To tell you the truth, I’m quite excited to be blogging about this now. It is only several days to go till our live webcast about IT service excellence! I’m filled to the brim with anticipation because this is a topic that I’m really passionate about.
This webcast is to share a couple of cool ideas regarding a practical approach to IT service excellence. Since we live in a technologically adept world, more and more organizations are increasingly reliant on advanced and efficient computer systems.
Hence, it is no longer uncommon for companies to be highly dependent on their IT departments because their services are part of the backbone of today’s businesses. That explains the ever-increasing need to deliver high quality IT services because failing to do so would have harmful effects on your brand and on the success of your organization.
So, what exactly is IT Service excellence?
In simple terms, it is the foundation and the start of the journey to achieving business and IT alignment. It is about getting the fundamentals right and it is the continuum that leads to innovation, where IT becomes a strategic partner to your business.
Being part of a company like Datacraft, I have spoken to many IT leaders, to better understand the importance of adhering to technology standards and policies. We conduct extensive research for clients to gauge their network readiness to support IT, changing needs and increased business value that IT brings to the organization as it matures.
Can we then translate IT benefits into real and measurable business payback?
Frankly, it is something that is better said than done, because ROI models are usually developed based on immeasurable and uncollected data. However, if an organisation’s IT Service Excellence blueprint addresses adequately the essential steps coupled with a clear understanding of its business metrics; it is on the right track to success.
I would therefore like to invite you to join our live webcast on Thursday, 2 September 2010 (Singapore/Malaysia: 1330 hrs, New Delhi: 1100 hrs, UTC: 0530 hrs). Please register here to attend.
Through the webcast, you can learn more about several key steps that will help you achieve a pragmatic approach to IT service excellence. I’m very much excited about the prospect of sharing insights on this, and I do hope that you can join us in the webcast.
Catch you later!
Adapted from an interview with Nagi Kasinadhuni (General Manager, Converged Communications and Customer Interactive Solutions, Datacraft Asia Pte Ltd) that originally appeared in E-Gov Asia.
Telemedicine requires the utmost performance since the information that is being exchanged can literally spell the difference between life and death. It is therefore imperative that we uplift our standards for collaboration, efficiency, etc. And video conferencing is a very useful tool which can provide us with appropriate solutions. As technology advances, the number of ways and the manner upon which we utilise this tool will only grow and get better. Apart from the obvious use of in-house conferencing requirements, video conferencing provides access to subject matter experts (SMEs) for a gamut of things like specialist consultation, training, etc. But its impact can be more far reaching than that.
Where Video Conferencing Matters
Environment: Where patients may have mobility limitations (i.e., geriatrics, inmates, patients with infectious diseases, etc.).
Geography: Overcoming geographic constraints, enabling equal access to healthcare services; especially in developing countries where the ability to provide sufficient and real time assistance to remote areas with limited infrastructure would make the most impact.
Care and Collaboration: Video helps connect with suppliers and doctors, patients undergoing post operative care conducting reviews with their surgeon, connecting with remote locations to seek second opinions, facilitating conferences around specific subjects, bringing students and doctors together for live sessions and playback, etc.
Key Concerns
Cost: Less of an issue because the entry of new players and better adherence to global standards has driven down costs significantly for the end user. Vendors address cost issues via two key initiatives:
1. By offering a larger product portfolio that can provide “fit for purpose” options.
2. Utilising creative commercial models either directly or through channel partners.
Complexity: Though plug-and-play capabilities have evolved, there is still some degree of complexity involved. This is especially true for applications used in industries like healthcare where more sophisticated answers are required. But solutions like Telepresence offer the end user the ability to initiate a call (which is a complex task when deconstructed) with nothing more than a click of a button thus insulating them from the complexities involved.
Privacy and Security: Are there still concerns today as they were back then, and are as much a matter of policy as it is about technology? The guidelines provided by industry regulations or a company’s own internal policies should always be adhered to in order to ensure that privacy and security challenges can be overcome.
Key points to consider regarding solutions for a hospital environment
Openness of the platform: To connect easily to other video systems in partner organisations. And to avoid getting locked in to expensive maintenance contracts.
Quality and Reliability: Always important since some applications require high quality video streams.
Interface to existing IT infrastructure or incorporating other kinds of equipment may also be something that many users would look for, e.g., handheld video devices that enable doctors to view an injury up close, a mobile video unit that can be taken to a remote locations, etc.
Complementary Technology: Diagnostic devices, for example, should also be considered since their integration into the video feed would provide a more holistic application and experience.
As healthcare organizations continue to embrace IP-based converged networks, we can benefit from having video conferencing systems by using them to elevate our existing standards of collaboration and efficiency. This will ultimately lead to better quality of life – something which we are all essentially striving for.
