UC Advanced - issue #16

UC Issue #16

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News, analysis, insights and more

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COMMENT COMMENT

Relationships

This month, in UC Advanced , the theme is primarily one of relationships; finding them, building them, nurturing them, and sometimes losing them. With 179 distributors listed on Stock in the Channel, resellers are spoilt for choice. Choosing whom you enter into a relationship with should be a decision based on more than price. Service Level Agreements and added value services should come into the equation. Someone at your service, that we showcase this month, is Nimans, and as Luke Nutbrown,

gathering, with Solution Partnerships, Service Partnerships and Marketplace Partnerships. You know you’re doing something right when one of your partners, Omnitas Consulting, remarks, “Some weeks I speak more with my monday. com channel partner manager than I do with a lot of my actual employees within my company.” Another organisation we feature this month is NFON, certainly going places and with a keen eye on the future. One aspect of relationships is being true to your word, and NFON AG’s CEO Patrik Heider is delivering, both with results and actions. NFON’s AI- enabled product tools are being rolled out at pace, with NFON keen to emphasise that every customer is important to them, and their perfect size means they are able to provide tailored-services and support. Relationships are most productive when we meet, and the UC Device we focus on in this issue is Meeting Panels, from a vendor and reseller perspective, and the Stock in the Channel analysts provide us with the market insights. And finally, in less than 2 months’ time, Microsoft ends our relationship with Skype. We’re still left wondering whether two decades in the digital era can be considered “a good run”?

Head of Networking at Nimans tells us, the in-house saying goes, “Nothing works without Networking”. On the subject of

Trish Stevens Guest Editor

networking, do be careful who you let into the heart of your operations, if you happen to have any form of a Contact Center

in your organisation. Contact Centers are designed for harnessing relationships and enhancing a company’s reputation, but they can be vulnerable too. Putting the Relationships into Customer Relationship Management software is monday.com. Fresh from monday.com’s annual Partner Summit in London, Ophir Penso, VP Partnerships, tells UC Advanced just how monday.com is able to attract over 600 partners from more than 50 countries for a three-day

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CONTENTS

UCC News • Research p6 • Business News p8 • Upcoming Events p10 Partner Summit monday.com p14 Certification Nuvias UC and Zoom p18 Nimans Networking p20 Meeting Panels p23 Ricoh 360 Meeting Hub p26 NFON Stratgey and Launches p28 Contact Centre Red Flags p34 Sustainability Ikonic p38 Eagle Eye – BI Meeting Panels p40 Skype Switch Off p42 Event MWC ’25 p46 People p50 Stockies ’25 Categories Announced p53

We use a number of words to reference these devices – meeting panels, room organisers, booking systems, control panels and other names too...

Summiting Success: monday.com Partners Up for a Peak Performance...

p14

p23

p46

p38

MWC (Mobile World Congress)’25 was back, bigger than ever, with over 109,000 attendees strutting the floors of the Fira Gran Via in Barcelona...

At Ikonic, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a core value that drives everything we do...

Bridging the Gap Between In-Person and Remote Meetings with the RICOH 360 Meeting Hub...

Written permission from the publisher is required before any part of UC Advanced can be reproduced. © 2025 In the Channel Media Ltd. Advertising Sales Martin Jenner-Hall 07824 552 116 martin@ucadvanced.com Liz Newbury 07756 069297 liz@ucadvanced.com Market Analyst Wickus Bester wickus.bester@ stockinthechannel.com Publishing Director Justin Penn 07816 573 186 justin@ucadvanced.com Editorial Guest Editor Trish Stevens trish@ucadvanced.com Dan Parton 07941 979 845 dan@ucadvanced.com

p28

p26

Founded in 2007, and active in 15 European countries with a partner

network across Europe, NFON is going places...

The categories have been announced for the Stockies 2025 – November 24-27...

p20

Published by: In the Channel Media Ltd Company registration number: 14363401 Registered office address 14-18 Heddon Street,

p53

Nimans are big on value, big on choice and big on expertise. This sets them apart from other distributors...

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UCC NEWS – RESEARCH

UK Employees are Struggling with Workplace Technology

Workplace 365 research reveals more than half of UK workers are feeling overwhelmed by overcomplicated IT systems. Almost four in ten (39%) don’t use the programmes their companies have invested in. Hybrid workers feel they are required to use too many apps and programmes to get the day job done. The survey of 1,000 UK employees underscores an urgent need for simplified and integrated digital environments. More than one third (34%) of those surveyed say their organisation’s IT investment should focus on better equipping remote or hybrid workers to ensure productivity and well-being, with the number one challenge for 32% of them being the reliance on too many apps and software programmes. Inefficient communication and collaboration with colleagues as a result of switching between email, chat apps, and video calls poses another challenge for 31% of this cohort. Young workers seem to have the greatest trouble with this, with 37% of 18-24-year-olds reporting communication

