Concerns about convergence

A survey conducted by Global Services company, Damovo, shows senior executives consider Return On Investment (ROI) to be a key concern when deciding to invest in IP telephony and convergence solutions, highlighting the particular challenge vendors and service providers face in quantifying benefits such as increased customer satisfaction and availability of new applications.

London, U.K. (PRWEB) August 1, 2003 -- A survey conducted by Global Services company, Damovo, shows senior executives consider Return On Investment (ROI) to be a key concern when deciding to invest in IP telephony and convergence solutions, highlighting the particular challenge vendors and service providers face in quantifying benefits such as increased customer satisfaction and availability of new applications.

The survey, which was carried out by Damovo as part of its ongoing commitment to providing advanced communication solutions to enterprises, asked 100 senior executives from a variety of industries around the world, What are your main concerns for implementing IP telephony or convergence solutions?". 50% of those questioned claimed that ROI was their greatest concern.

The study also revealed additional concerns with implementing IP telephony or convergence technology. 21% of respondents stated that maturity of the technology would be a priority and a further 20% were interested in the reliability of the technology, whilst only 11% stated security as a concern.

Pearse Flynn, Chief Executive Officer, Damovo comments: This survey indicates that there is a real opportunity for solution providers who can demonstrate genuine ROI as a result of implementing IP telephony solutions. Our concern is for organisations that remain unconvinced as they may find that they lose competitive advantage when up against those companies that have implemented this technology".

German Insurance company, HUK-Coburg, is one company that has used convergence technology to provide return on investment. The technology, based at its customer service centre in Coburg, allows customers more access options to speak to a customer advisor and quicker services thus improving retention of its existing customers, and its dominant position in the German market.

The technology is also enabling the company to cut costs by enabling administrators to exchange images of an insurance claim over the network, improving the speed by which a claim can be resolved.

Pearse Flynn adds, A number of our customers around the world have been able to improve their customer service, improve the efficiency of internal processes, and introduce new business applications by integrating disparate networks and utilising IP telephony. These are in fact indirect forms of ROI which are often neglected in the management decision to invest in new technology. They should be taken as seriously as traditional ROI calculations such as cost savings."

According to IDC Communications Consultant VP, Randy Perry: The numbers tell the story, but not the whole story. Some benefits may not be quantifiable today in terms of dollars (ease of use, competitive advantage, customer loyalty, etc.). However, these benefits are still worth including in the value story."*

*Viewpoint from Randy Perry, Vice President, Networking Industry Strategy, IDC.

About Damovo
Damovo is a Global Services company delivering world-class corporate communications. Through consultancy, design, implementation and management, Damovo delivers advanced solutions in the following areas: data and converged networks, mobile solutions, e-collaboration, voice enabled solutions, enterprise relationship management and managed services. Damovo's portfolio of solutions combines best-of-breed technology from the world's leading suppliers.

Damovo has an International client list of over 26,000 organisations and employs over 2,200 staff. The company has an annual turnover in the region of €1bn and offices in 20 countries worldwide across Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australasia.

Principal territories for Damovo are: Australia, Brazil, Germany, Italy and the UK. In addition Damovo has operations in Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, The Czech Republic, France, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and Venezuela.

Visit Damovo at www.damovo.com.

For further information and images regarding Damovo please contact:
Richard Cook, Samantha Morley or Harriet Marshall at big:pr
Telephone: +44 (0) 207 229 8827
E-mail: damovo@biggroup.co.uk