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AT YOUR SERVICE: XaaS S ince the onset of the global pandemic, most companies’ work-at-home environments have missed something: that legitimate feeling of camaraderie and connection that comes with dealing with others on a face-to-face basis. Enter Our Virtual Office. OVO started as an on-demand service for making connections. As early as 2015, one could use the Quick- look website to link up with a service provider and get an estimate over the phone, using mobile video. There were, of course, many implications. Appraisers could use the software to assess property value. Repair techni- cians could diagnose problems. And, unbeknownst even to its creators, employers could soon foster a collab- orative, in-office-like environment for remote workers. That is when COVID-19 hit. “We identified that a lot of people were going to be working from home,” said company president and COO, Grizelle Jimenez. The exec believes that, during that time of at-home quarantine, organizations continu- ally asked the same questions: “How are remote workers going to be managed? How are they going to safely share information and collabo- rate with one another?” One answer is the Our Virtual Office software set. Our Virtual Office provides a remote interface that is presented with an overhead view of an actual, physical office map. Replete with individual workspaces, meeting rooms and break- room, OVO allows its users to share the close-proximity bond of an in-office situation, regardless of their physical geographic location. Included are options for tracking staff member whereabouts and activ- ity by viewing their “office,” as well as inviting them and others in for a meeting or quick chat. “Did you ever want to just be able to talk face-to-face with a person without having to first call or schedule a meeting time and wait? Now you can,” said OVO founder and chairman, Daniel O’Neal. “Our on-demand meeting software recreates the office setting as if everyone is in the same building. Really, the potential is unlimited.” This impact on employer flexibility and employee productivity is tangible. With features such as single-click meetings (think of popping one’s head into another’s cubicle), custom image capture (to view one’s at-desk avail- ability), direct video-connect numbers (for connecting to one-on-one video) and inter-organizational networking (going beyond one’s own co-workers), Our Virtual Office redefines the tradi - tional brick-and-mortar experience. Of note is the latter feature: Virtu- al Network Directory. With this unique function, each employee can import any contact into the interface, wheth- er a co-worker, client or other third party. This option opens the virtual door to meetings in much the same way and has strong implications for customer service. “We’re very excited about Virtual Network Directory,” said O’Neal. “It provides a whole other level of custom- er service.” Plus, the software is secure, as only trusted sources are invited for collabo- ration and data access. “The intense scrutiny we endured to make sure the site is secure is a testament to how important that is for us,” noted Jimenez. “Information can be kept on our server, and that’s fine. We’re encrypted, and both SOX and HIPAA compliant. More importantly, though, the data can also be stored on the company’s server. It’s that level of customization and security that helps Our Virtual Office stand out.” Operations move very fast in today’s business climate, a facet that is often compounded by the limitations of having remote staff. Throw in the inher- ent risks associated with remote collab- oration and information access, and the disparity only grows. In that regard, OVO offers collaboration that is at least as fast as physical, in-person dialogue. OVO is available in both desktop and mobile versions. The company is also negotiating with larger telcos to integrate the software. For those questioning its viability, O’Neal points to his own organization. “We were going to get a new office space,” he noted. “Now, we don’t need it. Our Virtual Office has opened up everything to us. When we deal with clients or one another, it’s instant. And when we hire, it can be worldwide.” o By Brady Hicks Our Virtual Office Redefines the Remote-Work Experience 46 CHANNEL V ISION | July - August 2021

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