A Sage Research, Inc. study of IT decision makers has found that organizations are realizing productivity benefits from IP Telephony (IPT) deployments that reach far beyond the IT department itself.
The study found that while cost savings was cited as an IPT deployment driver by 75 per cent
of those surveyed, productivity savings was cited by more than 60 per cent. Most surprising was that the productivity benefits were felt by both IT and non-IT workers. In another unanticipated finding, 66 per cent of the respondents said they perceive IPT deployment as giving them a competitive advantage.
The research was based on a quantitative survey conducted among 100 IT decision makers at organizations of various sizes, augmented by qualitative research in the form of three online focus groups. All the organizations had deployed IP Telephony from a variety of vendors for more than one year.
“”It is no surprise that cost savings is the main driver for an IP Communications deployment. But the extent to which our survey respondents said productivity benefits drive IPT adoption was totally unexpected,”” said Kathryn Korostoff, president of Sage Research.
“”The most startling non-IT productivity benefit is one that had come up anecdotally in prior research-easier and recurrent workspace relocation-so we designed it into the survey, and it turned out to be the single most frequently reported benefit.””
Non-IT Employee Benefits of IP Telephony
The survey respondents expressed specific IPT productivity benefits for both IT and non-IT employees, and quantified the benefits so that they can be expressed by the actual number of hours saved as a result.
The examples below express benefits for IT and non-IT employees:
Realized IT benefit: faster moves, adds, or changes.
- Per cent of population receiving the benefit: 72 per cent.
- Average benefit level experienced: 1.5 hours per move.
Realized IT benefit: new office opening completed quicker.
- Per cent of population receiving the Benefit: 55 per cent.
- Average benefit level rxperienced: 3.8 weeks per new office opening.
Realized non-IT benefit: rasier move, add, or change process allows employees to move workspaces more often.
- Per cent of population receiving the benefit: 71 per cent.
- Average benefit level experienced: three more moves per year.
Realized non-IT benefit: Less telephone tag for all employees.
- Per cent of population receiving the benefit: 50 per cent.
- Average benefit level experienced: 3.9 hours week per employee, or 25 days per year.