BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - October 9, 2008) - In the newly released benchmark report "Voice
Over WiFi in the Enterprise: No Wires, No Bars, No Problem," Aberdeen
Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (
NYSE:
HHS), found that Best-in-Class
organizations achieved a 51% increase in workforce productivity by
deploying voice solutions over their wireless network. This study collected
data from more than 200 end-user organizations and found that these
companies are increasingly deploying voice over WiFi solutions in order to
improve the flexibility of the workforce and become a more mobile
organization. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report, visit:
http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?spid=30410182&cid=4889.
As enterprise-wide usage of wireless LAN technology increases, companies
are seeking new ways to drive value from this investment in infrastructure.
Prior Aberdeen research revealed that beyond simple email and internet
access, organizations are increasingly leveraging their wireless network
for voice solutions. Poor cellular coverage in rural areas or working
environments that inhibit a reliable signal are major barriers to some
organizations looking to provide enhanced mobility to their organization.
By developing a holistic strategy for voice over WiFi -- including a
reliable wireless infrastructure, the appropriate tools to manage that
infrastructure, and the proper wireless devices for the organization -- top
performing companies attained substantial improvements in workforce
mobility and drove down cellular service costs. Best-in-Class organizations
were able to achieve these performance improvements through an efficient
combination of organizational capability and technology enablers such as
QoS (quality of service) tools and wireless intrusion detection and
prevention systems. Drawing on a solid foundation of organizational
capability the Best-in-Class were able to realize a 26% year over year
reduction in the cost of cellular service, a stark contrast to Laggard
organizations that experienced a 12% increase in cellular service costs
over the same period.
"Companies large and small face elevated levels of expectations both
externally from their customers, and internally from their own workforces.
Achieving top-notch customer responsiveness requires arming the workforce
with the flexibility to communicate and collaborate with colleagues and
stakeholders anywhere, anytime," explains Michael Lock, Senior Research
Associate for Technology Markets at Aberdeen Group. "Weak or spotty
cellular service is not an adequate excuse for not having this flexibility.
Lacking the ability to communicate seamlessly can hinder an organization's
productivity, and eventually thwart their ability to properly service
customers in a way necessary for top line growth. Voice over WiFi
technology is positioned to generate the type of mobility and employee
flexibility needed to address these issues."
The report is aimed at educating the end-user community as to how
Best-in-Class organizations are building a strong portfolio of
organizational capability and leveraging a suite of technology enablers to
bring about marked improvements in workforce productivity and mobility. The
report recommends clear actions for Industry Average and Laggard
organizations to achieve these types of performance improvements and draw
closer to the
Best-in-Class.
A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the
following underwriters: CounterPath and Extricom. To obtain a complimentary
copy of the report, visit:
http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?spid=30410182&cid=4889.
To access all of Aberdeen's complimentary research please visit
http://research.aberdeen.com.
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market
intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more
than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely
positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating
demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment
analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets,
corporations turn to Aberdeen™ for insights that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in
context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's
analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of
Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement -
Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role
Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit
Aberdeen
http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more
about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to
http://www.harte-hanks.com.
© 2008 AberdeenGroup, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
451 D Street, Suite 710
Boston, Massachusetts 02210-1928
Telephone: (617) 854-5200
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com
Contact Information: Media Contact:
Michael Lock
Aberdeen Harte-Hanks
(617) 854-5365
michael.lock@aberdeen.com