’s
global executive conference, which we public Telepresence suites has
Room for improvement held simultaneously in Boston, London contributed greatly to its working
For Arup, the solution came in the form and Manila,” says Neil Clover, the environment, allowing design teams
of Tata Communications’ Telepresence company’s chief technology officer for worldwide to collaborate whenever they
public rooms, located at leading hotels the Americas. “Because of the time need to without increasing the
close to Arup’s offices. These rooms differences, meetings such as these tend company’s carbon footprint. As Clover
provide the company with immediate to be inconvenient, but with the Tata says, “The public Telepresence rooms
access to high quality video and audio hotel situation, we were able to have a allow us to implement a plan to reduce
on a pay-as-you-go basis, with no common break. People had breakfast, our carbon footprint, while improving
capital investment and no facility or lunch or dinner depending on which our ability to collaborate globally with
equipment of its own to manage. timezone they were in.” our engineers and clients alike.”
8 Name here xxxxxxxxxx www.powerofcollaboration.com 9
www.videocollaboration.info

6. FLEXIBLE TECHNOLOGY
and 24/7 support is on hand should you
need it,” he says. Users can also make
use of a dedicated conference producer,
who can monitor the conference, bring
in additional endpoints, mute
participants or change how the various
sites are shown on screen.
Participants in multiple locations
around the globe can link up in real time
using the Telepresence room, saving
time and money on multiple meetings
and reducing the carbon footprint.
Video and audio content can be
streamed to participants, while
document cameras make it possible to
transmit drawings and other documents
through video. Video systems can also
be connected to DVDs, VCRs and
whiteboards, providing a fully
multimedia meeting experience.
Collaborating in this way has multiple
uses in a wide range of business sectors,
enabling expertise and opinions to be
shared more easily and so speeding up
decision-making and time to market.
For example, regional marketing
departments can meet to view the latest
draft of a global product launch; R&D
teams can study the results of research
together and discuss the implications in
Options T
raditionally, the business case for collaboration without investing in their real time; and managers in multiple
investing in videoconferencing was own infrastructure. locations can interview a candidate and
justified by its mitigating effect on view samples of their work.
open
costly business travel. Yet it was still an Room with a view
outlay that many found hard to swallow. For many businesses, the cheapest and Home and away
Problems of interoperability and the simplest way to experience Telepresence As well as making use of managed,
ongoing costs associated with is via a public room, typically found in public Telepresence rooms,
maintaining and upgrading the high-end hotels, business centres and organisations can also choose to invest
The range of opportunities infrastructure meant firms were retail locations around the world. in their own private facilities, which they
provided by video collaboration reluctant to take the plunge. Sadly, those Equipped with life-like, high-definition, can use to link to other private rooms or
is broad, whether you want to that did often found the experience guaranteed audio and video quality, endpoints internally or externally. What’s
failed to live up to expectations. these rooms can be booked online and more, private rooms can link up to public
hold a virtual conference with Today, video collaboration is an hired on a pay-per-use, hourly basis. No rooms around the world, enabling
boardrooms across the globe altogether different proposition. The other outlay or long-term commitment
or enable co-workers on the technology is reliable, easy to use and is required.
same campus to connect from provides a fully immersive virtual “The beauty of systems such as those “By taking advantage of public
meeting experience that is as good as from Cisco is their simplicity and telepresence rooms, businesses
their desktops. the real thing. What’s more, by taking reliability,” says Tata Communications’ can dip their toes in the water
advantage of public Telepresence Claude Sassoulas. “You don’t even have and reap the rewards of better
rooms, businesses can dip their toes in to press anything, if you don’t wish to. collaboration without investing
the water and reap the rewards of better The conference launches automatically in their own infrastructure”
10 FACE T0 FACE www.videocollaboration.info 11

7. FLEXIBLE TECHNOLOGY insight
organisations to connect Using a B2B global
with individuals, clients exchange network,
The analyst’s view
and partners that don’t meanwhile, provides
have Telepresence everything a business
facilities of their own. needs to connect and
“In this way, collaborate with
businesses can other businesses via
extend the reach of their private video
Ian Jacobs is a principal analyst at Ovum, which
their Telepresence networks. “We can provides independent research and analysis into
infrastructure and now offer telecommunications and technology.
