Houlihan Lokey has completed a worldwide deployment of Polycom (News - Alert) high definition HDX 9004 telepresence systems between its offices in New York, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Chicago and Minneapolis.

 

According to the firm ­– which provides services that include mergers and acquisitions, valuations and financial advisement – the video systems will allow Houlihan Lokey consultants to communicate with colleagues and clients regardless of geographical barriers.

 

"We chose Polycom because we knew we'd get a standards-based, high-quality HD telepresence solution that's also very cost-effective," said Louis Chen, senior vice president and chief information officer, Houlihan Lokey.

 

The move also allows for real-time communication, reduces the hassles associated with travel for both the firm and its clients, and at the same time, reduces costs, according to Chen.

 

Polycom HDX telepresence systems being deployed by Houlihan Lokey feature the Polycom UltimateHD experience and enables users to see and interact with video, audio and content – all in high definition quality.

 

The Pleasanton, Calif.-based Polycom had a strong presence at ITEXPO (News - Alert) West this week, as Founder and CTO Jeffrey Rodman participated in numerous sessions covering the space such as  “Pushing the Envelope with HD Voice: A State-of-the-Industry Panel Discussion” and another titled “HD Voice and Wideband Codecs.”

 

"We looked at all the major vendors, but most offer a closed, proprietary solution and we needed an open system that would allow us to tie in any video conferencing system we want," said Rodman.

 

Considered one of the largest financial restructuring companies in the world, with continued growth and expansion in mind, Chen expects the firm could significantly benefit by leveraging video in a number of ways including:

 

   
According to Mr. Chen, the advantage of HD is that it enables truly life-like face-to-face interactions.

 

"In our business, it's important to see that body language," said Chen. "Accurately interpreting counterparty's moods or responses are essential to successful negotiations, and so even slight changes in a person's demeanor can tell you a lot. At the end of the day, Polycom's visual communication solutions have made our job easier and our business much more effective," he concluded.