Decisions on the go

An Executive Interview with Tandberg

CXO asks Geir Olsen about how TANDBERG is helping companies to slash costs, make faster decisions and improve staff productivity in an era of difficult economic instability.

CXO. Are fluctuating fuel and travel costs the main factors driving companies to utilise telepresence technology?
Geir Olsen. The cost of fuel is a major factor that has companies looking for solutions to stay connected and efficient while reducing travel budgets. This is a big challenge as face-to-face interaction is so important in business for building rapport, and generating trust when making important decisions. However, pressure to reduce travel and misaligned schedules can mean missed opportunities in fast-paced times.

The beauty of telepresence is that it creates an immersive ‘across the table’ meeting experience and no travel is required. With TANDBERG Telepresence T3, you can hold a face-to-face meeting with colleagues in London, Dubai and San Francisco without losing a day to business travel. For example, Vodafone saved themselves over 3,400 business trips in 2007/2008 by using video and tele-conferencing.

But travel and fuel costs are not the only driver. To maintain a competitive advantage, companies must be able to quickly respond to changes, strategise and deliver products and services to the market before someone else beats them to it. With the globalisation of business, decisions increasingly involve people based in other countries. TANDBERG’s immersive telepresence solution can bring key decision makers together instantly, no matter where they are, and enable them to work together as if in the same room.

Lastly, many companies such as HSBC are looking to green technologies, such as telepresence and video, to help them reduce their carbon footprint.

CXO. So telepresence and video can help organisations achieve their green agenda as well?
GO. Absolutely. By utilising video and tele-conferencing facilities, Vodafone prevented 17,388 tonnes of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere in 2007/08. Not only is this good for the environment, research shows customers prefer companies with reputations for being environmentally responsible, and employees prefer to work for green companies. So, using telepresence and video can positively impact a company's brand value.
Let’s also remember – taxation on carbon emissions is coming. So every business trip replaced with telepresence will bring benefits from reduced costs.

CXO. There seems to be a long-standing view that telepresence is just for the elite, or top level executives. How do you respond to this belief?
GO. Being nimble requires more than decisions at the top. It takes an entire organisation heading in the same direction. With TANDBERG Telepresence you can invite your experts, suppliers and frontline employees into a telepresence meeting at a moment’s notice – from wherever they may be – by connecting anyone on a standards-compliant video conferencing system.

CXO. How quickly can these systems pay for themselves?
GO. TNT have just completed detailed research which calculates their breakeven point (payback period) at 2.3 years after deployment of video. In other cases TANDBERG customers prove that telepresence and video conferencing can pay for itself in less than 12 months.

CXO. Tell me more about the new TANDBERG Telepresence T3 system?
GO. The TANDBERG Telepresence T3 creates an experience that is personal and comfortable while meeting the highest executive standards. The development team, including a social anthropologist, collaborated with customer groups to evaluate preferred designs, colours and room set-ups to optimise the user experience. Blue walls ¬– the colour of the Nordic sky – and specialised room lighting create a natural appearance, accented by warm wood walls, aluminum and glass to provide an exclusive finish.
The design works in tandem with innovative technology invisible to the user. Large full HD screens and PrecisionHD 1080p cameras, which are positioned for direct eye contact, ensure that participants appear as if they are meeting in person. Integrated touch-panel screens make it very easy to use.

Geir Langfeldt Olsen, President, EMEA
Geir is responsible for sales and operations in EMEA. Previously, he has held sales positions within TANDBERG leading the Southern and Central European regions. Prior to joining TANDBERG in 2003, Geir worked for McKinsey & Company, Inc. as a member of its Leadership Group for Financial Services. Geir graduated with a Master's degree from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration with a co-degree from UCLA's Anderson Graduate School of Management, specialising in international finance and economics.