PepsiCo UK Chooses Polycom Video Communications Solution
Business Editors/High-Tech Writers/Food/Beverage Writers
PLEASANTON, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 16, 2005--
Improved Business Communications Result in Increased Productivity and
Efficiency as Well as Greater Collaboration Between Employees
Polycom(R) Inc. (Nasdaq:PLCM), the world's leading provider of unified collaborative communications solutions, today announced that PepsiCo International UK and Ireland (PepsiCo UK) has deployed Polycom IP video communications to improve productivity, efficiency and collaboration.
PepsiCo UK, which incorporates Walkers Snack Foods, PepsiCo Beverages International, Tropicana and Quaker Foods has employees in production factories across the UK and offices in Switzerland. With the aim to reduce traveling between sites and increase productivity of its senior managers, the company decided to deploy video conferencing and started an evaluation process in 2002 to review various video conferencing manufacturers' systems. Following this evaluation the company chose to standardize on Polycom video conferencing systems which were already installed in the European division of PepsiCo, based in Barcelona, and in the US, thus making Polycom the global standard. By working closely with Polycom channel partner AuDeo, Polycom group video conferencing systems have been installed in the UK at Coventry, Swansea, Lincoln, Peterlee, Theale and two sites at Leicester. Across Europe Polycom video conferencing systems have been installed at locations which include Geneva, Paris, Lisbon and Athens.
Gill Haggarty, personal productivity delivery manager at PepsiCo UK, said, "Polycom systems were chosen as they are easy to use, reliable and, importantly, allow us to hold multipoint calls bringing together different sites via the embedded multipoint capability. The high quality graphics provided by Polycom's VisualConcert(TM) collaboration solution that enables high resolution information sharing directly from a PC or laptop was an additional key deciding factor in the decision-making process. Participants within a video conference can share presentations, sales figures and factory plans. This is resulting in the systems being used daily as an effective business communications tool enabling employees to collaborate regardless of location.
"Driven from the top down, video conferencing is now being used throughout the company for planning meetings, project and progress meetings," said Haggarty. "As we work on cross-site projects video conferencing is now invaluable to us and is significantly reducing the need for senior executives to travel to North America and within Europe. It has also recently been used for some cross-site training sessions allowing training to be rolled out across eight locations in a week. This would have taken four weeks if we had had to visit each site."
PepsiCo UK chose to use one supplier who could provide the facility to conduct test calls and a live evaluation of the different systems available. AuDeo met these requirements and following this evaluation the company chose to deploy Polycom video conferencing systems. All calls are currently being made over ISDN but there are plans to migrate to IP in 2005. "We worked with AuDeo during the evaluation process and they have provided excellent service and support going forward," Haggarty added.
"At the Theale headquarters we calculated that if only 25 percent of the potential travel and executive time were reduced, payback would be within the first six months of use. For the manufacturing sites, if travel and accommodation costs only are used, the payback is three years. However if the savings in 'man days' are added to this, the payback is once again less than six months," concluded Haggarty.
"Building on an existing relationship with PepsiCo UK we worked with the company through the entire evaluation process and, together with Polycom, we have been able to provide the company with a video conferencing solution that meets its current needs and, importantly, one which can be expanded as its business communications requirements grow," said Kevin Wilson, managing director, AuDeo.
"The Polycom video conferencing solution deployed by PepsiCo UK clearly demonstrates how video conferencing can provide an effective business communications tool resulting in greater collaboration between employees, improved productivity and accelerated decision-making," said Tony Heyworth, marketing director EMEA, Polycom.
About PepsiCo International
PepsiCo is a world leader in convenient foods and beverages, with revenues of about $27 billion and over 143,000 employees. The company consists of the snack business of Frito-Lay North America and the beverage and food businesses of PepsiCo Beverages and Foods, which includes PepsiCo Beverages North America (Pepsi-Cola North America and Gatorade/Tropicana North America) and Quaker Foods North America. PepsiCo International includes the snack businesses of Frito-Lay International and beverage businesses of PepsiCo Beverages International. PepsiCo brands are available in nearly 200 countries and territories. Many of PepsiCo's brand names are over 100-years-old, but the corporation is relatively young. PepsiCo was founded in 1965 through the merger of Pepsi-Cola and Frito-Lay. Tropicana was acquired in 1998 and PepsiCo merged with The Quaker Oats Company, including Gatorade, in 2001. PepsiCo International UK & Ireland was formed in January 2004 and brings together Walkers Snack Foods, PepsiCo Beverages International, Tropicana and Quaker Foods within its head office campus at Theale, Berkshire.
About AuDeo
AuDeo is a Polycom Platinum Reseller of high quality video, audio and data conferencing solutions in the UK. Dedicated to the deployment and support of meeting room technology, AuDeo is able to help make conferencing a part of its customers communications strategy delivering cost savings, profit improvements, productivity gains and major competitive advantage whilst at the same time alleviating the stress experienced by the over travelled business employee. The AuDeo(R) logo is a registered trademark of AuDeo Limited. Information on AuDeo can be found at www.audeo.co.uk.
About Polycom
Polycom, Inc. is the world's technology leader of high-quality, easy-to-use video, voice, data and web conferencing and collaboration solutions. The Polycom Office(TM) is our continued commitment to make distance communications as natural and interactive as being there by providing best-in-class conferencing solutions that are interoperable, integrated and intuitive to the user. The Polycom Office is based on industry standards and supported by an open architecture that promotes interoperability in multi-vendor environments and complements leading network infrastructure platforms. For additional information, call 1-800-POLYCOM (765-9266) or +1-408-526-9000, or visit the Polycom web site at www.polycom.com.
Polycom and the Polycom logo are registered trademarks and The Polycom Office and Visual Concert are trademarks of Polycom in the U.S. and various countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. (C)2005, Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
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CONTACT: Polycom, Inc. Kevin Young, 925-924-5706 kyoung@polycom.com or AuDeo Mike Channing mike.channing@audeo.co.uk or PepsiCo UK Gill Haggarty gill.haggarty@walkers.co.uk
KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED KINGDOM INTERNATIONAL EUROPE INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORKING FOODS/BEVERAGES RETAIL MARKETING AGREEMENTS SOURCE: Polycom, Inc.
Copyright Business Wire 2005
