Staying connected when you`re not in the office is becoming easier for many, thanks to the variety of portable technologies available to us. However although many people like to think that a mobile phone, a laptop and a PDA make them truly accessible, the statistics say otherwise.
International research has found that when working in an office, 31% of business people said they reply to e-mail within an hour but when travelling only 7% manage to respond as quickly. Amazingly, 30% said they do not respond to e-mail for 48 hours or more while on a business trip, with a third of these people admitting they had suffered serious consequences as a result, such as missed meetings and lost revenue.
The demand for reliable and cost-effective always on Internet access has never been greater with competition hotting up between WiFi (wireless Internet) hotspots and the emergence of always on 3G mobile connectivity. Airports, hotels, cafes and bars are signing up to provide wireless Internet access to travellers and customers in what is fast becoming a real estate game for the Internet service providers. It`s starting to get a little confusing to say the least!
So where do you go and how do you get connected?
Whether it is WiFi or 3G, users will have their own preferences based on cost and availability of service. At the moment, each camp is vying for the business trade and this should be good news for the buyer, as service providers squeeze prices to attract consumers. But what do you do when you have managed to get remote Internet access?
For business travellers or teleworkers that are part of an organisation, the technology voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) is transforming the way we work today and in the future. VOIP enables voice calls to be sent over a data network such as the Internet and can enable travellers to become fully networked to their office regardless of their location.
This is often called a virtual office and it is achieved via a broadband connection such as in a WiFi hotspot. Imagine sitting in a departure lounge in an airport waiting for your flight. You could log into your office through the IP virtual private network (which provides access to corporate information from anywhere) power up your softphone, which is automatically hooked-up as an office extension line and receive internal calls from colleagues that are free. You can also access your e-mails, faxes, voicemail, make external calls and even access networked applications such as customer databases.
This technology is not solely restricted to the large corporates and businesses of all sizes can take advantage of a system such as the Mitel Teleworker Solution, which offers users transparent access to office voice and data services regardless of their location. The teleworker, working from home as part of a call centre, the salesman and field service engineer on the road stopping off at a caf'e or bar, the travelling executive waiting in the airport lounge all have the ability now to work remotely without compromising on their ability to communicate and do their jobs.
It`s a massive step forward in the way people will conduct business and will go a long way to ensuring companies meet the needs of employees who need to work remotely.
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