I am Presence

By: Dominik Schulte-Zurhausen, Marketing Manager, Tellumat Telecoms

The business and social environments are changing rapidly. More importantly, the way we, as individuals, can and choose to communicate is evolving constantly. Competition is fierce, technology is moving at an ever more rapid pace and communication can no longer be served through a telephone on a desk, a mobile phone in a pocket, a fax machine in an office or even a full featured PBX in a basement.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect to the evolving communication landscape is the fact that the line between people`s business and personal lives is eroding. This is especially true in respect to how people and businesses choose and wish to communicate with each other. Personalized, intuitive, always on, any time, any place service is the order of the day. As business leaders and decision makers we need to be aware of these changes and capitalize on these so that any possible positive benefits have a constructive impact on the bottom line while at the same we are able to minimize any inherent negative impacts that these changes may bring to the surface.

How an organization communicates and empowers its stakeholders to communicate with it is, in today’s environment, a key differentiator and business driver to operational success or failure.

In order to maintain operations and gain a competitive advantage; business decision makers are required to make more precise, effective and faster decisions with regards to their communication platforms while ensuring flexibility in the platform and guaranteeing ROI.

Our world has changed. Technology has changed and is continually changing the way we work, live and play. If you are like me, ‘Generation X’ bordering on ‘Generation Y’, then you may identify with this article. If not then this article may be of even greater importance to you.

While technology has impacted and changed every facet of our personal lives, businesses have to a large extend failed to react accordingly. 9 to 5 is still the modus operandi with regard to the general workforce. Businesses that adhere to this rhetoric do not harvest the full benefits that their payroll has to offer. It’s actually quite simple, you give someone a hammer and that person can drive in nails, give that same person a toolbox and he will create. The type of workforce you employ is by and large not defined or constrained by their willingness or ability, but by the tools you, the business, have made available to them.

This has the effect that employers are not leveraging ICT advances to their full potential and employees are experiencing an ever widening rift between their work place and personal lives.

My working day starts at 8:00 and ends at 16:30. However, if you are in the services industries and in any way working within the connected community then I hope you join me in saying that the static notion of a 9 to 5 idea of a job is archaic at best and should be relegated to the attic right along side with Taylorism.

A typical modern lifestyle requires flexibility. Being physically in the office when presence is required and/or when it makes economic and social sense to you, the employer and/or customers. In my case: I hold down a full time job. I study at night. I have friends and family spread across multiple time zones all over the world. My web presence is a part of my life. I am always connected. It defines me. I am my networks and my associated presence defines me. 24 hours a day. I do not switch off or change my presence between 9 and 5.

How do I do this? While you sit in the traffic so that you can get to the office by 8 I have already scanned my mails, read the latest news, listened to last nights market indicators, reviewed my voicemail, scanned my faxes, updated my presence and made various content contributions through various media channels.

When I drive to work it is after rush hour, saving me an hour and a half of frustration and burning petrol. I am efficiently cruising to work having peace of mind that I am up-to-date on all fronts. Everyone on my network knows exactly where I am, how I am, what I am doing and how to get hold of me. Phone me, skype me, fax me, SMS me, twitter me, comment on my blog, email me, find me on Facebook, leave me a message on MySpace, send me an instant message or interrogate my linked in profile anytime anywhere. I will know that you are trying to contact me and who you are where you are and how you are.

But that is me. I don’t consider myself at the forefront of what is possible. If you really want to know what is possible at the bleeding edge then go to the schools and watch your kids. That is where next generation services will be defined. That is your window into the future. Not a trade show. Not a magazine, but right here with our kids. Watch, learn, apply and enjoy your competitive edge.