Organizational Factors | Wireless PBXs

A tendency among many companies is that they change frequently in both structure and function. In fact, continuous change is looked upon as good because it keeps the organization in step with changing customer needs and market directions. Wireless PBX communications systems can go a long way in support of such dynamic work environments.

Other companies are reluctant to experiment with more flexible organizational structures because of the perceived lack of communication that might result. With too many people away from their desks, chaos would surely reign. Wireless technology can break down this resistance to change by ensuring access to all people and all information, regardless of their in-building location.

With regard to work processes and organizational structure, the types of situations that lend themselves to the adoption of wireless PBX technology are those:

§  Where the business function is fluid and workers are mobile much of the time.

§  Where mobility presently inhibits the quality and timeliness of responses or transaction completion, which often results in missed opportunities, deadlines, or objectives.

§  Where the time spent in setting up temporary network connections or the delay in returning missed calls can be dramatically reduced.

§  Where organizational structure is flat rather than hierarchical and, as a consequence, more workers have decision-making authority, flexible work schedules, and job autonomy.

There is also a psychological impact to consider. In today's downsized work environment, where fewer employees are expected to do more, stress levels have never been higher. Employees are most likely to experience frustration and stress when they cannot reach someone they are trying to contact, especially when the people they need to talk with affects their ability to get the job done. A wireless PBX can greatly improve the availability of employees and result in a less stressful and more productive workplace.

More than productivity is at stake. Business can be lost as well. If customers cannot reach their contacts within the organization in a timely manner, they may look elsewhere to fulfill their needs. With customer response becoming a key differentiator in the service sector of the economy, a wireless PBX can play a key role in cementing customer loyalty.

Despite the apparent advantages promised by intra-company mobile communications, it is important to understand that the use of unlicensed spectrum for wireless PBXs does not guarantee the same reliability and availability as wireline systems. Currently, unlicensed devices must accept any interference received, potentially impairing their use. For this reason, some vendors of wireless equipment are asking the FCC for a new class of unlicensed service that would have protection against harmful interference. This class would retain the cost advantages and deployment simplicity of the current applications and, in addition, have protection against harmful interference from services in other bands, and services sharing the same band. Unlicensed operation in exclusive-use frequency allocations, as well as those designated primary in a band, would be eligible for this class. At this writing, the FCC is still considering whether a new unlicensed class of service in the 1920-MHz PCS band is warranted.