Erik Nicolai CEO

inefficiencies, compared with 22% of those aged 45–54. Receiving too many notifications and distractions from different apps or platforms affects almost a quarter (24%) of those working in a hybrid pattern. Interestingly, this is less of an issue for over-55s (19%). “There is a strong appetite for change in workplace technology. This isn’t just a productivity issue – it’s a critical challenge for talent retention,” said Erik Nicolai, CEO and co-founder of Workspace 365. “By simplifying the digital workplace and focusing on user-friendly solutions, business can unlock the full potential of their workforce and bring the focus back to high value tasks.

workspace365.net

Get the report

AI Trends in Data Science Research

Research commissioned by HP Z (HP’s line of high-performance workstation computers) and NVIDIA gives insights into what more than 800 data scientists and analysts are thinking about when it comes to using AI in work. The research report enables IT and business leaders to learn how data science teams accelerate the adoption, use and implementation of AI. The research addresses questions such as “How is AI being used?” and gives insights into areas such as current AI use cases and different rates of adoption across geographical areas.

Most interesting is the insight into what is possible with AI, and what the most exciting future trends will be. Chatbots and Conversational AI, most pertinent in the Unified Communications domain when it comes to CCaaS and CX, ranks second highest (54%), as the “most exciting future trend” to the respondents surveyed in the report. Virtual Assistants ranked 30%, above Natural Language Processing. A good insight into the positivity of the data scientists’ mindsets, especially as they are shaping and predicting what the future holds.

AI Trends in Data Science

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UCC BUSINESS NEWS

DE-CIX and Microsoft MAPS

DE-CIX and Microsoft are collaborating to enhance SaaS connectivity for enterprises with the Microsoft Azure Peering Service (MAPS). This service addresses common modern-day connectivity challenges by establishing direct, high-priority connections between businesses and

Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure, reducing latency, packet loss and disruptions caused by inefficient public Internet routing. MAPS improves the performance and reliability of critical cloud-based applications and provides significant security benefits by minimising exposure to DDoS attacks. MAPS offers cost- saving advantages too, by eliminating unexpected data transfer fees associated with traditional cloud models. DE-CIX is facilitating these direct connections, enabling businesses to integrate MAPS into their existing infrastructure.

Giacom: “The Best Billing Specialists”

Giacom’s Managed Services offer increasing levels of billing and system administration support. RPI Increase is available as a specialist service for handling bulk price increases across a partner’s customer base. Ant Molloy, Managing Director of Cloud Market Tools at Giacom, recently stated: “Our Managed Services are a game-changer for our partners’ billing processes. This service underpins their entire billing profit and optimisation strategy, and collectively, we have the best billing specialists out there. Having

this level of expertise and scale in-house is difficult to replicate, so it makes total sense to utilise our TMBS-accredited team to improve billing efficiencies.” Giacom have may first-use case examples, including Firstcom. Giacom provided Firstcom with a fully managed service to consolidate thirteen systems down to one. This process included parallel bill runs and detailed analysis to ensure all billing came across accurately. It also highlighted missed revenue and legacy billing errors which were corrected as part of the migration.

Ant Molloy Managing Director, Cloud Market Tools

giacom.com

RingCentral’s AI Receptionist™ (AIR)

RingCentral’s AIR was launched on 20 February 2025, with a controlled availability phase for select US businesses. It is an integrated AI phone agent designed to transform business customer interactions. Built directly into the RingCentral phone system, AIR instantly answers calls, handles routine inquiries and routes complex requests to the appropriate

UCC BUSINESS NEWS

personnel. It schedules appointments and follows up via SMS, ensuring no call is missed. Unlike standalone tools, AIR deploys without extra apps or complex integrations. It understands businesses by syncing with contact directories and using website and document inputs for accurate responses. Supporting natural, human-like

conversations, AIR offers 24/7 service, reducing wait times and operational costs. With built-in analytics, businesses can gain insights and improve operations. RingCentral AIR represents a significant step toward AI-powered business communications and enhancing customer experiences.

Innovative Enhancements to HP WXP coming soon

required and sold separately) is also complete and HP Vyopta customers can now check on the health of their organisation’s collaboration environment, video and

HP recently introduced a new platform, HP Workforce Experience Platform (WXP), which draws on billions of data points to intelligently anticipate problems, designed to reduce IT support requests. HP are expanding WXP availability and innovative enhancements are due soon for the current 680,000+ connected devices and future customers. Notable enhancements will include AI Sentiment Analysis and Fleet Explorer, which is a new AI-powered natural language processing (NLP) tool enabling users to query fleet data for insights. The Vyopta Integration (Vyopta license

telephone endpoints as well as collaboration software, in WXP. HP partners can now get into the Digital Employee Experience (DEX) space with WXP, diversifying into new businesses and acquiring new customers, moving to a contractual, services- centric business model.

