Productivity in collaboration Opinion
AV in unified communications and collaboration
The growing popularity of new, real-time communications and col- laboration approaches for work are challenging the traditional role of the AV professional. While large-scale installations have been the mainstay of the AV industry—from state-of-the-art boardroom systems to sound and video in formal meeting rooms—demand for more flexi- ble ways to interact and meet is now firmly on the rise, argues Jackie Groves, RVP UK at Fuze.
Today’s digital workforce does not want to be defined by set hours or office walls; and ac- cording to Fuze research, 89 percent of workers crave true flexibility in how they work as standard, not as a benefit. But if workers want to work more fluidly, at the times and locations that suit them best, what does that mean for more traditional meeting spaces and the role of the AV professional? In fact, empowering workers to seamlessly connect, talk, and collaborate in new ways pres- ents a big opportunity.
Unification
Businesses are under increas- ing pressure to adapt their workspaces, work practices, and technologies to enable communications whenever and wherever they want. This is where the AV industry can ex- pand beyond large-scale, hard- ware-led installations and bring businesses a greater range of AV-focused technologies that will drive intuitive and engag- ing communications experienc- es across the workforce. Unified communications (UC) is a key example—and it’s a win-win
for businesses and
their workers. With the right UC solution, AV professionals can unlock new opportunities with business customers to empower them to rethink and refresh their communications approach. There are a number of compelling reasons to bring a high-value UC platform to your offering:
1. Enabling more flexible working spaces
We’re not about to witness the death of the office any time soon. Fuze research shows that even younger generations place high value on coming together in the same place for in-person interactions, with 78 percent of ‘App Generation’ teenagers saying
that meeting face is important.
But while open-plan spaces have usurped the traditional cubicle office, we are seeing
face-to-
Huddle rooms are predicted to drive around 70 percent of all video conferencing meetings by 2022. Yet Frost and Sullivan estimates less than two percent of the 32 million huddle rooms worldwide are currently video enabled. By extending the pow- er of unified communications into smaller spaces, alongside screens, speakers and camer- as, businesses can create areas where voice and video collabo- ration flourish.
Look for flexible solutions that allow meetings to be initiated
in the head office, a co-working space, or working on the front- line.
For AV specifically, this means opening up high-end audio and visual communications to all. A worker in a remote location should be able to jump into an impromptu group call or partic- ipate in a video-enabled meet- ing as easily as walking into a huddle room. Businesses
are being chal-
lenged to meet these worker demands. A UC platform brings communications consistency for every worker, while ensur- ing flexibility in approach to suit different working practic- es. Workers can use the same interface, features, and appli- cations for calls and meetings, but through the device of their choice. In this way, the AV in- dustry has the opportunity to empower every person to com- municate, connect, and col- laborate with everyone, in the same effortless way.
The most advanced UC platforms incorporate network monitoring features that automatically check connectivity and quality issues, and switch users to the best quality video and audio settings for their network.
a new trend augmenting our working environments: smaller, more flexible, interactive meet- ing spaces—or huddle rooms. Critically, technology is the en- abler for making this new type of collaboration space work— and there’s a lot the AV industry can do to accelerate adoption by bringing UC platforms into the mix.
from a tablet, laptop, or smart- phone for complete ease of use for the worker. UC platforms should also allow users to share content with all participants in an instant—whether they are in the room or participating from a remote location. Meetings will become more productive, engaging, and inclusive for ev- eryone who joins.
2. Addressing cultural and behavioural trends
Work is not a place, it’s any place. According to Fuze re- search, 77 percent of workers want to incorporate working outside of the office into their job, and 54 percent would quit their position for greater flexi- bility in how and where they work.
Digital inclusivity is important here. Every worker needs to be enabled by the same technol- ogy so they can participate in the workforce, whether they are
P8 AV News November 2019
Workers want applications and technologies that are as intuitive as the mobile technology they use in their personal lives
won’t invest in the feature-rich AV solutions that teams desire if their communications in- frastructure cannot make the most of them. Many older con- ferencing systems suffer from poor video quality, time delays, and call drop-offs. Similarly, workers dialling in ‘on-the-go’ with patchy connectivity can
call quality, workers will in- creasingly view interactions via UC as no different to chatting in a meeting room or having a discussion at their desk. As this mindset spreads and becomes the ‘new normal’ for younger generations entering the
workplace, the opportu- nities for the AV industry are
3. Enabling the digital workforce
Workers are becoming more comfortable communicating purely via digital media. But the reality is that businesses
experience the same challeng- es.
For those working in the AV industry, these issues represent a significant barrier to sales. Businesses simply won’t install the latest HD webcam technol- ogy, feedback-resistant micro- phones or 4K screens if they can only receive and display low-quality audio and video. This is where an accelerated adoption of unified commu- nications will benefit the AV market.
The most advanced UC plat- forms incorporate network monitoring features that auto- matically check connectivity and quality issues, and switch users to the best quality vid- eo and audio settings for their network. UC platforms can also optimise the AV experience by alerting users when they should switch up from a cellular con- nection to Wi-Fi.
As UC platforms evolve, they also deliver more data and in- sights to the IT team. Through this understanding of work- flows and communications preferences, businesses can tailor their networks to further improve productivity and over- all reliability. By removing the issues of lagging video or poor
enormous. The need for tech- nology to support this is only set to grow. as businesses look to digitise their workplace com- munications.
Looking ahead
With the rise of cloud comput- ing, greater workplace flexibili- ty, and more emphasis on the employee and customer expe- rience, the demand for UC is on the rise. For the AV industry, the opportunity is huge. As ex- pectations of workplace com- munications evolve, business- es need more than the right attitude to empower the work- force—they need technology to bring these digitally-driven experiences to life. Voice will continue to be the primary, real-time communica- tion method for many workers, yet we this will be complement- ed by an increasing number of video and collaboration ap- proaches. According to Aragon Research, by 2025 team col- laboration will be the primary way that people communicate, and optimised voice and video will be key to driving these ex- periences. Workers want applications and technologies that are as intuitive as the mobile technol- ogy they use in their personal lives. UC will be at the heart of this trend—and AV profes- sionals are perfectly placed to support, and benefit from, its widespread adoption.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20
