Technological marvels like note-books, internet, electrical mail, mobiles, pagers and moderns have further expedited the revolution in office-work and management. The way we work and communicate in the office would never be the same anymore. The transformation is already there in corporate and non-corporate offices.
Computers with their multi/functional capabilities have rendered typewriters and files absolutely redundant and obsolete. The technological up gradation has solved many of her problems. Computers with their storing, filing, copying and retrieving capacity were the first steps towards real office automation.
In this age of information technology things are changing at a ve y fast speed. The use of good old telephone and fax machines notwithstanding, electronic mail, audio and video conferencing, voice mail etc. are gradually replacing them and becoming the preferred way of inter-action and communication in the offices. Electronic mail (E-mail) is a process of sending, receiving, storing and forwarding textual messages in digital form through telecommunication channels. Pictorial matter can be tele transmitted through fax or facsimiles E-mail is becoming increasingly popular also because of cost effectiveness.
A text can be tele transmitted through E-mail at the cost of local telephone call. Now the emphasis is on fast and accurate performance than on performance only. This is the age of the best and the fittest. Only the most competent will survive and the rest would get eliminated. Therefore, one needs to be in the revolution to avoid being left out of the group of the fittest. Now you have to be very alert on your toes in the matter. These technological advancements have totally changed the meaning and concept of an office. Now, an office is not confined to a particular place.
It is there at the specific place and building but it is also there with you while you are on the wheels, in an aeroplane or in transit. It has added new dimensions to working office hours, you can work as many hours as you desire and have capacity to do without being in an office. That is why now we talk of “ mobile office” and “ home office” Take, for example, the video-conferencing. It enables you to arrange a meeting ‘ with your business associates across the world through a monitor and a sound system. There are many types of computers to choose from to suit your requirements and pocket.
Computers are valuable tools for productivity, communication, education, entertainment etc. They are being used very purposefully and effectively as e complete communication centre or a home theatre to watch and listen favourite movies and albums with superb picture and sound quality . Computers with fax moderns allow the use access to any file in the office server and working on it.
In the fast changing office scenario, one cannot do without these marvels of technology. Take, for example, the internet. It has the advantages of the World Wide Web (WWW), a very useful tool of any office. You can have any type of information at your convenience through internet. Moreover, you can advertise and market your products and services across the globe at a very low cost through internet . Similarly; the use of pagers is very costeffective and so popular. As 70 per cent or more communications are one way, there is nothing like papers. The use of a pager as a complement to cellular phone is highly advisable.
Cellular allophones were introduced in India in 1995. lt is a system t hat helps you to move around while conversing over a large service area, say a few cities or even a country A cell phone user can make or receive calls t or from other cellular phones, or to ordinary stationary telephones through the local telephone exchange and the public telephone net work. Another system which is very useful is a multimedia notebook. There are numb of models to suit your needs . One model allows you to connect with an analogue phone, while the other with integrated infrared communication capacity leis you transfer files without cables. Things are changing fast and on a vast scale and cannot be overlooked. In metros like Mumbai, Calcutta, Delhi etc. the distances between residences and offices and between offices and other working places are too wide.
Then- there are traffic problems. In all these circumstances, office automation is a must and the sooner it is done the better. Office automation is also valuable in terms of working out of offices at homes and doing extra office- work away from the office. The concept of “ mobile office” and ‘ home office” is gaining ground and more and more corporate and non- corporate sectors are adopting it.
