Insurance Company – Case Study

Boardroom & Meeting Rooms

Audio Visual Technology Meets Aesthetics

This fit-out on St. Stephens Green, is an example of where technology does not invade classical aesthetics, yet the technology works to specification and is fit for purpose. The 26 person boardroom is situated to the front of the Georgian building. The room is used for quarterly global board meetings. The table houses 5 omni directional mics which are used on occasion to video conference delegates into the meeting, Two large format LCD Screens are housed and concealed in tastefully designed cabinets. The cabinet to the right also houses a video conferencing codec & pan tilt zoom (PTZ) camera. There is a second PTZ camera housed at the other end of the room to accommodate the delegates at the other end of the table.

All the rooms in the building faced a similar challenge. Aesthetically integrate AV technology and be fit for purpose. The Video Conferencing Huddle Space allows casual high stool seating and comfortable sofa seating, whilst being in conversation with the far side. Seeing their room on one screen and sharing the discussed data on the other.

The brainstorming projects work-space, was designed in a round table format to allow full interaction and participation between delegates. Again when required, delegates who were unable to attend in person, could be video into the call on the large screen and if necessary, data could be shared on screen, with the far side. In this case the video of the far side would become picture in picture, with the large screen displaying the shared data.

Most other rooms have the more traditional boardroom format, with large screens at the top of the room. All cables are concealed. None of the Georgian architecture was damaged. All audio visual technology was tastefully integrated with the aesthetics of the building. This was down to great consultation with the client, significant resource and time being spent with Digicom project management & the client design team. Finally careful installation & commissioning of the equipment by the Digicom engineering team. The site is maintained and remains fresh through the ongoing support of the Digicom service support team. The client enjoys ongoing preventative maintenance, on site support and same day response to tickets opened, within agreed time periods, depending on how mission critical status of the the room.

Financial Firm – Case Study

Room Booking System

Introduction

Digicom recently completed the integration of Audio Visual Equipment at a client’s (Financial Firm) new office in Elm Park Business Park. This included the installation of:

• Large Format LCD Displays
• Video Conferencing
• Digital Signage
• Room Booking

This case study will focus on their Room Booking System.

Meetings Made Easy

With the Condeco Outlook Add-in, their employees can allow room searches, services, visitors and video conference bookings to be made from within their Outlook calendar. They can make the appointment in MS Outlook and invite appropriate attendees. By clicking on the room booking icon in the appointment window they’re able to search for a room and book it right there and then.

The process now for our client is to Instantly book a room, start a meeting, or release a room using your badge or pin code. The screens are linked directly to our room scheduling software. They avoid meeting conflicts by displaying who booked the room and for how long. If a meeting overruns and no other bookings have been made, the host can extend the current meeting straight from the screen.

Real Time Data

The firm can now gather essential  information on how rooms are  being used. That data is used to design work-space that enhances productivity while reducing real estate costs. As their property requirements grow or change, they can use this data to develop long-term strategies.

For further information on this system, or a demonstration, please do not hesitate to contact us. A similar solution will also work on Gmail and Lotus Notes.

Government Body – Case Study

Delegate & Voting System

Introduction

Digicom recently completed and Audio Visual Fit Out for a Government Body client. It included installation of:

• Projectors & Displays
• Large Format LCD Displays
• A Queuing System
• Digital Signage
• Video Conferencing

Discussion System

The Shure system enables meeting participants to hear each other clearly, across the room. The units combine audio & user controls in an integrated system. Meetings are managed with complete control and reliability. The comprehensive hardware and software options, conform to the specific needs and protocols of the city council. The software options also support voting and complete conference management.

