Communications infrastructure can be very costly, yet for most business the expense is mandatory. Doing business today without phones, cell phones, computers, internet connectivity and various computer applications would be challenging.
Pressure from the executive suite is all-consuming for professionally run businesses. Each expediture a company has must be justifi ed – and communications infrastructure is no different. Thankfully, good communications infrastructure design can be very helpful to a company’s bottom line.
Obvious examples of communications infrastructure playing a role in saving a company on the expense side of the ledger include increased use of video conferencing and video telepresence as a way of offsetting costly travel expenses. Those responsible for company’s green initiatives, often under a structured LEED program, can point to reduced cabling infrastructure required by using a single fibre optic network to carry all communications requirements as opposed to separate systems for voice, data, and security. VoIP telephony is feature-rich, can allow virtual office presence from a residential location and reduce long distance calls for companies with worldwide operations.
Efficient data centre design can reduce utility costs to power machinery and the vital cooling equipment.
Aside from the hardware side of a communications system, there are also a variety of personnel considerations. Its been suggested that the cost of labour to interface with technology is at least equivalent to the cost of the infrastructure itself. Anything that can be done to mitigate labour costs, promote human safety and ensure quality of life is also measurable and enhances the bottom line.
In a security applications for example, IP enabled systems require minimal labour to monitor all areas of a building and can remove security personnel from harm’s way. SCADA operations in industrial settings can remove supervisory personnel from hazardous areas as found in a variety of manufacturing settings.
In many cases the primary intent of technology is not the replacement of the human element but to enhance the quality of operations, ensure personal safety or allow a better quality of working life for the line worker.
For a discussion on how your communications infrastructure investment can be a positive source of revenue and expense reduction for your company, a Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) is the professional of choice. The RCDD designation is your assurance that the communications infrastructure for your business is well-designed, specified for maximum performance and installed professionally according to manufacturer’s best practices and will have a positive impact on the bottom line.
