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Houlihan Lokey Streamlines Business Processes and Enhances Customer Experience Using Polycom Visual Communications

Global investment firm uses Polycom high definition (HD) video conferencing systems to stay in touch with clients and increase productivity

LOS ANGELES and PLEASANTON, Calif. - Sep 02, 2009 : Houlihan Lokey, an international investment firm with services that include mergers and acquisitions, valuations and financial advisement, recently completed a worldwide deployment of Polycom high definition HDX 9004™ telepresence systems between offices in New York, London, Paris, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis. The video systems allow Houlihan Lokey consultants to stay in touch with colleagues and clients around the world regardless of geographical barriers, which 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.

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

Among the largest financial restructuring companies in the world, Houlihan Lokey was recently ranked by Thomson Reuters as the top merger and acquisition advisor for U.S. transactions under $2 billion. With continued growth and expansion in mind, Mr. Chen recognized the firm could significantly benefit by leveraging video in a number of ways:

  • Real-time, face-to-face communication with clients. The firm can better serve its clients with improved communication and immediate responsiveness using the state-of-the-art video technology.
  • Improved productivity. Eliminating a single employee trip saves hours, even days, in transit, allowing Houlihan Lokey staff to focus on their core competencies and significantly enhancing their work-life balance.
  • Sharpened competitive edge. Video interactions also enable Houlihan Lokey clients to reduce travel costs, enabling the firm to create better interpersonal relationships while differentiating them as an industry leader. When searching for and recruiting new talent, telepresence also enables Houlihan Lokey to reach vast new pools of candidates, without requiring travel.
  • Reduced travel costs. With airfares, hotels, and other expenses costing the firm a significant amount annually, Mr. Chen estimates Polycom telepresence systems will pay for themselves within a year.

All Polycom HDX telepresence systems leveraged by Houlihan Lokey feature the Polycom UltimateHD experience, which enables users to see and interact with video, audio and content – all in high definition quality. 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," he added. "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.

About Houlihan Lokey
Houlihan Lokey, an international investment bank, provides a wide range of advisory services in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, financing, financial restructuring, and valuation. The firm was ranked the No. 1 M&A advisor for U.S. transactions under $2 billion in 2008 and the No. 1 U.S. fairness opinion advisor over the past 10 years by Thomson Reuters. In addition, the firm advised in 11 of the 15 largest corporate bankruptcies and on over 500 restructuring transactions valued in excess of $1.25 trillion in the past 10 years. The firm has over 800 employees in 14 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Each year it serves more than 1,000 clients ranging from closely held companies to Global 500 corporations.

About Polycom
Polycom, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLCM) is the global leader in telepresence, video, and voice solutions and a visionary in communications that empower people to connect and collaborate everywhere. Visit www.polycom.com for more information and follow us on Twitter @AllAboutPolycom.

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Contacts

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