Incoming Colt CEO on Cooper eyes cloud top leadership strategy spot as NEC cements and diversity p20 Intermedia deal p24
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Covid-19 stronger lp.vaioniwholesale.com/wholesale 26 Flexibility key to Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle Interview Migration demand hots up says Mills 28 channel survival THE Covid-19 crisis could lead to an unprecedented wave of collaboration, Executive Tips A strength that gives you the edge Zen chief on how to flexibility and innovation which will be key to the channel’s future sustainability. lead out of a crisis ethernet.business.sky.com discussions with partners and to According to BT Wholesale SPECIAL MESSAGE ©2017 CTMG. All Rights Reserved. have some flexibility to move Channel Director Gavin Jones 34 The ICT channel must seize this forward. It’s about how we (pictured) Covid-19 has acted opportunity to rethink the future arrive at a resolution together.” as a spur to do things differently Business Profile and how we get there, accord- Adept Technology Group and focus more sharply. TinCan shows ing to delegates at last month’s CEO Phil Race commented: “In “The message is that we true mettle online Business Insight session this stressed world you find out need to be more flexible, work hosted by Comms Dealer in who your partners really are. together and put trust in each association with BT Wholesale. “We are having good con- other in the right areas moving 40 “Flexibility will be massive- versations with all of our top forward, leaving no one out to ly important to the way we partners on how we make this dry,” he stated. Comms People work with customers and chan- work, identifying what we can “That is the way to succeed. This month’s nel partners,” said Franki Hale, do better and how to make We are using this time to try and movers and shakers Director of Strategy and Change things more efficient. The col- get closer to partners and get rid at Convergence Group. “What laboration and partnership of some of the bureaucracy in is clear is the need for open theme is key.” the ways we work.” See page 16
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EDITOR’S COMMENT PPE secured NEWS ROUNDUP THE future of the comms AFTER five years working industry was perhaps at its as Colt Technology Services’ most unpredictable pre- CEO Carl Grivner is leaving Covid-19, yet the pandemic the business, making way has spawned a big population for engineers for Keri Gilder who steps up of armchair futurists with from her role as COLT’s Chief a lot of solid information Commercial Officer. Grivner Stuart Gilroy on which to base their is credited with leading a forecasts. The lockdown has period of significant growth actually given us a handle on what tomorrow’s working and transformation at Colt, world will look like and the technology that will enable especially in advancing that shift to a more dispersed organisational structure. its IQ Network. Chairman The lockdown has also given us insights into Michael Wilens said: “In her the pivoted nature of channel partnerships and 18 months at Colt, Keri has the emergence of a far more close-knit ecosystem brought in fresh energy to founded on flexibility and collaboration. It’s as if the business.” See page 20 we have accelerated down a time tunnel. Safety first: Vital PPE kit protects engineers But having a pretty good idea of where your finger AN ICT service provider’s should press to feel the pulse of the market does A COMMS infrastructure firm to deliver critical infrastructure readiness to prioritise the not guarantee long-term sustainability. A detailed has leveraged its supply chain services throughout the lock- interests of customers from assessment of the full impact of 5G and universal to donate Personal Protective down period. a flexibility standpoint FTTP will not be available until after the event, but Equipment (PPE) to field ser- “While our managed ser- could mean the difference nevertheless there are telltale signs of what is to come, vice engineers working during vices team keeps engineers fully between keeping and losing with 5G use cases already in flow and the potential the coronavirus pandemic. kitted out with PPE all year contracts. The hospitality applications of next generation mobile technology As well as protecting CHH round, we have never had to sector is one of the hardest near limitless to the imagination (see page 36). CoNeX’s own team of engi- access quite the quantity that we hit by Covid-19 and Andrew What do these big determining factors mean? It is a neers the equipment has also have recently. Evers, Group IT Manager at time for empirical analysis and creative thinking to go been shared with other busi- “We take supply chain plan- Red Carnation Hotels, stated. hand in hand, and those that find the right balance will nesses involved in the supply, ning seriously and it is only “I hope everyone has had surely succeed. Finding your creative flair starts now as installation and maintenance of through a robust, flexible and a wake-up call from Covid- we seek to build more creative and collaborative ways telecommunications networks. proven supply chain that we 19. Mine is that there are of working with channel partners and customers. The CHH CoNeX has provided were able to procure and supply ‘goodies’ and ‘baddies’. The unleashing of creative minds will drive innovation and light hundreds of thousands of face such a large scale of PPE. latter are unsympathetic and a fire under the entrepreneurial spirit – all spurred by the masks and bottles of hand san- “The rules in our industry chase on day 31, the former Covid-19 lockdown which has caused many to reflect, itizer to field service engineers are quite simple. Without the have a vested interest in our hone processes, come up with new ideas, think beyond across the UK. right PPE, engineers cannot do survival and our development, the horizon and get on with things without distraction. Tim Hughes, MD at Birm- their job. We knew we would as I do in their survival and To gain more insights into all of the points ingham-based CHH CoNeX, have to lean on our supply chain development. Looking at a raised above please read our Business Insight stated: “We took the decision to keep essential services run- crowded marketplace today, Session report which starts on page 16. early on to leverage our supply ning throughout lockdown.” the MSP I choose will be the chain and access tonnes of PPE one I think I can help, not just Got a news story? email: Stuart Gilroy, Editor equipment to ensure that CHH the one I think can help me. [email protected] and our partners can continue It’s an interesting revelation.”
