[November 29, 2004] Growing Number Of Fragmented Communication Tools And Devices Produces Fewer Answers, Say Workers In New Siemens Study Siemens Communications, Inc., recently conducted a survey of 1,750 U.S. workers regarding their communication challenges. Armed with more than 20 different business communication tools and devices (PDA, cell phone, e-mail, home phone, work phone, etc.), workers say these tools are creating new productivity dilemmas and a greater number of communication devices has not made it easier for workers to connect, according to this survey released today. Top complaints: Must leave multiple messages in different places when seeking immediate responses (67percent) Delayed decisions because colleagues fail to respond in a timely manner (65 percent) Inability to locate or communicate with colleagues (59 percent) Malfunctions while traveling or working remotely (56 percent) Inability to access timely and accurate information (51 percent) Inability to respond to a missed client call in a timely manner (48 percent) Lack of synchronization among various communication tools (43 percent) At issue: What's the best way to reach a worker with a work phone, work e-mail, personal e-mail, fax machine, personal cell phone, home phone and work voice mail - the most common tools used by employees. Most workers say all of the above: 67 percent leave multiple messages when seeking immediate responses. Time to Take a Lesson from Children What's Next: Companies are adopting new Web-based telephony solutions that take the guesswork out of knowing when and how to best make contact with team members. This includes technology know as presence-enabled communication services. Presence solutions borrow from the same principles found in "buddy list" and instant messaging solutions - already a tool of choice for many teens and grade-school children. Whenever a buddy or colleague logs into the system, all other buddies know exactly the best way to reach them, including instant messaging, e-mail, work phone, home phone mobile phone and other tools and devices. We would be a happy to offer you an interview with the executives at Siemens to discuss the survey results and the new Web-based technology that aims to tackle these communications challenges. Best Regards, Holly Hagerman Connect PR T: 801-373-7888 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Barry Lawrence 703 262-2020 [email protected] Growing Number Of Fragmented Communication Tools And Devices Produces Fewer Answers, Say Workers In New Siemens Study Enterprise Employees Seek More Holistic Communication Tools With Greater Integration Capabilities To Find Colleagues And Information When It’s Needed BOCA RATON, Fla., – November 29, 2004 – How may I best reach you? Work phone? Mobile phone? Leave a voice mail? E-mail? Page? How about a text message or instant messaging? Or, would you prefer we get together via conference call? The answer: All of the above. Despite myriad communication tools and devices available in today’s enterprise environment, the majority of workers say they remain dissatisfied with their abilities to reach colleagues and obtain critical information when needed, according to the findings of a new study conducted on behalf of Siemens Communications, Inc. More than 1,750 workers participated in the study. With so many tools to choose from, workers top communication complaints include: • Must leave multiple messages in different places when seeking immediate responses (67 percent) • Delayed decisions because colleagues fail to respond in a timely manner (65 percent). • Inability to locate or communicate with colleagues (59 percent). • Malfunctions while traveling or working remotely (56 percent). • Inability to access timely and accurate information (51 percent). • Inability to respond to a missed client call in a timely manner (48 percent). • Lack of synchronization among various communication tools (43 percent). “Workers are overloaded with information and many already feel overly available,” said Mark Straton, senior vice president of marketing for Siemens Communications, Inc. “At the same time workers want solutions to ensure that critical communications can get through the noise and clutter.” Workers agree. New solutions, coupled with greater integration strategies that link communication and business tools together, were the improvements most often suggested by survey respondents. Collectively, workers identified more than 20 different communication tools and devices that are used on a regular basis – at work, at home and on the road. On average, workers say they regularly juggle about seven different communication tools for work (most commonly: work phone, work e-mail, personal e-mail, work fax machine, personal mobile phone, home phone and work voice mail). Mega-users, identified by the study as those who rely on 10 or more communication tools or devices, say their usage often extends beyond the work day. Ninety-seven percent of mega-users – made up mostly of senior executives, mid-level managers, white-collar office workers and sales teams – say they spend time communicating about the job when they are not “working.” Aware of these new productivity dilemmas, enterprises are starting to adopt Web-based technologies that improve worker collaborations. This includes the installation of smarter voice over IP telephony solutions, softphones that turn computer laptops and PCs in communication command centers and unified messaging systems that integrate voice mail, e-mail and fax mail. Presence-based services have also captured the attention of many organizations as a significant way to save time and money. Borrowing from the same paradigm that has made “buddy lists” and “instant messaging” household words for teens and grade school children, enterprises are adapting presence-enabled communication portals to take much of the guesswork out of knowing when and how best to make contact with team members. The Siemens HiPath® OpenScape™ solution, for example, is a worker communication and collaboration portal that: • Lets workers see who is available and on which tool or device, including instant messaging, e-mail, work phone, mobile phone, home phone or other mode of communication. • Helps allow workers to filter out unwanted communications. • Includes a “tell me when” feature that alerts a worker when a previously unavailable worker changes status and becomes available. • Can provide more opportunities for team conferences and collaborations. New communication solutions not only can help to shorten workflows, they may also provide immediate cost savings for enterprises. Solutions such as the HiPath OpenScape product, according to Siemens estimates, can potentially save a 1,000-user enterprise as much as $1 million annually in voice conferencing, Web collaboration and cellular costs (the amount of cost savings, if any, may vary). Presence is also redefining the call center environment, with products such as the Siemens HiPath ProCenter® Agile solution. Call center agents can provide customer support more quickly by knowing when and how best to reach key experts – potentially a huge savings in time and money when 40 percent of calls require an expert, according to one mid-sized organization that recently deployed the ProCenter Agile solution (actual results may vary). “This new generation of communication innovations is helping to eliminate unnecessary costs and much of the wasted time and energy spent during a typical day when workers are juggling not only tools, but also life and work issues,” Straton said. “When tools and applications are bound together, workers and enterprises experience a quantum leap in the value and knowledge they can access and share – in real time – no matter how they like to live and work. At Siemens, we call this vision LifeWorks@Com™.” About the Study The “Siemens LifeWorks@Com Study: Communication Challenges of Enterprise Workers,” was commissioned by Siemens and conducted August 2004 by Penn, Schoen and Berland. More than 1,750 U.S. workers were interviewed via the Internet. Margin of error for the entire sample is +/- 2.3 percent. About Siemens Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $80.5 billion in fiscal 2003. Founded more than 150 years ago, the company is a leader in the areas of Automation and Control, Information and Communications, Lighting, Medical, Power and Transportation. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $16.6 billion and employs 70,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Eleven of Siemens' worldwide businesses are based in the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG and its subsidiaries employ 423,000 people in 192 countries. For more information on Siemens in the U.S.: www.usa.siemens.com. About Siemens Communications, Inc. Siemens Communications, Inc., offers its customers a broad portfolio of communication products and services and is a leader in convergent technologies, products and services for wireless, fixed and enterprise networks. The company’s portfolio ranges from devices for end users to complex network infrastructures and complementary services for enterprises, carriers and service providers. Siemens Communications, Inc., is headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla. For more information: www.siemens.com/communications. NOTE: ProCenter, HiPath, OpenScape and LifeWorks@Com are trademarks or registered trademarks of Siemens AG or its subsidiaries and affiliates. All other company, brand, product, and service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. This release contains forward-looking statements based on beliefs of Siemens management. The words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "forecast," "expect," "intend," "plan," "should," and "project" are used to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the company's current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause the actual results to be materially different, including, among others, changes in general economic and business conditions, changes in currency exchange rates and interest rates, introduction of competing products, lack of acceptance of new products or services and changes in business strategy. Actual results may vary materially from those projected here. Siemens does not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. ### [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]