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Yippee for IPPI® Interface turns your Cisco VoIP telephone into a workplace management tool |
Had your alphabet soup today? Here are two acronyms for you: VoIP and IPPI.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a technology that allows you to make telephone calls using a broadband Internet connection instead of a regular (or analog) phone line.
IPPI (AgilQuest’s Internet Protocol Phone Interface) is the interface that integrates the AgilQuest OnBoard Workplace Management System with VoIP provided by Cisco CallManager.
IPPI turns a Cisco telephone managed with CallManager into a user interface device that accesses and operates OnBoard with many of the functions found on the web interface and the kiosk interface. IPPI can be used not only to manage day-to-day use of shared office space, but can be a strategic part of measuring the utilization of ALL workspaces, shared and assigned.
IPPI in Day to Day operations
AgilQuest’s IPPI transforms the Cisco VoIP telephone into an on-demand, workplace management solution.
For example, if a person sees an empty desk they can press the “services” button on the phone to see if the workspace is available or has been reserved by another person. The status of the workspace is displayed instantly.
If available, the person can reserve the workspace and check in. Optionally, their telephone extension can be routed to that workspace automatically. (We say “optionally” because the workspace could be a conference room, where you might not want your extension to be routed.)
The IPPI interface has these four main functions –
- Check room availability – a simple press of the “Service” button on the telephone will instantly tell you the room availability.
- Make a reservation – if the room is available you can reserve it from the present time until the next reserved time, the rest of the day, or a time of your choosing.
- Check in to a reservation – If you already have a reservation for the room you can check in to the workspace and your personal telephone extension will be routed to that workspace.
- Check out of a reservation – When its time to leave you simply check out and your telephone reverts back to an unattended mode.
IPPI can also be the key to measuring workspace utilization for all workspaces. When people arrive at their workspace they normally activate their telephone and check their voicemail. This simple act can be a signal to OnBoard that the person is physically present and using their workspace. Over time OnBoard can provide accurate statistics showing the percent use of every workspace in the facility. This is invaluable information for space planners and real estate executives.
