Virtual Reality
19 January 2010
Last month I may have slightly understated the potential affect the weather was due to have on our country and for that I apologise.
However, it presented me with something of a challenge with regard to home-working (bit of a hot topic). As the second wave of snow hit the south-east and after hearing of four-hour journeys here and abandoned cars there, I decided that enough was enough and I was going to make my own finance team virtual. ‘Go home’ I exclaimed (after some training on the benefits and functionality of unified communications). Within the hour we were online with one another and working away as if nothing had happened.
Business continuity is often discussed and planned for but rarely tested within SME’s. For us there are various plans to deal with various scenarios but few events that actually put these plans to the test. Sometimes, Mother Nature can step in to give us a shove.
At last we had a chance to test, not just the operational and sales teams, but the finance team as well. The result…a resounding success. Home pc’s were being used to access finance systems and our Alcatel My Teamwork application was used to full effect for instant messaging, collaboration and as a bridge to allow home workers to use their personal mobile or home phone for business calls without them incurring any costs at all.
There was a downside, and I am sure that all FD’s out there will sympathise. When my credit controllers called companies using the tools at their disposal, there were few people taking the calls. Many were snowed in unable to get to work with no access to the same technology! C'est la vie.
Head of Finance
Matthew Skelton
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