Snom’s new MC10 Multi-Charging Station

Snom’s MC10 Multi-Charger is ideal for shift workers and shared cordless IP handset users. The MC10 Multi-Charger provides a charging base with a single cable for fast charging of up to six handsets and additional batteries in one place. The individual, flexible snap-in inserts of the MC10 Multi-Charger make it compatible with almost every handset in Snom’s DECT range. The charger also offers additional slots for replacement batteries - so users always have a fully charged battery to hand. The MC10’s fast charging function and compact arrangement in two rows with three holders for end devices and batteries, ensures efficient and effortless

battery replacement. Staff can quickly return their device and find a working handset, without facing downtime. Oliver Wittig, Senior Product Manager at Snom comments, “The MC10 Multi- Charging Station will positively impact the daily routine of shift workers. It sets new standards in terms of efficiency and flexibility in handling cordless IP phones.”

Oliver Wittig Senior Product Manager

snom.com

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EVENTS

LONDON What?

Stockies 2025 When? V irtual Awards:

24 November – Technology & Storage 25 November – Printing Solutions, Peripherals & Accessories 26 November – AV & UCC and Live Show for Speciality Awards on 27 November 2025. Save the date!

Where? O nline and 100 Wardour St, London

LEICESTER What?

Evolve IP Annual Partner Day When? 1 April 2025 – Contact your account manager Where? N ational Space Centre in Leicester

BIRMINGHAM What?

Nimans Live. Register for free tickets here

When? 7 May 2025 Where? V illa Park, Birmingham

LONDON What? Peerless-AV’s AV Showcase. More event information here When? 13 to 14 May 2025 Where? Lord’s Cricket Ground. Sign up here

ONLINE at the monday mansion What? monday.com AI summit When? 7 April 2025 10:00-11:30 am EST | 15:00‑16:30 GMT Where? Register here

ONLINE AND IN PERSON What? Rise AV Mentoring Programme.

Applications now open until 31 March 2025. When? O ver 6 months: agenda can be found HERE Where? To register as a mentor or mentee, sign up here

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Big on tech ‘knowledgy’ “As the ‘go to’ people and place for technology, we bring together some of the sharpest minds in the industry. Our friendly experts have the knowledge and experience to help customers make informed choices - one of the many reasons they trust Nimans.”

Paul Burn, Managing Director.

182

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PARTNER SUMMIT

Summiting Success: monday.com Partners Up for a Peak Performance In the rapidly evolving landscape of CRM, work management and collaboration, innovation and partnerships are paramount for sustaining growth and meeting modern business demands. monday.com stands at the forefront of this evolution. Recently, UC Advanced interviewed Ophir Penso, VP of Partnerships at monday.com, and Thomas Karlsson, Partner and CEO of Omnitas Consulting, a successful monday.com partner, to discuss the company’s strategic growth, thriving partner ecosystem, and significant advancements in AI.

The Vibrancy of Partnerships: Key Takeaways from the Partner Summit monday.com has solidified its place as a leader in work management solutions, recently concluding its annual Partner Summit in London. This three-day gathering attracted over 600 partners from more than 50 countries, showcasing the company’s commitment to fostering collaboration. Reflecting on the event, Ophir remarked, “It was a great day, full of energy. So many people were invigorated.” The summit offered networking opportunities, knowledge sharing, and a deeper understanding of the resources available for partners. During the summit, the company announced three new strategic technology partnerships with Rewind, Make, and Ziflow. These collaborations aim to enhance service capabilities – central to monday.com’s multi-product ecosystem. Rewind will offer backup solutions to ensure data continuity, Make will enhance integration options with over 2,000 connections, and Ziflow will streamline content-proofing workflows for creative operations teams. As Penso noted, “Our thriving partner ecosystem is essential to

our mission of empowering organisations and driving collective success.” The summit culminated in an awards ceremony recognising outstanding contributions from partners, further emphasising the importance of collaborative achievements. Notable winners included tiilt.io, Eligeo, and Workwise, alongside individual accolades for DocuGen’s App of the Year. In a rapidly growing partner ecosystem, these awards serve as motivation, encouraging partners to strive for excellence in their respective domains. Partner Programmes: Tailored Solutions for the Channel With a growing partner ecosystem, monday.com offers three distinct partnership opportunities: Solution

Ophir Penso VP, Partnerships

monday.com

During the summit, the company announced three new strategic technology partnerships with Rewind, Make, and Ziflow.

41640

structure of the partner program, Thomas noted the value of maintaining distinct roles for partners without overwhelming them. “Having this split allows smaller partners to succeed in certain areas without having to have a 20 to 3-odd staff count,” he explained. This flexibility allows partners to focus on their strengths and grow at their own pace, which enhances the overall robustness of the ecosystem. Its always good to get an insight into a companies Partner Programme directly from one of their Partners and Thomas didn’t hold back on his praise of monday.com calling it in his view, the “best partner program for any SaaS service on the market.” He goes on to say,” We have weekly meetings, but that’s just a formality. Some weeks I speak more with my monday.com channel partner manager (CPM) than I do with a lot of my actual employees within my company. “ When asked about other SaaS products he noted, “We tried partnering with other companies and some companies that were a lot bigger than monday.com, and we did not even get to meet quarterly with them. It felt like we were treated as lead generation, whereas the partnership with Monday.com is like our CPM, like our sales manager. That’s the kind of relationship they have with their partners.” Thomas continued, “Going on to focus on the commercial aspect to monday. com, I’ve reviewed 20, 30, 40 other Saas