collaboration without organisations the
additional investment,” broadest and deepest
says Tata Communications’ reach through our inter- Q. Videoconferencing Q. What trends are you
Peter Quinlan. exchange and carrier has traditionally been seeing in demand for
Sassoulas adds that this can be partnerships, as well as interoperability viewed primarily as a immersive and other
especially useful for an organisation with to traditional videoconferencing way to mitigate travel. videoconferencing
offices in different timezones. “There equipment. It’s about making sure they Has there been a shift technologies?
may be periods when the time can reach the maximum number of away from this thinking Interest in immersive
difference makes it impractical to meet people or endpoints,” says Sassoulas. and what new room-based systems has,
using the private Telepresence room,” he “Organisations can also make use of applications are you to date, been fairly slow,
says. “However, during those times your providers’ cloud-based services and seeing as a result? largely because they have
private endpoint can be used as a hosted infrastructure,” he adds. “This The fact that video traditionally demanded a
regional hub to reach out to other maximises their uptime and reach, collaboration hefty investment and been
organisations in the same region, reduces management responsibility and technologies can cut the limited in their use.
leveraging either their own private minimises their investment in amount of travel required However, demand is
rooms or local public rooms.” infrastructure and support costs.” by organisations and picking up dramatically in
Organisations can also enable The range of options and potential potentially reduce their environmental tandem with an increase in use of video
individuals to link into a conference using applications for video collaboration are impact is still a major driver. However, by mobile and desktop users.
desktop units or PCs, extending the now as wide as the business benefits, there are many organisations that are As immersive video systems make it
opportunities of video collaboration yet organisations can take advantage now realising other benefits, principally easier to incorporate people on tablets,
further. Provided there is a static public with minimal risk and investment. around the centralisation of resources. iPads and desktop devices into their
IP address and the endpoint has been Sectors such as education, retail and video meetings, we’ll see a rise in
registered with the communications medicine are already using video demand for both uses of video –
provider, the Telepresence suite can dial Actions speak louder technologies to extend their services to immersive and mobile and desktop
out to that user and bring them the Communication is about more than an people who might otherwise be unable video. As one form of the technology
videoconferencing experience. Users can exchange of words. Being able to read non- to access it and to use their resources
also browse their contact books and verbal signals is essential in developing lasting more efficiently.
have face-to-face meetings with peers or and trusting relationships. This valuable element Studies have found that when learning
associates without leaving their desks. of face-to-face communication is not lost in materials are delivered face-to-face it is
video collaboration. Sassoulas recalls a series of more effective and so enterprises are
The full package meetings held over the course of the day. “The starting to think about how they can
As well as deploying Telepresence groups in each location took their coffee breaks also use video in this way.
solutions, providers now offer a range of at the same, but continued to chat informally, I think we’ll see more use of video by
professional services to ensure despite being in different time zones,” he says. businesses to share best practice and in
organisations get a customised business Telepresence rooms can even be used interactive training, both in group and
video solution, which provides a reliable expressly to bring people closer together. Tata peer-to-peer scenarios.
and high quality experience. This Communications, for example, lends out its
includes managing customers’ private rooms to staff during festivities such as
infrastructure, the scheduling and Diwali, allowing families on different sides of the
reservation of video calls, launching and globe to make contact.
monitoring calls, and 24/7 support.
