O2 launches professional services arm

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O2 today added another string to its bow in the form of a dedicated professional services team aimed at boosting the value enterprises can derive from mobile technology.

Led by Peter Bullas who currently serves as O2's head of corporate mobilisation and technical specialists, the new arm is comprised of technical consultants, solutions architects, trainers and project managers who will focus on four key areas: Exploring key trends and recommending solutions, proving technology through trials and return on investment (ROI) analysis, deployment and then finally ongoing management.

"Our customers are telling us that we've got the credibility to do it. We have got to a level of engagement with customers where they trust us, where we can take our relationship to the next level," said Ben Dowd, O2's director of business sales.

"Uncertainty in the economy, whether good or bad, always puts pressure on cost. As we move forward in a competitive marketplace, companies are looking for efficiencies within their businesses. We had the [professional services] capability before, now we're just formalising and industrialising it so it's more of a go-to-market approach for us."

The new team will feature employees with accreditation and certification that covers key areas of mobile technology, including Cisco, government information assurance, GroupWise, Lotus, Microsoft, PRINCE 2 project management and SQL.

O2's foray into a more formalised professional services approach, mirrors its work in other areas, where it believes timing is everything, according to Dowd.

"We invest where there is customer demand. It's not about investing in technology that may happen three years from now, it's about understanding the needs of customers and building on those capabilities," he said.

"It's about backing the right horses," Dowd added, referencing O2's intentions to capitalise on the ever-increasing popularity of mobile email in the corporate space. "We've backed RIM, we've backed Microsoft and now we're backing Good Technology. This gives us a balanced portfolio to address customer needs."

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