2006
World first: PA Consulting Group the first major consultancy to open for business in the virtual 3D world 'Second Life'
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24 October 2006
PA joins leading retail and higher education brands in new communications medium
The global management, systems and technology consulting company PA Consulting Group (PA) opens its 'virtual' office in the three-dimensional world called 'Second Life' today.
Second Life was launched in 2003, and is rapidly evolving into an interactive environment where world-leading companies can engage informally with customers and job-hunters inside simulations of their real-world shops and offices.
Claus Nehmzow, who leads PA's applications of virtual worlds, says:
"A virtual world such as Second Life has many valuable and real applications for us and our clients. For PA it is a new way of getting closer to existing and potential clients, demonstrating and discussing business issues in real time. It's also an innovative and interactive marketing presence, a recruiting tool and in due course a way to interact with our alumni.
"Second Life also has the potential to be a serious business tool for many of our clients in various industries. It is important for a consulting company to have a view on how to apply technology such as this to businesses. We can now work with clients to build 3D 'immersive' environments that can be used to collect customer feedback, involve customers in design, and eventually use this medium as a customer service and interaction channel."
PA's CEO, Bruce Tindale, adds: "3D virtual worlds are now becoming a unique business tool. For example, a bank may want to redesign its branches' interior design, assess the way its consumers and bank staff interact, and even gauge the user-friendliness of its technology. All this can be realistically simulated in worlds such as Second Life, which makes the gathering of user feedback on design options faster, cheaper and more realistic. And, in the public sector, urban planning and distance learning could take advantage of this new approach to improve dialogue with all stakeholders - while also lowering consultation costs."
Other leading brands already operating in Second Life include Adidas, the BBC, Harvard Law School, Reebok, Reuters, Sun Microsystems and Warner Bros.
The new virtual PA office is open to visitors from today, Tuesday 24 October, at: http://slurl.com/secondlife/PAconsulting/119/145/26/
ENDS
For more information, please contact: Claus Nehmzow, PA Consulting Group, London. Tel: 0207 312 4824 Mobile: 07768 746258 E-mail: claus.nehmzow@paconsulting.com
Notes to editors
How to access 'Second Life' 3D virtual world
Join Second Life free at: https://secondlife.com/join. Download the application at: http://secondlife.com/community/downloads.php . System requirements are here: http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.php .
Once in Second Life, search for 'PAConsulting' or click the following shortcut link: http://slurl.com/secondlife/PAconsulting/119/145/26/
Second Life and Linden Lab
Second Life is a 3D online world with a rapidly growing population of over one million residents from 100 countries around the globe, in which the residents themselves create and build the world which includes homes, vehicles, nightclubs, stores, landscapes, clothing, and games.
Second Life is created by Linden Lab, a company founded in 1999 by Philip Rosedale to create a revolutionary new form of shared 3D experience. The former CTO of RealNetworks, Rosedale pioneered the development of many of today's streaming media technologies, including RealVideo. In April 2003, noted software pioneer Mitch Kapor, founder of Lotus Development Corporation, was named Chairman. In 2006, Philip Rosedale and Linden Lab received WIRED's Rave Award for Innovation in Business. Based in San Francisco, Linden Lab employs a senior team bringing together deep expertise in physics, 3D graphics and networking.
Second Life® and Linden Lab® are registered trademarks of Linden Research, Inc.
http://lindenlab.com/about
About PA Consulting Group
PA Consulting Group is a leading management, systems and technology consulting firm. Operating worldwide in more than 35 countries, PA draws on the knowledge and experience of 3,000 people, whose skills extend from the initial generation of ideas, insights, solutions and new technology, all the way through to detailed implementation.
From the development of innovative strategies and solutions right through to their successful delivery, all of our work and support is based on deep sector insight and expertise. We work across the private and public sectors, with particular strengths in financial services, energy, life sciences and healthcare, government and public services, manufacturing, defence, and telecommunications. We help our clients to design optimum strategies for growth, deliver effective IT that improves business performance, mobilise human resources, deliver complex programmes and major business transformations, and develop breakthrough products and processes through our unique applied technology capability.
As an employee-owned company, with no audit arm nor exclusive alliances with third-party vendors or service providers, we are answerable only to ourselves and our clients. This independence means the advice we give to clients, and the work we deliver, are based only on what is best for our clients’ business. We will, however, work in non-exclusive alliances on specific programmes when it is in the best interests of our clients.
PA’s independent, benefits-driven approach is founded on our strength in innovation, our responsiveness to our clients’ needs, and our unyielding focus on delivery:
Innovation. Innovation comes in a variety of forms - in how customers' needs are identified and satisfied, in business models, in motivating and aligning staff, in the use of technology, and many more. PA has an unsurpassed track record in innovation, from developing pharmaceutical anti-counterfeiting measures and wireless technologies, to helping launch an innovative online bank, to development work that is helping alleviate poverty and boost the economies of developing countries.
Responsiveness. We recognise that each client and each problem have their own challenges and issues. Our solutions are therefore tailored to our clients’ specific circumstances, drawing on the deep industry insight of our consultants. Our relationships with clients are characterised by respect, flexibility and collaboration, and we pride ourselves on the speed of our response and the dedication of our people.
Delivery. At PA, delivering client value is ingrained in our culture. We focus on detailed implementation, with a renowned track record of delivering innovative solutions that achieve lasting change. At PA, we see projects right through to the finishing line - and beyond - delivering significant and measurable value to our clients.
PA: Innovation. Responsiveness. Delivery.
www.paconsulting.com http://slurl.com/secondlife/PAconsulting/119/145/26/
About the designers of PA's virtual office
The PA virtual office was designed by Rivers Run Red. Their clients in Second Life include: adidas, Disney and the BBC. Contact: Louise Jorden, Unit 1.06, Tea Building, Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JJ, United Kingdom. Telephone: 020 7739 7505; e-mail: louise@riversrunred.com www.riversrunred.com
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