The flush-mounted delegate conference unit features a speak/request button, XLR gooseneck microphone connector, loudspeaker, 5 voting buttons and chip card reader. The system is a daisy chained connection with loop through connections. It is connected with a DCS-LAN connection by use of CAT 5e (or higher) F/UTP or U/FTP cabling. It has Support for 4 microphone operation modes; Automatic, FIFO, Manual and VOX (voice activation) and supports 3 microphone interrupt ability modes enabling ‘ping pong’ mode. The microphones are auto off of microphones and have a lockable XLR gooseneck microphone connector. Each also has 1 high-quality loudspeaker, with one 1 chip card reader (with SW 6000) and 1 microphone button with LED indicators for speak and request to speak.

Please feel free to contact us if you would like more information, or to visit the system.

Dublin Law Firm – Case Study

Workplace Automation & Collaboration

Introduction

The Client, a Dublin Law Firm, are recently enjoying the benefits of the latest integrated ‘state of the art’ audio visual solution, at their new office in Dublin 2. Their installation includes:

• Large Format LCD Screens
• Room Audio Conferencing Solutions
• Recessed Projectors & Screens
• Video Conferencing

Collaboration

The ClickShare Wireless Presentation units  let the clients’ employees share their content on large meeting room screens in the most intuitive way possible. Cables are no longer needed. They just start their presentation by simply pushing a button – whether of a USB-device they connect to their laptop PC or MAC, or by using the user-friendly app for iPhone, iPad, or Android. The connection also automatically displays the most optimal resolution, without messing up the layout on their laptop. Using both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz band guarantees a great wireless connection at all time.

Clients & employees share content from up to four sources (Laptop/Tablet/Smartphone) simultaneously on the one large screen, delivering a collaborative experience and saving significant meeting time.

Automation  

The client was keen to create and executive ambience whilst retaining workplace functionality with the meetings rooms . When not required, no audio visual displays are visible. When required, via a touch screen room control instruction, the required displays become visible via hoist mounted units concealed in the ceiling or cabinets. Careful coordination between Digicom and the client design team has delivered a seamless and intuitive solution for the user each time.

Contact Digicom today for advice on how to integrate the above-mentioned solutions into your current workplace automation plans. Click here or email info@digicomold.local

5 Tips for Running an Efficient Conference Call

Conference calls are a staple of business life, a necessity for organisations of all shapes and sizes. It might even be difficult for you to put a number on the how many conference calls you have participated in during your career. However, how many of those conference calls were run efficiently and were a productive use of the participants’ time? Here are 5 tips on how to do it:

1. Be prepared ahead of time
There is nothing revolutionary here. Being prepared for anything will probably make you more efficient at it, but there are a couple of basics to make sure are covered before call time. Send out an agenda in advance of the call to all participants. This will make sure that the call stays on topic, keeping the length down, but it will also allow people the time to prepare. Hopefully this means that they can bring their best insights and perspectives to the discussion. Send out conference room PINs and bridge numbers well in advance to all participants. The sooner everyone can get into the conference room without unnecessary delay, the sooner you can get down to business. For International participants, make sure you’ve given them a local number to dial into.

2. Keep statements short
As humans, we communicate best in person. Body language is a very powerful communication method. Of course, on audio conference call, we must rely on our voice. You need to tailor how you communicate to the medium you’re using. For voice only conferencing, keep your statements concise and to the point to avoid confusion. Instead of trying to remember what you said 4 sentences ago, or furiously scribbling notes, others can take your point on board and respond appropriately, leading to a better discussion.

3. Punctuality
Again, this is pretty basic, but at some point you have probably felt the pang of uncertainty or frustration that comes from sitting in a conference room by yourself 5 minutes after the scheduled start time. Obviously the quicker the call starts in earnest, the more the group can get through but how often does a person who has been waiting for other participants leave the conference room when the others are late because he or she has plenty of other work on their plate? There are three outcomes to this, either the call is rescheduled, cancelled altogether or there is even more delay getting someone to dial back in when the rest of the group are finally ready. Time is one of the more precious commodities, so if you are going to be late, notify the moderator or other participants. The call moderator should dial in early, to make sure that everything goes smoothly with the rest of the group joining the call.

