- KANSAS CITY, KS--Business communication changes at an overwhelmingly rapid pace. In order to be a leader in any industry, reliable and cost-efficient ways of communication are necessary to stay on top of the ever-changing ways of global business. By bringing together technology, including presence, email, VoIP, audio, video and Web conferencing, Unified Communications can be the solution businesses need.
- To prepare companies for this new frontier of Unified Communications, SKC Communications recently held its annual Smart Communications Technology Summit, July 27-28 in Kansas City.
- The annual summit, now in its third year, brought 18 major communications experts, including TANDBERG, now part of Cisco, Polycom, Avaya and Plantronics, together at the Kansas City Convention Center. The two-day event, attended by more than
- 400 professionals, included an open house at SKC’s high-tech headquarters, a networking event, breakout sessions, vendor exhibits and an Expert Panel Discussion with six top industry experts.
- “The Technology Summit has always provided a unique opportunity for communications technology professionals to learn,” Tray Vedock, president of SKC said. “From the open house to the expert panel, the Smart Communications Summit brought together top manufacturers with clients and prospects to build relationships. You can’t get this kind of opportunity anywhere else.”
- SKC’s unparalleled Expert Panel Discussion continued to be a highlight of the Summit. Industry experts came together to shed new light on Unified Communications and collaboration trends that attendees found relevant and inspiring.
- Expert panelists included:
- · Andy Miller, CEO, Polycom
- · Carl Wiese, VP, Global Collaboration Sales, Cisco
- · Kan Kannappan, CEO, Plantronics
- · Phil Edholm, VP, Technology Strategy & Innovation, Avaya
- · Randy Klein, CEO, Crestron Electronics
- · Rashid Skaf, CEO, AMX
- Here are three key insights about Unified Communications gleaned from the panel discussion.
- There is no singular solution.
With today’s explosion of devices, the possibilities are endless. Panel experts counseled companies to first consider their business needs and goals. By doing so, companies can determine the best solution. Since there is no one answer for every situation, working with a value added reseller, who can develop a customized and integrated solution around your needs and ensure the technology works today and in the future, is critical.
“Technology is evolving at a very rapid pace,” said Carl Wiese, VP of Global Collaboration Sales for Cisco. “The value business partners such as SKC bring to customers who are implementing this technology is evident and was very clear at the Technology
Summit today.”
Interoperability is key.
For many years, Unified Communications has been seen as a way for businesses to gain greater efficiency and productivity internally. Unified Communications is now being used in business-to-business communication with the same benefits. To ensure this communication is successful, all the technology and systems used by businesses need to inter-operate, without limitations or access restrictions. When purchasing new technology, companies should discuss interoperability with their technology partner.
The end-user will determine success.
Regardless of the systems and equipment, the organization’s culture must facilitate the acceptance of the technology. From C-level executives to managers and associates, there should be a culture of adoption. Management needs to embrace and lead the charge. To facilitate Unified Communications adoption, start by clearly communicating the business rationale behind the technology. Then communicate the individual advantages for employees. Take into consideration their personal preferences and train individuals to properly use and leverage the technology.
