Corporate PR and communications department uses Omnivex software to communicate to employees
Customer overview
Unocal (NYSE: UCL) is one of the world's leading independent natural gas and crude oil exploration and production companies. Unocal combines the global reach, technical resources and financial resources of a major oil company with the agility and aggressiveness of a small independent. With approximately 6,600 employees worldwide, Unocal is a major player in energy markets around the world.
Project scope
The Unocal PR & Communications team determined that the company needed an additional vehicle to communicate to its corporate employees in Sugar Land, Texas, and El Segundo, California, in a timely, reliable and effective manner. Employees needed to be kept abreast of company operations, news and events related to the various business units around the world. Additionally, they needed to be aware of employee benefits and related H.R. information, as well as local news, events and community relations activities.
Unocal wanted a high-tech and eye-catching medium to communicate to employees, as well as to building visitors. The delivery tool also had to be user-friendly and efficient so that the information was always easy to maintain and timely.
Working with CCS Presentation Products in Houston, Unocal made the decision to install 42" plasma screens at three strategic points within the Sugar Land office building. Each plasma screen connects to a PC over the corporate network, so unique messages can be delivered to each location within the building. The initial installation consisted of three displays in Sugar Land and Unocal planned to later add displays in other offices such as El Segundo, with plans to manage the system from a single point.
Omnivex solution
Unocal chose Omnivex Corporation to provide a complete digital signage software solution to solve their needs. "Omnivex helped us identify the components we needed to assemble a comprehensive solution that would be both flexible and expandable," said Len Ogle, Unocal's A/V Tech. "They worked side-by-side with our staff throughout the process."
Unocal manages its content using the Omnivex Display system. The Omnivex Display Director (central content management component) is situated in the Sugar Land office, where all content is assembled and delivered via Unocal's network. Content can be relayed in minutes, whether to one of three Sugar Land screens or to the El Segundo office. In addition to tailored content, live news and weather data is continuously delivered to the plasma screens from Omnivex via Omnivex NewsStand and the DataPipe network. The user simply selects the number of desired headlines to view and clicks on an area of the screen to display them. Once data is selected, it is simply a matter of formatting the appearance of the information. Display Director allows users to view the results of their work in real time, so they know how the displays will look in advance.
Using the Omnivex Control software, Unocal can communicate directly with its hardware and remotely check on every device. "This is a huge advantage when the display is located half way across the country," added Mr. Ogle. All major functions of the plasma display can be monitored and the software automatically responds to any problems. If the plasma display becomes disabled in El Segundo when it should be operating, the software in Sugar Land can detect it and turn it back on.
Unocal has also utilized the Omnivex Display system, in conjunction with plasma screens, at several recent tradeshows. In a pilot project, Unocal used its Omnivex software to remotely update plasma displays on the show floor, sending important corporate messages to potential customers. "It was a very effective and eye-catching way to communicate with show attendees," said Mike Thacher, General Manager of Unocal's PR & Communications department. "Changes or updates to the content made at the Sugar Land office instantly appeared at the show, allowing for real-time communication."
"Corporate communications is becoming an increasingly important part of every business, and leading companies are looking for ways to use digital technologies, in addition to traditional methods, to deliver their messages," said Jeff Collard, President of Omnivex.
Results
With the Omnivex Display system, Unocal can communicate with both employees and customers in a way that is timely, accurate and interesting to the recipient. The combination of the visual display media and the Omnivex software allows Unocal to relay important messages in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
Unocal continues to look for new ways to communicate with its audiences. The original installation in Sugar Land expanded to El Segundo, and will expand to additional Unocal offices over time. "It's an easy and cost-effective way for employees to keep up-to-date on what's happening in our company, our local communities and our global business environment", added Mr. Thacher.
Unocal is committed to open and honest communication with its employees and Omnivex has provided them with tools that can help them achieve this goal.
