Unified communications (UC) provider Polycom has announced international brewer Heineken is using its Polycom RealPresence videoconferencing solution to cut travel costs and provide a green alternative.
The videoconferencing technology is affording communication between Heineken’s London office and its head office in Edinburgh, and is also improving communication between manufacturing sites.
This is said to have reduced travel costs by over £250,000, while simultaneously saving 160 tons of CO2 in just 12 months – the equivalent of 1,270 car journeys between Edinburgh and London or 752 return flights between Edinburgh and London.
Working with Polycom partner Talk and Vision to manage and maintain all of the videoconferencing systems globally, Heineken has over 11 video-enabled rooms in the UK to complement the existing 160 units installed in over 50 countries across the world – including the Netherlands, Mexico, Romania, Poland, and the U.S.
The new UK meeting room communication solutions include Polycom RealPresence Immersive video suites (Polycom OTX series) and Polycom RealPresence Room video solutions (HDX 7000) powered by the RealPresence Platform.
In addition, with Polycom CMA Desktop, Heineken’s workforce can use the concierge service from Talk and Vision to participate in any of over 8,000 video conferences held across Heineken globally every year.
The Polycom OTX Room video solutions are being utilised for a wide variety of meetings – from board meetings to interdepartmental meetings and HR interviews. Additionally, people in Edinburgh can easily assess individuals in London without the need for travelling.
As usage continues to grow, Heineken is investigating Polycom RealPresence Mobile software running on iPad’s to enable staff to make video calls and conduct face-to-face meetings into the video collaboration suites easily in the future.
“We have a distributed workforce across a number of different types of sites, head offices, call centers, and manufacturing facilities. I think it will be powerful when all employees can from their PC simply look to see who’s available, invite them into a voice call, or even bring them straight into a video call or room system all at the click of a button,” said Jem Anderton, IT Innovation and Solution Development Manager for Heineken.
“Moving forward, Heineken will be investing heavily in mobile and tablet technology in the UK. Our vision is that our sales force will use personal video to stay in touch with each other and customers, cutting down the time required for one-to-ones and also keeping them in real-time contact with colleagues in the office.”