Partnerships, Service Partnerships, and Marketplace Partnerships. Each program is designed to align with the specific needs of different partners and market segments. Solution Partnerships focus on reselling monday.com as a product and the company currently has over 270 solution partners globally. Ophir emphasised that these partners play an indispensable role in driving engagement and broadening the platform’s reach. “It’s a big part of what the company is doing,” he stated. “Our partner program grew 24% over the year.” This impressive growth reflects the strong demand for monday.com’s solutions across various industries. Service Partnerships are uniquely structured to equip partners with the necessary tools, training and certification to deliver high-quality service. This offering is especially significant as companies increasingly look for partners to help develop and implement custom solutions. Ophir expressed, “We see our partners as the main delivery arm of the company,” emphasising the essential role they play in addressing clients’ unique challenges. With the rising demand for comprehensive solutions, service partners have become vital in supporting organisations in adopting monday.com’s software. Marketplace Partnerships are focused on innovation within the monday.com ecosystem. This program enables external developers to create and distribute applications that enhance the platform’s features. Thomas points out how the app marketplace can serve as a powerful sales enablement tool, stating “From a partner perspective, the most innovation is still coming from monday.com; the app connects to those strategies and helps enforce them.” By harnessing the creativity of app developers, monday.com continuously evolves its offerings, allowing partners to better serve clients’ needs. Reflecting further on the overall

Thomas Karlsson Partner and CEO

omnitas.com

Some weeks I speak more with my monday. com channel partner manager (CPM) than I do with a lot of my actual employees within my company. Thomas Karlsson

CONTINUED

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PARTNER SUMMIT

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service partner programs, and none of them come close to the commercial situation that you have with the monday. com partnership.” This structured approach to partnership not only fosters growth but also cultivates an environment that encourages collaboration and shared success. With a reported 24% growth in the partner program and a 59% increase in available applications year-over-year, it is evident that monday.com is dedicated to maintaining a vibrant ecosystem that supports creativity, growth, and collaboration. The AI Revolution: Empowering Partners and Customers Alike In an era where technology is pivotal for operational success, the seamless integration of AI is emerging as a game changer for productivity and efficiency. Among monday.com’s recent innovations is the launch of monday service – an AI-first Enterprise Service Management platform designed to centralise service operations for organisations. An example of the AI capabilities of monday service can be seen in how it facilitates smarter ticket resolution, automates classifications, and predicts service trends, allowing teams to focus on critical issues rather than mundane tasks. Thomas elaborated on the transformative potential of AI within their workflows, noting, “This is about eliminating manual processes and enhancing the quality of customer interactions.” The potential to enrich workflows through AI indicates a shift in how businesses can operationalise intelligence. For organisations historically reliant on manual effort, these advancements present a golden opportunity for scaling and improving service delivery. Thomas goes on to explain “It also changes the sales narrative, especially from an ROI perspective, because i used to be through automations, and how we can save time. How much time does this take? And then we quantify it. But

this is like up to 5 times that as to how much value monday.com can bring to the same workflow or the same process through AI”. Moving forward, monday.com is keen to enhance its market presence with new product offerings and a robust AI strategy. As organisations strive for streamlined operations, monday.com’s commitment to providing AI-enhanced solutions places them as a leader in the domain of work management. They recognise that the application of AI will revolutionise business processes and decision-making. In March, monday.com plans to launch its first AI agent, monday.com Expert. The AI agent is designed to assist with onboarding new users to the platform, providing guidance on achieving specific actions across products, and carry out tasks on users’ behalf. This innovative development speaks to the company’s overarching goal: to simplify user experiences while enabling them to maximise the potential of this sophisticated technology. The positive implications for partners are substantial. With powerful AI capabilities embedded in their offerings, partners will be positioned to bring cutting-edge solutions to their clients, improving workflows and driving productivity. A Future Fuelled by Collaboration and Innovation The insights shared by Ophir and Thomas during the recent Partner Summit illuminate monday.com’s unwavering commitment to innovation, collaboration, and growth. As the company continues to expand its partner programs and integrate advanced AI capabilities, it positions itself as a leader in revolutionising how businesses manage workflows and workloads across various sectors. Learn more about the monday.com Partner Program at https://monday. com/w/partnership.

I’ve reviewed 20, 30, 40 other Saas service partner programs,

and none of them come close to the commercial

situation that you

have with the monday.com partnership.

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CERTIFICATION

Nuvias UC: Pioneering Zoom Deployment in Europe

Nuvias UC has recently been enrolled in the newly launched Zoom Up Services Program. The initiative certifies partners and distributors to deliver services for and on behalf of Zoom.