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8. insight in practice
Lights,
“Demand is likely to grow camera,
action
as it becomes even easier to
integrate not only other
non-immersive systems, but
also collaborative tools”
Everything you need to know to achieve
the perfect virtual meeting experience.
improves, demand for the other will Q. What other changes do you
also increase. anticipate in the technology and When using a Telepresence *Be careful of glare – *Your audience awaits
Demand is also likely to grow as it its application? room, your provider should Position reflective surfaces – Remember, you are
becomes even easier to integrate not We’ll see greater availability of hosted ensure everything is set such as whiteboards or tables presenting to those in the
only other non-immersive systems but services, which will make it easier for up to achieve the best away from the light. If you room as well as at every
also collaborative tools. We’re going to organisations to access video quality audio and video – require additional lighting, endpoint. Speak to and
see people use video as just one part of collaboration tools without a big capital from the positioning of the opt for lamps that mimic engage with all parties.
the whole collaborative process. When expenditure. As video services become microphones, cameras natural daylight.
that happens, organisations will be able easier to consume, more people will and lighting, to the room’s *The eyes have it – Eye
to justify an investment in video in terms consume them. layout. Rooms are *Minimise background contact is essential to engage
of increased productivity as well as I also expect the demand for pre- and post-tested to disturbance – Moving and build trust. However, in a
travel savings. immersive and non-immersive ensure the experience is curtains, people walking video environment, it comes
Interestingly, some of the most videoconferencing systems to be driven reliable and provides the behind you or activity behind from looking toward the
innovative deployments of video have by the user. The ‘bring your own optimum environment a window or glass partition camera, rather than the
been using satellite video systems in technology’ trend will be particularly for collaboration. can reduce image quality and display. If you need to
areas where the terrain or political important. As more of the devices that However, video can now distract meeting participants. position your own camera
situation makes video infrastructure people own and bring into work become be used in a wide range of (unnecessary in a managed
difficult to build on the ground. video-enabled and those people scenarios, including on Ready for your Telepresence room) position
Oil and energy companies and NGOs become familiar with using video in their desktop video units and PCs. close-up? it as close as possible to the
such as the UN are using satellite video daily lives, they will expect to be able to To achieve the best possible When people first use top centre of your display.
systems to achieve collaboration, both do so at work. That will eventually drive experience, therefore, it pays Telepresence, there’s a
point-to-point within countries and back demand for video in organisations – to follow a few simple rules: tendency to be overly formal *The camera never lies
to their home offices. We’re likely to see whether or not they can justify the cost with other participants and – The high quality audio
more such deployments in the future. - because without it they will find it hard *Make it convenient – Place for the novelty of the and video can pick up and
to recruit talented young people. desktop videoconferencing experience itself to be a even amplify the smallest
This kind of change takes time, but units close to your PC so you distraction. However, as users gesture or quip. As in a
when it happens it will result in an don’t have to move things become familiar with the normal meeting, be
increase in demand for both traditional around to participate. Your concept, they ease into conscious of your actions,
desktop video systems and the system can even be used as a collaborating exactly as they even if the camera isn’t
immersive Telepresence rooms, because PC screen. Use a headset for would in a physical, face-to- pointed in your direction.
you’ll be able to dial into them from a privacy where necessary. face meeting.
range of devices. While you may be facing a *Use the technology –
Many of the benefits of video *Look behind you – You and video screen, it’s important to Take advantage of the ability
collaboration are currently difficult to your colleagues should be remember that the high to share multimedia content
quantify, but at some point in the future the focal point with minimal quality of the audio and such as websites, videos and
someone will find an accurate way to distractions, so keep your video make it just like the real presentations, to make your
calculate or articulate the true ROI. background neutral and thing. Here are a few things meeting more productive
Video collaboration will then become an avoid clutter. to keep in mind: and engaging.
even more compelling prospect.
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9. case study
H
annover Re is the third-largest “The international reinsurance
reinsurer in the world, providing sector has developed into a
health and life insurance, as highly specialised financial
well as other non-life insurance, to service, requiring considerable
insurance companies. expertise from a highly diverse
The international reinsurance sector range of fields”
has developed into a highly specialised
financial service, requiring considerable
expertise, not only from insurance have to do is turn up at the scheduled
specialists, but also from a highly diverse meeting time; the meeting starts and
range of fields – everyone from ends automatically.”
