COMMENT COMMENT
Into the Swing of things
that serves more than 100 countries today. With that in mind, this requirement to do more than get businesses online is one that is largely embraced by all. While it may be an inconvenience for resellers to sing for their supper so to speak, it is good for the industry that businesses have a rich range of options to look through as they aim to improve productivity and their own bottom line. In an industry that seems to be dominated by two names, it’s great to see Cavell, RingCentral, Logitech, Gamma, Nimans, and 8x8 all make announcements and host events that show there is still innovation happening in the UC and CC industry, and that partners can choose from a myriad of ways to differentiate. I suppose that’s the theme of the magazine. Coincidentally we have interview pieces with Andy Cooper, Head of Nimans Connect division, John Finch Vice President of Product Marketing at RingCentral this issue, along with an interview Dhwani Soni, Global VP of Product Management Design & Operations at 8x8 who spoke about the company mission alongside her own personal ambitions. We have the usual insights from thought leaders and a couple of reviews, and a round up of the news coming out of MWC. Normal service will be resumed next issue, with features covering the challenges in the financial and legal sector, mobile, data storage, cyber security, and healthcare. As always feel free to let me know what you think of the magazine, good or bad, and I hope you...
It’s nearly two months since I wrote the comment for the last magazine and I can confirm, ISE is a distant memory. It feels like the industry hasn’t stopped, from warnings about connectivity, new solutions from global players, and a handful of rebrands, it’s hard to find the time to take a step back and see what’s what. Luckily, in this job, I can kill two birds with one stone a lot of the time, and Cavell’s Summit provided the perfect opportunity to listen to some of the more knowledgeable members of the UC&C community talk about the challenges that they face and the trends that they can see coming down the line. What struck me the most is the competition in the communications market. Up to half of new customers for UC resellers were pouched from a rival cloud communications provider in 2023, when two years ago new customers were primarily those moving from older communications technology. That threat of competition emphasises the need to offer more than just a rudimentary service. Whether that’s becoming a one-stop- shop for all connectivity, bundling a solution with a platform, or including added services like CRM integration or AI capabilities, particularly in the UK, is less of a perk and more of a necessity. Obviously evolution is a natural part of any successful business. Nokia for example have gone from producing rubber wellies, to selling one of the most successful devices of all time – 126 million 3310 phones for those who are interested – to a mobile infrastructure division
Elliot Mulley-Goodbarne Editor
CALLING ALL BRANDS
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