Nuvias UC is one of the first partners in Europe to achieve this Deployment Certification for Zoom Customer Experience (ZCX), enabling it to provide deployment solutions as an extension of Zoom’s own delivery capabilities for Zoom Contact Center, Zoom Virtual Agent, Quality Management and Workforce Management. This is an additional offering to Nuvias UC’s existing Accreditations and Competencies for Zoom Workplace and Zoom Phone. Being selected to be one of the first certified Zoom partners in Europe that can now offer deployment services, the recognition builds on Nuvias UC’s existing ZCX and ZP Competencies, solidifying its position as a strategic enabler of Zoom solutions. With these accreditations, competencies and certifications, Nuvias UC is uniquely positioned to support partners with a comprehensive range of Zoom services, from licensing to deployment and ongoing management. A key factor in achieving this accreditation is Nuvias UC’s highly capable technical team, spanning pre- sales consulting, implementation and post-deployment support. Nuvias UC empowers its partners to accelerate growth, increase profitability and deliver exceptional customer experiences with minimal risk. Joel Chimoindes, CEO at Nuvias UC, commented: “Zoom’s commitment to a channel-first model is evident through the launch of the Zoom Up Services Program, which empowers partners to deliver

best-in-class solutions with the support of accredited experts. Our enrollment in this program is a testament to the strength of our technical teams and our dedication to helping partners navigate UCaaS and CCaaS deployments with ease. We are delighted to be one of the first Distributors in Europe leading the way to provide Zoom Workplace, Zoom Phone, and Zoom Contact Center services on behalf of our partners.”

Joel Chimoindes CEO

nuvias-uc.com

Nick Tidd, Head of Global Channel GTM at Zoom, added: “We are pleased to have Nuvias UC as one of the first forward-thinking distributors in our Zoom Up Services Program. Their strong partnership, unwavering channel commitment, and dedication to partner growth make them a natural fit. By securing these certifications, Nuvias UC empowers its partners to expand into new markets with the support of a trusted and fully accredited Zoom solutions provider.”

Nick Tidd Head of Global Channel GTM

zoom.com

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NETWORKING

Smell the Coffee Nimans are big on value, big on choice and big on expertise. This sets them apart from other distributors. UC Advanced were keen to find out more about Niman’s expertise, and how the team imparts their knowledge to their customers and helps them to deliver projects for their customers. We caught up with Luke Nutbrown, Head of Networking at Nimans, for some real-life examples.

CALL NIMANS!

Luke enthusiastically shared, “At Nimans, I am in the fortunate position of leading a team who are highly experienced. We work with over 1000 networking customers every year, and my team’s work and influence can be seen up and down the breadth and depths of United Kingdom and Ireland. To borrow a phrase from one of my team members, ‘Networking – nothing works without it!’”

they are up against. My team is here to also fill in the knowledge gaps – considerations that the customers might not have thought about, or considered, especially when it comes to logistics, financing and interoperability issues.” Networking in Real Life Nimans was selected to be the preferred distributor partner for an established networking and one-stop VoIP supplier based in Bolton, who was commissioned by a multi-national coffee chain to provide a fully resilient, ordering and audio network. The WiFi needed to be robust – fast enough for many customers to use the free WiFi, reliable enough to still take orders if an outage occurs. The sounds system needed to be versatile, offering the option of different audio zones with crystal clear sound to cut through background noise, but to not drown out conversations. Luke enthused, “Whilst this brief was clear, the team can work when the challenge, problem or brief is not finalised, and when it is still a draft, and additionally they can be brought into projects when the initial scoping hasn’t been done or might have some holes.”

Invisible Friend or Prominent Partner

Luke continued, “Whilst we are big on choice, value and expertise, we take our direction from the customer about our presence on projects. Some customers prefer background advice and want to appear to be the experts in front of their clients whilst others prefer to introduce us to the end customer as expert partners.” Project Planning The Nimans Networking team are certainly flexible when it comes to project planning, and are equipped to give advice at every step of the way, from concept to delivery and after-service. Luke advised, “It really helps when the client knows what they want and what

Luke Nutbrown Head of Networking

nimans.net

Delivery when you need it The solution that the team installed, was delivered to stores with just-in-time, on- demand, logistics internationally, as well as across the UK. Deliveries from Nimans were timed to meet the installation team, when they were due to arrive for each installation. The resilient TP-Link WiFi installed has mobile backup networks, ensuring there will be no future issues processing customer orders or payments, even if an unexpected WiFi outage should occur. The networking solution was fully integrated into the Bose and Apart audio systems, POS and Samsung tablet ordering systems, which were also installed. This left the coffee stores with a solution that enabled them to do what they do best, concentrating on serving some of the best coffee made with speciality grade Robusta beans and other delights, and their customers enjoying the ambience with A* grade technology Luke continued, “At Nimans, we work with many coffee chains, and other outlets such as fast food, stadiums, restaurant chains and universities. When it comes to coffee though, we have supplied thousands of pre- configured routers installed across the world so we can go big or small, down to a one shop fitting.” Large Projects Nimans worked with another customer on a networking project many times the size of individual coffee stores. They provided networking covering the whole stadium for a lower league football club. On that project the minimum requirement was for 6000 fans to be able to connect to Wi-Fi simultaneously. The requirement was varied. As well as the outdoor environment, in the stands, all indoor areas including banqueting suites, cafes and restaurants had to be covered with flawless connectivity, and allowing for

