It's been reported that deployment of IP display phones has already matched and will soon surpass TDM. VoIP offers many advantages including overall cost reduction, centralized administration and better utilization of network resources. But in the end it is not the phones but the applications on them that bring value to the investment.
Spending $500 to $1,000 for a phone to provide dial tone and possibly an employee directory is ok for a start, but value is realized once you apply the technical capabilities to business objectives. Internally, look at IP applications as a cost-reduction measure. For customer-facing applications, consider them as part of your marketing message or even a revenue generator. Here are a few examples by industry.
For financial organizations such as banks, IP applications can assist in enhancing customer service and increasing overall productivity by delivering another self-service option. Imagine a customer standing in line to speak with a teller and on the wall is a flat screen promoting rates for CDs, equity lines and home mortgages. The IP display phone on the counter shows the same options. The customer picks up the phone, presses one of three softkeys and is immediately connected with the appropriate department for assistance. Wait time is decreased, tellers can focus on customers with additional needs and communication is streamlined.
These applications deliver significant advantages in healthcare. Consider the physician who has just arrived at the hospital for morning rounds. After hanging up her coat, she logs into the nearest IP display phone. Her status is changed to in-house and her patient roster, including current room assignments and bed locations, is printed or sent directly to her smartphone. Within moments she is fully prepared to make her rounds. Additionally, other hospital systems can be queried to push pertinent information to the phone such as signatures required for medical records and critical messages.
In the hotel industry, it is imperative that guests feel important and valued so they'll become repeat customers. IP applications function as a personal concierge, allowing them to search for on-premise restaurants, favorite shopping venues and critically-acclaimed shows, retrieve hours of service and make reservations. Additionally, the applications can set wake-up calls and by tying into the property management system, alert guests with weather updates for their home city and state, giving the overall experience a personal touch.
IP applications can leverage technology to create additional value in nearly every market. Your organization can develop them in-house or evaluate a gateway that allows users to design and build their own.
Look for Part 2 in the next issue. If you have a compelling application deployed or idea that you would like to share, contact me at jjarnutowski@sdcsolutions.com.
For more visit www.sdcsolutions.com.
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