Cisco Cisco WebEx Meeting Center WBS29.13 Information Guide
2 © 2014 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. This document is Cisco Public Information.
— Elizabeth Harper
Chief Information Officer
GHD Pty Ltd
of devices. Jabber users can access instant messaging, voice, video, voice messaging,
desktop sharing, and conferencing. GHD also deployed Cisco WebEx® Meeting Center
as a cloud-based web conferencing solution, with high-definition video, integrated audio,
and real-time content sharing across its global offices. This capability is available to all GHD
employees. Users can launch WebEx directly from Jabber or Outlook and easily escalate a
conversation into a web conference that combines file and presentation sharing with voice
and video.
desktop sharing, and conferencing. GHD also deployed Cisco WebEx® Meeting Center
as a cloud-based web conferencing solution, with high-definition video, integrated audio,
and real-time content sharing across its global offices. This capability is available to all GHD
employees. Users can launch WebEx directly from Jabber or Outlook and easily escalate a
conversation into a web conference that combines file and presentation sharing with voice
and video.
The Cisco solutions are easy for GHD employees to use because of their intuitive layout
and integration with common office productivity applications. Users can start or join an
online meeting with one click from their email application, IM client, or web browser.
and integration with common office productivity applications. Users can start or join an
online meeting with one click from their email application, IM client, or web browser.
“I have 19 direct reports and only 4 of those people work here in Sydney,” says Richard
Fechner, global technical leader for energy and resources at GHD. “The ability to share
screens and documents and collaborate with voice and video has helped us build the same
kind of personal rapport we would have if they were local.”
Fechner, global technical leader for energy and resources at GHD. “The ability to share
screens and documents and collaborate with voice and video has helped us build the same
kind of personal rapport we would have if they were local.”
Bringing Conversations to Life
For several years, GHD has used Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco Unified
IP Phones to deliver enterprise-class IP communications. “We chose Cisco collaboration
and communications solutions because of the depth and breadth of capabilities, as well
as the integration that they offer,” says Harper. “We didn’t have to combine products from
different vendors to get the functionality we required.”
For several years, GHD has used Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Cisco Unified
IP Phones to deliver enterprise-class IP communications. “We chose Cisco collaboration
and communications solutions because of the depth and breadth of capabilities, as well
as the integration that they offer,” says Harper. “We didn’t have to combine products from
different vendors to get the functionality we required.”
The combination of Cisco Unified Communications Manager and Jabber allows employees
to determine if and how colleagues are available and collaborate instantly using a variety of
methods. Users simply click to begin an IM session, initiate a smartphone call, or easily start
a videoconferencing call. “We’ve found that people react much more freely with video,”
says Harper. “You can judge reactions better than on a voice call; it’s easier to tell if people
are engaged. Many of our internal calls are now video calls.”
to determine if and how colleagues are available and collaborate instantly using a variety of
methods. Users simply click to begin an IM session, initiate a smartphone call, or easily start
a videoconferencing call. “We’ve found that people react much more freely with video,”
says Harper. “You can judge reactions better than on a voice call; it’s easier to tell if people
are engaged. Many of our internal calls are now video calls.”
GHD also uses Cisco routers and switches for its network infrastructure, benefiting from an
intelligent Cisco Medianet™ architecture that can cost-effectively scale to support video
while offering features such as auto-configuration and media monitoring. GHD contracts
with Cisco SMARTnet™ Service to resolve network issues faster with expert technical
support, flexible hardware coverage, and access to Cisco engineers. “We’ve standardized
on Cisco in our data centers, and it’s been an excellent transition for us,” says Harper.
intelligent Cisco Medianet™ architecture that can cost-effectively scale to support video
while offering features such as auto-configuration and media monitoring. GHD contracts
with Cisco SMARTnet™ Service to resolve network issues faster with expert technical
support, flexible hardware coverage, and access to Cisco engineers. “We’ve standardized
on Cisco in our data centers, and it’s been an excellent transition for us,” says Harper.
Results
By providing a common user experience across devices, GHD was able to get its employees
up and running quickly with Cisco collaboration solutions, without extensive training or
support. Teams around the world stay in touch by actively using Jabber, and a lot of
meetings are now conducted via WebEx. “The softphone capability in Jabber has been
a wonderful improvement for our traveling executives and managers,” says Harper.
“We’ve reduced telephony costs while allowing them to still engage professionally from
wherever they happen to be.”
up and running quickly with Cisco collaboration solutions, without extensive training or
support. Teams around the world stay in touch by actively using Jabber, and a lot of
meetings are now conducted via WebEx. “The softphone capability in Jabber has been
a wonderful improvement for our traveling executives and managers,” says Harper.
“We’ve reduced telephony costs while allowing them to still engage professionally from
wherever they happen to be.”
Although GHD already had a culture of collaboration in place with One GHD, using Cisco
communication tools has given the company new opportunities for increased knowledge
sharing. The business impact has been increased innovation and the ability to better
leverage skill sets across different geographies for reduced time to market. “Our people
are our competitive advantage. Using Cisco collaboration tools we can marshal the full
communication tools has given the company new opportunities for increased knowledge
sharing. The business impact has been increased innovation and the ability to better
leverage skill sets across different geographies for reduced time to market. “Our people
are our competitive advantage. Using Cisco collaboration tools we can marshal the full