movement between areas. Luke points out, “Although logistically, delivery was to one site, the volume of equipment installed was vast.” Nimans Networking Nimans networking have strong partnerships with most large networking vendors, TP-Link, Draytek, Ubiquiti, Netgear, Riello and more. Luke proudly states, “With our dedicated team of experts, we offer comprehensive networking solutions tailored to customers’ needs with our extensive UK stockholding and next day delivery anywhere in the UK. We have a security

It’s a very converging

marketplace; no longer are traditional partners staying in their traditional lanes. Everyone’s crossing over.

offering, an AV offering, a UC offering, and can help resellers explore those spaces in each of those areas. It’s a very converging marketplace; no longer are traditional partners staying in their traditional lanes. Everyone’s crossing over. Being a distributor that allows partners to cross over is, we consider, a real strength of ours.”

Networking with Resellers Nimans networks with the best in Networking. Luke helpfully adds, “We can price up any networking to any budget or preferred brand, recommend how several brands can work best together, and we have a huge choice and massive stock-levels. We’ve seen and supplied most types and sizes of project. Do get in touch, pay us a visit or invite us round. And I would like to end by saying: Nimans, we’re big on choice, big on value, big on networking”.

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UC DEVICES

Meet the Meeting Enablers

We use a number of words to reference these devices – meeting panels, room organisers, booking systems, control panels and other names too. They are the one-touch devices that help manage workplaces more efficiently, using data to optimise real estate and helping everyone know where they are supposed to be. Crestron and two leading AV specialists, AuDeo and Pacific, discuss why and how these devices are becoming more integrated and essential in UCC experiences.

Crestron offer four integrated scheduling devices:

Book from anywhere There are more types of spaces in the workplace than ever. Crestron Scheduling gathers them all on one convenient platform, enabling the user to identify specific spaces and their availability. Booking can be made from desks, on personal devices, or on the spot using Crestron’s enterprise-grade scheduling panels. We are bringing user interfaces – touch panels in this case – into the control stack so that a UI and a control system work together to deliver both automation and a user interface into the space so that both are available to the end user.

Scheduling Panels

Availability Indicators

crestron.com

RFID Badge Scanners

Occupancy Sensors

Meeting panels have come a long way since launch with

platform offering room and desk analytics, visitor management, and catering service requests. Pacific: Room booking panels are an often overlooked, but integral piece of the UC infrastructure, when installed and configured correctly. The best example we can give clients is usually an in-person demo of the hardware within our Basingstoke office. We have a number of panels from a variety of manufacturers, including Crestron, Evoko,

responsiveness, integration and software updates – briefly tell us about your approach AuDeo: As a trusted reseller and integrator, we provide a range of booking panels and software systems that businesses can tailor to their needs and budget. We help organisations select the right technology, whether it’s intuitive panels that sync seamlessly with their calendar system or a comprehensive resource management

Room booking panels are an often overlooked, but integral piece of the UC infrastructure

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UC DEVICES

CONTINUED

Extron, Logitech, MaxHub and Yealink. It’s here that we’re able to demonstrate how they integrate with the UC hardware, showcasing features such as calendar integration, quick booking or amending and even LED lighting.

and motion sensors, ensure energy is only used when needed, cutting waste and lowering costs. Intelligent occupancy tracking frees up underutilised spaces, maximising availability, while cloud-based management empowers facilities teams to monitor and optimise room usage in real time. Pacific: A further enhancement to LED lighting is 365 integration. Our panels are set up with their own email address, which can be included when scheduling a meeting, and within 30 seconds, the room will confirm its availability, or decline the meeting if booked by other parties. This removes the requirement for users to upload a new calendar, check availability and then book the space. When adding the room, 365 is able to clearly show the user if the space is available or booked, again, making booking the space simple and swift. Standard booking panels can also be linked to in-room occupancy sensors which can “wake the room up” as a scheduled meeting is stated to begin, ensuring that all hardware is operational prior to the commencement of any UC meeting, whilst also assisting with the reduction of energy consumption, which is becoming increasingly relevant to users. How important is compatibility with platforms – such as Teams, Zoom etc. and being certified? How many platforms are essential – all or most? Crestron: In one sense, “the more, the merrier,” but that interoperability shouldn’t sacrifice a system’s ease of use to accommodate everything. When it comes to the platforms we partner with – and Teams and Zoom are two great examples – providing control from a single pane of glass is the goal. We put a high value on certification from both those manufacturers (and others), as that

