Next Generation Collaboration Capabilities for the Workplace


Show your customers that they don’t have to choose between collaboration wants and needs with Cisco Spark.
 

According to the “Workplace of the Future” global survey conducted by Vanson Bourne, today’s workers use an average of six devices to do their work, whilst at the same time spending only two-thirds of their work-week at a desk. The survey also discovered that workplace sizes are shrinking, and there is a trend toward work shifting (people shifting work to more convenient times and locations).

 

Mobile computing and BYOD initiatives are another strong component linked with this trend. Not surprisingly, research shows that organisations embracing these next-gen workforce (NGW) trends are seeing significant operational and strategic advantages over those still clinging to traditional practices. According to the Vanson Bourne study, for example, those embracing NGW concepts and business practices were able to:

  • Recruit and retain talent by incorporating BYOD policies for personal devices and flexible work schedules;
  • Offer modern, flexible, and economical workspaces that inspire employees while reducing facilities and site costs;
  • Increase worker productivity while providing secure access to business resources from anywhere.

However, one of the biggest challenges with traditional collaboration platforms is that they use contrasting applications, interfaces, and delivery models; the complexity is both frustrating for end users and businesses. Part of the problem has been balancing end users’ wants without sacrificing their needs. On the one hand, they want collaboration capabilities that are flexible, available everywhere, and easy to update with new experiences. On the other, they need enterprise-class security and data control.

Cisco is showing end users that they don’t have to choose between collaboration wants and needs with Cisco Spark. It combines Cisco’s collaboration capabilities into a single, cloud-consumable “software as-a-service” (SaaS) offering, which reduces the expense, complexity and limitations of proprietary video systems and platforms.

 

 

Cisco Spark users gain access to the full feature set via computer workstations, tablets or smartphones without having to download software/firmware. Additionally, users can easily switch between devices during a conference without having to log out and back in again — and without disrupting other participants.

Each Cisco Spark meeting is video-centric, so users don’t need to think about which type of conference they need before scheduling. Mobile users get features such as single-number reach, single-voicemail service, video services and the ability to seamlessly move between devices during a call. Also, every time users log in, Cisco Spark is up to date—there are no disruptive updates or security patches to worry about, ever!

Although previous videoconferencing systems have greatly lowered the bar for conference call expectations, those who try Cisco Spark will quickly find the countless advantages of being able to see other users on calls, hear participants clearly, and share schedules, files, and ideas in real time — the way collaboration was always supposed to work.

This is a big win for customers - they no longer have to license software and maintain onsite infrastructure and staff to run it. But it’s an even bigger deal for our partners, who can now provide next-generation collaboration capabilities more easily, while leveraging networks to deliver security and control.

 

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