4. Record the call
If possible, record the call. You’ll need to let everyone know that you are recording and confirm that anyone from another company is OK with this but it’s well worth doing. Nearly everybody takes notes at some stage during a conference call, but if they need to check another detail after the call, the recording will allow them to do so even if they can’t get in touch with another participant. A recording will also let you summarise the what was discussed, allowing you to action our final and most important tip…

5. Share outcomes of the call
Following on from the previous point, this tip works for in person meetings too. Sharing the outcomes of a meeting or call allows the participants to set about the action points assigned to them, or at least remind them to. They don’t have to double back to confirm what they need to do.

Via: www.dubchamber.ie

How to improve your user experience?

What is one of the biggest Challenges in your organisation?

Talent Retention

Your internal client is the most important asset in your organisation. You’ve taken significant time and resources to recruit the right talent. Now that talent wants to work in a positive work space environment with dynamic technology, that works seamlessly.

UIUX.

User Interface User Experience

The technology is only as good as the client’s use & experience of it. Digicom invest in experienced Certified Audio Visual Solution Architects, who consult with the client and design a solution that aims to exceed the user’s expectation

Project Management (PM)

Delivering the UIUX

Once the design is agreed in a written format through a bill of quantities, program of works and scope of works, the Solutions Architect is ready to kick off hand over to Project Management. PM manage the CAD Drawings & schematics with the client design team, through a series of site meetings. PM own installation, commissioning and programming of all the AV inventory, using certified engineers, up to the point of delivery to the client.

Service Support.

Maintaining the UIUX

On completion, PM hand to service support and training is scheduled with the client. Digicom provide ongoing dedicated service support with a help desk to schedule room bookings and dedicated Field Service Engineers. The responsibility for our solution remains with Digicom for the lifetime of that solution.

Three key trends that are changing the way we work and collaborate

The way we work is changing. Collaboration technologies are, in my view, more than just tools to allow us to cater for a mobile workforce, or to lower the costs of travel for our people. They are essential to enabling them to do their jobs effectively and efficiently – to share information and ideas with their colleagues, customers as well as with supplier organisations. Put simply, collaboration technologies make new ways of doing things possible.

With more advanced mobile devices, cloud based systems and the move to a more collaborative workspace environment, employees now have the freedom to work from anywhere. I believe that these trends will only continue to change the way we use our workplaces as well as the look and feel of them.

Understanding the long-term trends that are likely to shape our workplaces and their implications for the way in which we support our people to do their jobs will be a crucial challenge for facilities managers, as well as for senior managers in the HR and IT organisations respectively.

Here are three key trends shaping today’s workplace that I believe will transform how we work now and in the future:

The adaptive workplace

The future of business requires organisations to deliver fully integrated information and collaboration tools to employees. These tools should be designed around the needs of the individual employee and offer them direct empowerment and freedom to choose what is best suited for them. This includes, for example, mixing home and office based activity or making BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) a practical reality for everyone.

Meetings rooms eventually become a thing of the past

The way in which we hold meetings is evolving, partly in response to how new technologies continue to change the way we communicate. Better quality and easier-to-use collaboration solutions are making virtual meetings feel as natural as face-to-face ones, enabling users to have a common experience regardless of their location or device. I expect visual communications to be one of the biggest facilitators in next-generation team collaboration.

Open collaboration connecting to anywhere, from anywhere, at any time

Mobile devices, cloud computing and web conferencing technologies allow employees to collaborate even when they work remotely and in different locations, or while they are on the road. Obtaining and sharing knowledge 24/7 is becoming easier and faster, and this trend is accelerating with the ever increasing adoption of mobile devices in the workplace.

Moreover, the workspace itself is changing significantly. To reduce real-estate space and related expenses, some companies are moving from rows of desks to more open workspaces and offering employees flexible work arrangements. As a result, we are not governed by location anymore to define where and how we work. New technology innovations such as digital whiteboards, cloud-based video conferencing will help to support this transformation.

Via: Ricoh UK