Mike Hancey Director of Technology

Tell us about the SMART features that enable energy efficiency, such as light sensors, and other features, such as movement sensors Crestron: Occupancy sensors can trigger meeting settings, shut down rooms that aren’t in use, and report usage data to a centralised cloud management solution. That data can be invaluable for a business looking to either expand or contract the footprint of an enterprise. For other environmental sensors, and lighting is an excellent example of this, managing data for the best result is key. The solution’s not only about balancing natural and artificial lighting with shading and fixtures but also understanding what the meeting’s about: Do the lights need dimming to make a presentation really pop? Or is this a gathering that’s going to lean into face-to-face communication? AuDeo: By integrating occupancy sensors, organisations can accurately measure space usage, enabling data-driven decisions for office relocations, redesigns, and refurbishment. Smart innovations help businesses create more efficient, flexible and sustainable workplaces. Built-in light

audeo.co.uk

Smart innovations help businesses create more efficient,

flexible and sustainable workplaces.

can be uploaded to a tablet, such as an iPad, which gives the control of the space a greater degree of flexibility by allowing users to control the UC hardware from anywhere within the space. Any other considerations? AuDeo: Installing meeting room technology is about more than just functionality – it’s about creating a smooth, user-friendly experience. Meeting panels should be positioned at an ergonomic height and located near entrances for easy access. With various mounting options – including walls, door frames, glass partitions, and stands – you can ensure a consistent installation across your business. Equally important is power and network reliability. Opting for booking panels that support Power over Ethernet (PoE) simplifies installation and cabling, ensuring a cleaner setup and a more reliable connection. What AuDeo takes into consideration when installing any UC product including Meeting Panels is this. What we are doing is providing an integrated system/ solution that can assist with holding meetings and contributes to successful, efficient & productive outcomes. We should never let go of that objective. Pacific: All in all, the humble room booking panel whist often overlooked, really can be an integral part of the UC experience.

Scott Belbin Strategic Account Manager

tells the customer they’re specifying a truly reliable solution.

AuDeo: It is our philosophy that no matter what room booking system is chosen, it shouldn’t change the way you currently work. The technology we provide seamlessly integrates with your existing workflows, whether through calendar displays or tools that help you find the right meeting space. Flexibility is key. While some organisations standardise on a single meeting platform, many operate in hybrid environments where cross- platform compatibility is essential. Pacific: I mentioned “standard” panels previously, however there’s also a space where we’re able to write a fully customized booking and control panel from scratch, using one of our in- house programmers. These are usually deployed in larger scale, or custom spaces, such as spaces which can be reconfigured from one large space, to multiple, smaller spaces with self- contained UC hardware. This bespoke option affords the user a much broader range of control, including the ability to book the space, control the camera, mute the mics/speakers, send individual content to certain displays and power the entire system on/off. This customisation can be integrated to a standard panel and fixed in place within the space, or

pacific.co.uk

Standard booking panels can be linked

to in-room occupancy

sensors which can “wake the room up” as a scheduled meeting is stated to begin...

Now turn to page 40 for Market Insights on Meeting Panels

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MEETINGS

Bridging the Gap Between In-Person and Remote Meetings with the RICOH 360 Meeting Hub Virtual meetings are now a business essential, but traditional setups often leave remote attendees feeling disconnected. The challenge? Ensuring that everyone – whether in the room or joining remotely – feels equally engaged. Enter the RICOH 360 Meeting Hub, a smart, all-in-one solution designed to create truly inclusive hybrid meetings.

A Compact 3-in-1 Meeting Solution This portable device combines a 360-degree camera, speaker, and microphone into a single unit, delivering a seamless, immersive experience. Whether attendees are physically present or joining remotely, everyone can participate as if they were in the same room.

Portable, Plug & Play and Versatile

Lightweight and ergonomic, it can be placed on any flat surface or mounted on a tripod – ideal for offices, factories, trade shows, or outdoor events. Setup is simple – just plug into a laptop via USB Type-C with no complex installation. Seamless Integration with Leading Platforms Certified for Zoom Rooms and compatible with Microsoft Teams, Webex, and Google Meet, the RICOH 360 Meeting Hub integrates effortlessly with existing conferencing tools. A Game Changer for Hybrid Collaboration Hybrid work demands seamless communication. The RICOH 360 Meeting Hub breaks down barriers, ensuring every voice is heard and every participant is seen, whether in the boardroom, on- site, or at an event. Exclusive to Northamber – benefit from exclusive pricing, performance rebates, sales training, loan units, and project registration. Call 020 8296 7010 or visit northamber.com/ricohsmartmeeting to register your interest.

Immersive 360° Video & Crystal-Clear Audio

Unlike standard webcams that focus on one speaker, dual fisheye lenses capture the entire room in high resolution, eliminating isolation for remote attendees. Omni- directional microphones with HiFi4 DSP processing pick up voices from all directions, while echo cancellation and noise reduction ensure distortion-free conversations.

