Carbon Planet
iChat for Better Communications
In only a short period of time, the business growth of Carbon Planet has been nothing short of phenomenal, with its global base of customers increasing daily. But the growth of any business, especially one operating on a global basis, brings significant challenges, particularly in the area of communications.
"It used to be the case that a business operating globally meant endless flights and overseas meetings," Sag explains. "In our business this has totally changed; and for us, the change is driven largely by iChat. Everyone in the company has iChat running at all times, whether they're working from home or in the office."
The result of enforcing an iChat policy within Carbon Planet has dramatically improved communications and provided massive cost savings. While Sag is constantly on the move between various Carbon Planet interstate offices and overseas events, the immediacy of video conferencing via iChat is estimated to be saving the company many thousands of dollars a year.
"People are now comfortable with the concept of video conferencing," Sag explains. "And where such systems used to cost tens of thousands of dollars, it's now a standard component - even the camera - with the MacBook and Mac OS X operating system. Instead of hopping on a plane to deal with customers or staff, we simply hop on to iChat."
Proof of Carbon Planet's reliance on iChat was shown starkly to the company's marketing manager, Vivienne Holloway, when she was interviewed by Sag prior to being appointed. "I was expecting to have a personal face-to-face meeting with Dave," she says, "but it ended up being an iChat face-to-face meeting.
"It was a bit weird, given that I'd never used any form of video-conferencing before, but it gave me a good indication as to the culture of the company," Holloway says. "Now, I'm probably one of the main iChat users in the company. Instead of chasing someone down in person or trying to get them on the phone, everyone in the company simply makes contact via iChat."
Adding even further to the Apple Mac's best fit within the Carbon Planet business model is the environmental factor. Holloway explains: "One of our researchers conducted a series of tests on the energy efficiency of various desktop computers. The results demonstrated quite plainly that the Macs are more energy efficient and therefore more environmentally friendly - and that's important for any business."
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