Polycom Inc. has long been known for its audio- and videoconferencing products, but it's hoping the newest release of its WebOffice collaboration software will redefine the ease with which employees use conferencing tools. WebOffice 5.0 essentially turns the suite of Polycom tools into an integrated desktop-conferencing portal that lets users see the online presence of those on their conferencing buddy lists, along with their video and audio capabilities.

The release is the result of feedback from customers who said Polycom was missing an opportunity to leverage its tools into a comprehensive conferencing environment. Backed by a piece of hardware called a multipoint gateway control, WebOffice 5.0 recognizes Polycom audio- and videoconferencing products, providing presence awareness of people online equipped with such devices. It also ties into conferencing bridges, making it possible to initiate spontaneous multimedia conferences without scheduling call-in times or videoconferencing sessions.

Specialty chemical supplier W.R. Grace & Co. uses WebOffice 5.0 to cut down on customer site visits and let its IT department provide real-time support to employees. It has begun training customer-support staff to monitor online support "rooms" that will serve as round-the-clock impromptu conferencing spaces for customers who need to interact with support personnel. "Being able to be out there and available to customers is crucial to any business," says Guy Welty, Grace's manager of rich-media networks and collaboration services.

A onetime license for WebOffice 5.0 is priced at $600 per seat and is available in groups of five seats. The multipoint gateway control component runs from $22,000 to $500,000, depending on the scale of the deployment.