Smart Features for Engaging Discussions The RICOH 360 Meeting Hub

automatically highlights up to eight active participants, with the three most recent speakers appearing in larger frames. Users can switch between a 360° panoramic view or split-screen 180° mode to suit the conversation. For larger meetings, two units can be connected.

Productivity with RICOH’s Smart Meeting Devices... Enhancing Meeting

This 3-in-1 device instantly turns meetings into an interactive experience and improves engagement and productivity in a hybrid work environment. • 360 Panoramic View • One-touch multiple screen layout switching • High quality sound • New—Connect two devices in larger rooms 360 Meeting Hub

A new generation of ultra- lightweight monitors for faster, more direct, Portable Monitors

and engaging collaboration. • Lightweight • Wireless option

LEARN MORE

From sleek and space-saving compact models to our top-of- the-line, high-lumen powered projectors, offering unmatched quality & versatility. Laser Projectors

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ORDER: RIC432687

Ask us about...

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Performance rebates

Sales training

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ucadvanced.com northamber.com/ricoh | Talk to the experts 020 8296 7010

UCC

Not too Big, Not too Small, Just Right: NFON Founded in 2007, and active in 15 European countries with a partner network across Europe, NFON is going places. Determined to grow, NFON means business, with a relish for bringing partners and customers along on the journey, doing things properly by garnering relationships and providing the support and investment required, always with a keen eye on the future.

Patrik Heider was appointed CEO at NFON AG in May 2023, succeeding Dr. Klaus von Rottkay, who had held the post for three years. With a change in upper management came fresh thoughts and fresh faces, all with a determined purpose: to continuously and sustainably develop NFON AG profitability with a view to the future. By July 2023 the vision had been set, with Heider commenting “Earnings must grow more strongly than revenue, with revenue growth at least equalling market growth. In order to be able to fully exploit the potential in the future and to live up to the role as an innovative pioneer of integrated cloud business communications in the European market, operational excellence is the essential basis.” Within 18 months Heider

by Myles Leach, who has over 25 years of experience in the Telecoms Industry, including 8 years as Managing Director of NFON UK. NFON Heritage Refreshingly, with the management changes, was a desire to acknowledge and care for the 55,000-strong customer base. NFON worldwide has garnered, and cared for, a multitude of small, medium and some large enterprises, providing cloud-based business communication services, with services ranging from cloud telephony, contact centers and unified communications. To this day, there is an account manager assigned to each customer, no matter how big or small they might be, to ensure relationships are stable and long lasting. NFON’s cloud telephony system, Cloudya, allows users to scale up and down based on their business needs. Cloudya’s easy set up and fast

Patrik Heider CEO

nfon.com

Earnings must grow more strongly than revenue, with revenue growth at least equalling market growth,

would be delivering on his vision. Recognising home-grown talent,

Markus Krammer was appointed Chief Product Officer in July 2023, and ex Cisco Systems GmbH Merano Mettbach was recruited to the Chief Sales Officer role in September 2023, before filling the Chief Revenue Officer role from June 2024. Excellent talent acquisitions have been made in two ex-SAP staff, namely Andreas Wesselmann, Chief Technical Officer, appointed in January 2024 and Jana Richter, Executive Vice President AI and Innovation, joining in October 2024. Stability in the UK market is provided

NFON’s cloud telephony system,

Cloudya, allows users to scale up and down based on their business needs.

configuration enables users to work anywhere from any device, perfect for businesses of any size. NFON offers UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) solutions, including NFON Contact Center Hub, with a 99.9% system uptime in fully georedundant architecture. The beauty of NFON is that it offers flexible pricing models with predictable monthly charges. The acquisition of AI specialist botario in August 2024, a company that supports and automates interactions in both text and voice input, provided a springboard for NFON’s existing, and future, product portfolio and services, to be re-energised and re-engineered. NFON Strategy With a new, yet highly experienced, team on board, coupled with onboarding botario, Heider announced the NFON NEXT 2027 strategy in January 2025, which includes all employees, partners and customers. Heider is keen to emphasize the “We rethink business communication” part of the overall strategy, indicating that new technologies, strategies and approaches to business practices are afoot. Acquiring botario

was indeed a smart decision, and here’s why – botartio offers on-prem LLM (large language models), enables omni-channel approaches and has excellent GDPR compliance. There is a technical complexity of deploying and managing LLMs on private infrastructure, however they provide a significant advantage in terms of data security, privacy and performance. There is a strong emphasis on AI in the strategy, with NFON aiming for a leadership role in AI-based business communications. Big ambitions indeed. There is no doubt that AI will enable NFON to understand customer needs more precisely and make processes more efficient. Andreas Wesselmann re-iterated at the time, “Our mission is to lead companies into the future with intelligent technology and to grow together.” It’s the words “grow together” that is most important here, and NFON has a job to do in getting its broad customer base of small, medium and large enterprises on the AI-readiness journey. NFON is actively looking for new partners that can take advantage of the AI opportunity, particularly MSPs.

Markus Kramer Chief Product Officer

Merano Mettbach Chief Revenue Officer

CONTINUED

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