With 29,000 employees across the group servicing 45.8 million fixed and mobile customers across Europe, O2 combines sophisticated voice and data products that help people get more out of their lives. SMART’s collaboration technology provides O2 with much the same benefit, translating into more time, less travel and reduced costs. Uniting disparate teams and enabling them to collaborate effectively regardless of location, SMART’s technology wholly supports O2’s ethos that “we’re better, connected.”

1. SMART Story
SMART’s collaboration solutions enable 02
to work better, connected.
The challenge The solution
O2’s business case is built around O2 decided to investigate interactive
realising efficiencies, improving time technologies The decision was
to market and reducing costs for the taken to trial SMART Technologies’
business. The company has multiple collaboration solutions and five
offices throughout the UK and SMART Board™ interactive
headquarters in Slough where it also whiteboards were installed across
has two other offices. With frequent the Leeds and Slough sites. The
travel between the Slough and Leeds SMART Boards network using
locations, the company realised the Bridgit™ conferencing software,
setup had to change. allowing people in any location to
join a data conference, use touch
“We decided to amalgamate the screen commands, write in digital ink
three Slough offices into one location over any application, generate and
“We can set up a conference accommodating 2,200 people,” integrate data, share desktops and
in less than three minutes and explains Alan Parkin, programme write and save notes immediately.
SMART’s collaboration technology manager, infrastructure design and
fits perfectly with our mantras delivery. “We recognised that uniting “We can set up a conference in less
of “walk up and use” and “three disparate teams and improving inter- than three minutes and SMART’s
touches and go. It really is that departmental collaboration was collaboration technology fits perfectly
simple.” central to delivering an outstanding with our mantras of “walk up and
customer experience. And the use” and “three touches and go,”
Alan Parkin, programme manager, infrastructure to support this would says Alan. “It really is that simple.”
infrastructure design and delivery, O2 be critical to success.”
The pilot was so successful that
With 29,000 employees across Previously, all meeting rooms almost all of the 47 meeting rooms
the group servicing 45.8 million contained a conference phone and in the new Slough office will have a
fixed and mobile customers across flip chart, but projectors had to be SMART Board and the boardroom
Europe, O2 combines sophisticated booked through reception and a will have two SMART Podiums
voice and data products that help great deal of time was wasted simply (formerly the Sympodium interactive
people get more out of their lives. ‘setting up’. With only 47 meeting pen display). Every floor will also
SMART’s collaboration technology rooms - half the number previously have one or more SMART Boards
provides O2 with much the same available - the new Slough site in ‘Our Space’ areas for impromptu
benefit, translating into more time, demanded a more productive and meetings. Road shows are planned
less travel and reduced costs. Uniting collaborative working environment. to demonstrate the capabilities of the
disparate teams and enabling them A smooth and timely transition technology and designated “shapers”
to collaborate effectively regardless of between meetings would be essential from each directorate will cascade
location, SMART’s technology wholly to ensure that the new office has the output from monthly meetings.
supports O2’s ethos that “we’re meeting room capacity to support Supported by user-guide booklets, a
better, connected.” operational needs. self-help intranet portal has also been
developed to help users get the most
from the new technology.

2. also enabling the team to complete
the project three months ahead of
schedule.
The future
“The impact of SMART’s collaboration
technology has been so significant
that we plan to install SMART Boards
in our Leeds, Bury, Preston Brook
and Glasgow call centres, as well
as rolling it out to offices across the
UK,” concludes Alan. “Our training
department also recognises the
potential to train staff using the
SMART Boards, reducing travel and
costs whilst improving productivity.
I have no doubt that embracing
SMART’s technology to drive change
in our meeting and training culture
will prove transformational for the O2
business.”
“The reduction in travel, time
and associated costs is quite
staggering. The senior team has
gained a day a month in time and,
The results as no one has to travel, the overall
productivity of the team is greatly
It has been estimated that if 25% of “The reduction in travel, time and enhanced. It’s a win-win situation
O2 staff used SMART solutions to associated costs is quite staggering,” for everyone.”
conduct meetings, the company could says Alan. “The senior team has
save up to £15,000 a week. The gained a day a month in time and, Alan Parkin, programme manager,
savings would be realised through as no one has to travel, the overall infrastructure design and delivery, O2
reduced travel between their Leeds productivity of the team is greatly
and Slough offices. enhanced. It’s a win-win situation for
everyone.”
Alan’s own infrastructure design
and delivery team of more than 30 Location is no longer a barrier to
people use the SMART technology to collaboration and a similar pattern is
generate significant efficiencies from being adopted by teams across the
their monthly meetings. Previously, O2 business. For three weeks, one
the meeting had to take place on two project team of eight people had
separate days - one in the North and been trying to meet to approve a
one in the South - with presenters design spec but diaries simply would Steljes Ltd
travelling to both meetings and team not coordinate. Using the SMART exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for
members to their respective areas. solutions to collaborate between SMART Technologies
This meeting is now conducted on Leeds and Slough, the work was info@steljes.co.uk
one day, involving the entire team completed within half an hour, not 08450 724 800
simultaneously via the SMART Board. only saving time and money but www.steljes.co.uk/solutions/corporate
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