mathematicians and meteorologists to
medical experts and engineers. Reaching out
With this diverse input and the fact Hannover Re’s reinsurance specialists
that terms and conditions must be also use their private rooms to connect
negotiated in each individual case, with customers, who use public rooms in
Hannover Re relies on excellent internal leading hotels and business centres
communication to meet the needs of its locally. “While many of our customers
customers. However, like many global have their own Telepresence rooms,
corporations today, Hannover Re has a there are still issues of interconnectivity
dispersed structure, with around 2,200 between the different Telepresence
staff in more than 100 subsidiaries and systems,” says Gleiniger. “Optimisation
affiliated companies, branch offices, of the connectivity between solutions
service companies and representative will be one of the main challenges for
offices worldwide. carriers in the next few years, because
“Reinsurance is a face-to-face while the demand is there, the
business, which traditionally meant one technology hasn’t quite caught up.”
party would need to travel. However, as However, Hannover Re has found
the overheads for travel and connecting with customers via the
accommodation are disproportionate to global network of public Telepresence
the meeting time, this is inefficient,” says rooms to be a very successful solution.
René Gleiniger, the company’s head of As well as making its internal and
telecommunications and collaboration. external communication easier,
“We wanted to find a way to Telepresence has increased the amount
communicate better, while removing the and effectiveness of its internal and
Communication,
inconveniences and costs of travel.” external collaboration.
Hannover Re installed a network of 18 “We have found that many
immersive Telepresence rooms in conversations that would have taken
covered
January 2011 and recently added a 19th. place by teleconference or by travel are
“Scheduling and booking is carried out now held by Telepresence,” says
by our room coordinators, who received Gleiniger. In fact, Hannover Re has seen
training on how to use the system,” says use of its private rooms increase
Reinsurance giant Hannover Re prides itself on Gleiniger. “We also ran an internal five-fold since their implementation. As
being somewhat different, with a commitment awareness initiative to inform our staff of the company enters the period of the
how the Telepresence system works and year when most companies renew their
to innovate, not imitate. In keeping with this its potential uses within the business. reinsurance contracts, Gleiniger expects
ethos, the firm sought to take its communication However, the ease of use of the the rooms to come into their own and
methods to the next level. Telepresence rooms meant no training become an even more valuable
was needed for staff in general. All they communication resource.
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10. tata communications
Leaders in global
collaboration How do you meet
face-to-face all over
Tata Communications, a part of the
$83.3bn Tata Companies, is a leading
the world without
global telecom service provider. It owns
the world’s largest network of public leaving town?
Telepresence rooms. These rooms are
located in premium public access With Public Telepresence Rooms from Tata Communications
facilities such as luxury hotels and available in over 35 cities around the globe.
conference centres in India, Europe,
America, Asia Pacific, Africa and the
Middle East, and can be accessed on a
pay-per-use, hourly basis.
Tata Communications also offers
a comprehensive range of
integrated business video services – Have a TeLePReSeNCe
from complete turnkey services for
organisations implementing video meeTiNg oN uS.
endpoints to bespoke services
integrating existing infrastructure.
To fix your free meeting and confirm available
The company can manage
customers’ dedicated infrastructure locations, please visit www.tatatelepresence.com
through remote management or via a and use offer code: BVTP
dedicated hosted model in its data
centres. And, by offering Telepresence Alternatively, contact us at
and video conferencing as a service, Tel: 0800 2061063
through its hosted cloud E-mail: findoutmore@tatacommunications.com
infrastructure and managed services,
it ensures organisations achieve
maximum return for the minimum
total cost of ownership and
management responsibility.
To find out how Tata Communications
could improve your business
collaboration, and to see the complete
list of its public Telepresence rooms,
visit www.tatatelepresence.com
18 FACE T0 FACE

11. ninety per cent of frequent
users say that video
collaboration technologY
saves them at least two
hours of work time a week.
One-Third estimate that it
saves nearly a full day.
Guide published in association with Tata Communications Ltd
Written and designed by Caspian Media
www.caspianmedia.com
© Copyright rests jointly with Caspian Media and
Tata Communications Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part without
written permission is strictly prohibited. The views expressed in this
publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the
position or policy of the CBI or Business Voice magazine.
Tata Communications Ltd
www.tatacommunications.com
findoutmore@tatacommunications.com
0800 206 1063