IM isn't just chat. Especially if you have OCS installed. There are tons of things that can be dispensed with a quick 2-3 line IM session that would require waiting and delays for other things. With IM you can see if a user if actually present and can be contacted now. It's faster then email for yes/no questions and is less disruptive then a phone call. If I see a user status as 'Busy' then I don't bug them, but if they are listed as 'Available' then I can ping them on quick short questions.
During phone conferences having the ability to contact people not on the line, (outage, check with engineers working the issue) to then relay information to the call is invaluable. Our help desk uses it. Our help desk is scattered over 4 physical locations and if there is a major issue, then they can't call the other locations because everyone is on the phone. Late night troubleshooting sessions from home that don't need a call means my boss isn't calling for status, he just checks me on IM. My wife and kids do not get woken up. It is often easier to arrange lunch, etc through IM rather then email. In a tightly controlled messaging environment it means less clutter in the archives. Once people actually start using IM for business reasons it's seriously addictive and helps substantially but it's one of those 'you have to experience it to understand it' type of things. Out of all the enabled IM accounts we have 3/4 signed on during business hours which is a huge buy in for us. We do not mandate people use it, merely make it available as a service. Steven Peck On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 10:39 AM, Murray Freeman <mfree...@alanet.org> wrote: > Well, as long as we're discussing IM, we don't allow it currently. But, I > have trouble understanding how IM is better than either email or a meeting, > or using a telephone to accomplish the very same thing as an IM. Can someone > explain that to me. Oh, we've recently adopted social networking for our > organization, but primarily for our membership. I'm having trouble > understanding how social networking will help our members too! > > > *Murray* > > > ------------------------------ > *From:* Steve Ens [mailto:stevey...@gmail.com] > *Sent:* Tuesday, May 04, 2010 11:42 AM > > *To:* NT System Admin Issues > *Subject:* Re: Internet Policies > > It all depends if there is a business or productivity reason for it. We > use IM in some of the departments for meetings, quick conversations, etc. > But if it is used for wasting time, I would not allow it. > > On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 11:38 AM, John Aldrich < > jaldr...@blueridgecarpet.com> wrote: > >> What restrictions, if any, do your organizations place on things like IM >> or social networking sites? I sent out a warning to the office personnel >> this morning regarding the new “IM Virus” and got an email back from the CEO >> basically stating “shouldn’t that be a violation of company policy anyway?” >> and I had to tell him, I knew of no policies regarding that; and that in >> fact, my former supervisor was fully aware of at least one person (who’s >> child is overseas in the military) who used IM on a semi-regular basis. >> >> For this reason, I’m working on coming up with a company policy. I’ve >> looked at the sample template from SANS as well as another one that someone >> sent me off-list. I’m planning on incorporating the best of everything I >> get, so if anyone has any suggested language regarding IM or social >> networking, please let me have it. J >> >> >> >> [image: John-Aldrich][image: Tile-Tools] >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > > > > > > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
<<image002.jpg>>
<<image001.jpg>>
