Cisco London 2012

One third of large companies in the UK expect the Games to impact their business operations, according to a leading accountancy firm. The message is clear: organisations need to act fast to ensure they don't miss out on the benefits of the Games. To gain maximum advantage for your organisation, we suggest appointing a dedicated task force. Their brief should include new products scoping, transport and security as well as a specific focus on reviewing whether your network infrastructure is sufficiently robust to deal with the extra opportunities the Games will generate.

According to LOCOG, an estimated 800,000 people are expected to use public transport to travel to the Games on the busiest day. This additional strain on transport could have calamitous effects on your staff trying to reach the office during peak hours. Through giving your employees access to audio and web conferencing they will have the freedom and flexibility to collaborate virtually even when working remotely. Cisco has combined with BT, the official Communication Services Partner for London 2012, to deliver their market leading conferencing solutions. Cisco's intuitive WebEx web conferencing, combined with BT's ultra reliable MeetMe audio conferencing are the ideal way for your employees to "meet online" and avoid the inevitable congestion that will be caused by the huge influx of visitors during the Games.

With extra pressure on transport networks during the Games, meeting delivery commitments will become a key business challenge. UPS, the Official Logistics and Express Delivery Supporter of London 2012 has dedicated more than 850,000ft² of warehouse space to the Olympic operation, along with more than 1000 employees and a fleet of 120 vehicles with access to London 2012 venues. UPS will also be offering a final mile delivery solution into the Olympic Park. These logistics resources and expertise are crucial to the Games and its suppliers. They will ensure that each and every item is in the right place at the right time. Learn more here.

Does your network infrastructure allow you the flexibility to communicate with suppliers during the Games? With Cisco borderless networks, you can connect to suppliers anytime, anywhere and on any device.

Consider the potential for the London Olympic Games to create an increase in demand for your products. Look ahead to the new markets that might emerge, and explore how best to reach them and tap into their revenue opportunities. Organisations must also be ready to respond particularly to meet the needs of a flood of visitors whose first or even second language is not English. Research can help you to understand the needs of international consumers and how you might translate this knowledge into sales. To find out what opportunities lie ahead, contact Doulla Croft at Nielsen, the Official Market Research Services provider to the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The Games are likely to trigger a spike in activity from hackers, botnets, spam, phishing and trojan viruses. Now is the time to check whether your network based firewalls are sufficiently robust and up-to-date to cope with current and emerging threats.

Cisco can help your business by embedding network based security hardware within your network infrastructure.

By taking action now, you can defend more effectively against cyber attack in the weeks and months ahead.

Don´t forget about physical security during the Games. You should continue to remain highly vigilant, review and rehearse your security procedures regularly. G4S Secure Solutions, the Official Security Services Provider for the London 2012 Games can help you ensure that your security needs are met and you have appropriate security resource aimed at your people and property. From secure travel, manned guarding, VIP protection, secure logistics, crowd management and search and screening, it is vital to act now with your security provider to secure the resource that you need.

Decide now if you will have a sufficient network infrastructure to maintain critical business applications as well as any surge in traffic that could be generated by the Games. Don't forget to allow for additional demand on resources due to staff watching events over the internet.

Cisco network infrastructure could give you the peace of mind you need. We can offer the capacity, stability and reliability of a mission critical network infrastructure with sufficient flexibility to cope with increased traffic generated by the Games.

Incorporating a remote working culture within your organisation can be your most effective asset in ensuring business continuity. With the right tools, your people can work on whatever they need to, wherever they are.

Cisco Show and Share is one of those tools. This webcasting and video sharing application helps your business create highly secure video communities to share ideas.

This application can optimise global collaboration through simple creation of videos, and personalise connections between customers and employees.

27% of employees took leave during the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 while during the Vancouver 2010 Games 28% of organisations experienced higher levels of absenteeism than normal (BT, Vancouver Research, 2010). Based on these learnings, organisations must ensure they have appropriate support measures in place to deal with absenteeism during the London 2012 Games.

Adecco, the Official Recruitment Services Provider for London 2012 can assist with securing temporary employees for the duration of the Games through their www.jobsforthegames.co.uk service. As well as ensuring adequate resources to cope with demand, it will also afford your employees the flexibility to take time off and attend events. However, Adecco is warning that demand for temporary workers will be high and employers will need to draw up plans and source temporary workers well in advance of Games time.

Start preparations for the London 2012 Olympic Games as early as possible. The run-up to the event will see demand for resources rise, pushing up costs. And remember to keep the momentum going- before, during and after the Games - so that your business emerges as a winner. Two thirds of organisations prospered during the Vancouver Olympics and there is a strong correlation between organisations that see the most benefit and those that have spent time and effort in preparing beforehand (BT, Vancouver Research, 2010).