As corporate belts continue to be tightened to breaking point, an interesting trend is emerging as companies are "seeing the green light" and how it can save them money while simultaneously saving the planet.
Gartner's recent research shows that businesses have had to take a hiatus from green IT to save cash. However, the study also revealed that businesses were still interested in some green initiatives that result in quick cost cutting, such as those that improve energy efficiency.
Power management solutions can cut an organisation's energy costs by 30% - a six to seven figure savings for a large organisation. This is especially pertinent with Eskom's 31.3% hike in electricity last month!
Anticipating that this is more than just a trend, but the necessary future of IT, Bateleur Software recently hosted a free seminar on 'green IT', highlighting cost-effective solutions that combine harmoniously with sustainability.
Bateleur Software's ASG-Mobius product manager, June Julyan, said: “During a recession, the most critical factor is delivering ROI. Energy use in IT is high and a green footprint can dramatically reduce your power usage, cut down on paper and printing, and reduce transport costs - all helping the environment and your bottom line.
“An organisation needs to ask themselves: What does it cost to provide a printed report?" Julyan explained. “Working with paper is very labour intensive with labour accounting for up to 80% of a company's operating cost. This is where a sophisticated online 'filing system' like ASG-Mobius ViewDirect can be just the right solution for these challenging times."
ViewDirect, powered by ASG-Mobius, provides access through a Web browser to mission-critical documents, reports and images. It's ability to support high-volume, high-performance, simultaneous-access requirements in distributed environments that range from the desktop to the mainframe has made it the industry leader in content management solutions.
Julyan elaborated: “Bank of America, with 150 000 users, were motivated to stop printing - they now use ViewDirect and they don't print. The solution is flexible and customisable and all available through a user-friendly Web-browser interface.”
Bateleur's chairman, Sam Selmer-Olsen, commented: “If one recalls the old days where we dealt with a thick client, ASG-Mobius ViewDirect is impressive. It is better than paper because it is value-added. You could use it at an Internet cafe in Barcelona with no problem, as access is Web-enabled and it runs easily from a Windows or Unix server to a massive mainframe.”
“In seconds ViewDirect pulls and collates thousands of pages of information into a spreadsheet, which can then be used for analysis and decision-making," continued Julyan, "with any format available for successful archiving from formatted statements and reports to Word, Excel, Pdf, e-mail, pictures, video, etc. It is a workable, controllable environment to distribute and keep information for customers and internal staff, which eliminates distribution costs, including transport, mailing and courier costs, while making the right information available online immediately. And you don't need to change your existing system, which makes you more responsible and efficient."
Another guest speaker at Bateleur's seminar was Kevin Tangney from Mothapo Systems - a green IT solutions and auditing company. Tangney gave his 'Ten reasons to green IT':
1. Energy efficient IT is high performance IT.
2. Lower exposure to excessive and ongoing energy price hikes from Eskom.
3. Be a cost-savings and sustainability hero for your organisation.
4. Investing in a strong sustainability program can do wonders for your brand.
5. Inspire your employees - make them feel proud to work for your organisation.
6. Attract and retain customers.
7. Sustained growth requires sustainable operations - the average PC uses 588kWh per annum and wastes a whopping 400kWh! Approximately 23% of servers in a data centre are idle, as well as being inefficiently run due to incorrect temperatures and humidity. Printing is unmanaged. Travel to attend meetings rather than using the "original green technology" of videoconferencing.
8. It's not easy being "un-green" - there is a definite mindset change happening with green audits.
9. It's the right thing to do - 15 computers equal the carbon footprint of one mid-size car.
10. And if you're not a polar bear hugger, then critically, with today's economic climate, it saves money - lots of money.
ASG-Mobius content management solutions will reduce your costs, drive customer service and self-service to superior levels and leverage your technology investments. “It's a no-brainer really,” concluded Julyan. “It's a decision from energy wasting to energy saving - as simple as our transition from the old incandescent light bulb to the new energy-efficient light bulb."
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