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NEWS ROUNDUP Telappliant Audit blocks NEWS ROUNDUP MICROSOFT’S acquisition VIRGIN Media Business of Metaswitch Networks in Amica has ramped up efforts signals its intention to create to maximise the revenue ‘modern alternatives to potential of its SME base via network infrastructure’ based acquisition legacy return the extension of its voice on cloud native software and UC portfolio following that delivers greater cost BOURNEMOUTH-based AUTOMATED data discovery a link up with 8x8. In a joint efficiency and lower capital IT services provider Amica software that removes the need effort they will configure investment. The deal builds Technology has been acquired for going on site is being lev- and roll out integrated cloud on its acquisition of Affirmed by Telappliant in what CEO eraged by Support to Win to services and provide 24/7 Networks in April this year. Muhammad Nasim says is a help comms providers turn tem- support for customers. Virgin ‘key component of our acquisi- porary customer switches into Media Business provides PAV IT Services MD Jason tive growth strategy’. permanent migrations, thereby comms to more than 50,000 Fry has witnessed customers “Amica adds managed IT preventing a post-lockdown UK businesses which will maximise the value from their services and allows us to offer a reversion to CPE usage. also gain access to 8x8’s IT by taking more flexible wider portfolio of business crit- The managed support ser- API solutions. John DeLozier, Julie Mills approaches to working. “We ical services to UK SMEs and vices firm says its virtual PBX Senior Vice President & have seen some customers it positions us for further scale audits have in the past only been customers into real customers Global Channel Chief at achieving greater productivity and growth,” he said. deployed in large enterprise and this innovation removes the 8x8, commented: “This since lockdown started,” Tan Aksoy, Director of projects but now the technolo- last obstacle to starting migra- partnership will enable us he stated. “But it often M&A, added: “We are continu- gy is available for migrations tions now.” See page 26 to help thousands of private means changes in working ing our transformation strategy among SME customers. and public sector businesses Got a news story? email: practices. Businesses and their into a fully loaded managed According to CEO Julie communicate more effectively [email protected] employees are having to find services provider. Mills the only way to get full with cloud-based technology.” new ways of working and “The current climate has customer migration projects the underlying tech needs to brought its own challenges, but in flight in the current climate A BPL Business support that change rapidly.” we are confident that the change is to deploy auditing software Publication
in business behaviour will bring that remotely unearths complete BPL Limited AVAYA’S move to SaaS with it an increased demand for PBX settings ‘from hardware Highbridge House, 93-96 Oxford Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1LU, United Kingdom and cloud continues with our services going forward.” to hunt groups and everything T: 01895 454542 F: 01895 454413 revenues from software Telappliant has over 6,000 in between’ so that customer Editor: Stuart Gilroy Subscriptions [email protected] 07712 781 102 Subscription rates for 12 issues: and services reaching 88% business customers and the transitions go smoothly. UK, £65; Overseas:£80 (incl p&p) Publisher: Nigel Sergent Back issues can be obtained: in its Q2 period. Recurring Amica deal bolsters its presence “Free or heavily discounted [email protected] 07712 781 106 UK £6 (incl p&p), Overseas £10 each (incl p&p) revenue was 64% of the in the SME space. For subscriptions please call 01635 588 869 licences have been used to help Managing Director: Michael O’Brien total, up five points, but Views expressed in this magazine are not firms through the Covid-19 cri- [email protected] 01895 454 444 necessarily those of the publishers. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the overall revenues of $682m sis, but now there’s a window of Sales Director: Simon Turton express written permission of the publishers. meant a GAAP operating opportunity to stop these newly [email protected] 01895 454 603 All trademarks acknowledged. Photographs and loss of $597m. Jim Chirico, acquired customers churning Production: Frank Voeten artwork submitted for publication accepted only President and CEO, said: “The [email protected] on the understanding that the Editor is not liable back to legacy services and for their safekeeping. company has improved on on-prem PBXs once the lock- Circulation 01635 588 869 © 2018 BPL Business Media Limited. all key strategic metrics as down starts lifting,” said Mills. ISSN 1366-5243 Printed by Pensord Limited we continue the move to a “Providers and comms part- Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations ABC total average circulation 15,300 (Jan-Dec 2019, 12,380 print, 2,920 digital) SaaS and cloud model.” Tan Aksoy ners are eager to convert trial
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Sysconfig set NEWS ROUNDUP INCLARITY’S business telephony service now integrates with MS Teams following the completion for FMC push of a project with UC integration specialist Qunifi. COMMS service provider Sys- “Covid-19 has up-ended config has linked up with hundreds of thousands of Transatel to provide resellers workers throughout the with fast access to FMC on the UK,” stated MD Enzo Viscito. EE network. “Collaboration tools like The ‘off-the-shelf’ service Microsoft Teams have been includes the SIM as an end- a lifeline to businesses, point, noted Sysconfig MD Sam and this unified solution Dawkins, who says his com- gives our partners the pany is now defined as a FMC ability to increase sales service ‘aggregator’. and generate revenue.” “Transatel is integrating UC directly into the SIM rather than SANGOMA has added a video relying on OTT apps,” he said. and screen sharing capability “By receiving communica- to its portfolio of comms tions from the UC platform on Sam Dawkins services with the launch the SIM, the service becomes a of Sangoma Meet, a multi- ‘mobile desk phone’ and offers ty and collaboration tools to party video conferencing more call stability, increased empower a mobile workforce. and desktop sharing cloud- seamlessness, no dependence “We’ve witnessed that this is based service. HD video on Wi-Fi availability, better key today and will be even more support is standard along management and tracking of critical in the years to come.” with encrypted password communications, and allows Dawkins added: “FMC has protected video conferences. you to be ’always on’.” been something of a legend for “Comms systems are at Commenting on the launch, many years, but I believe it is to the forefront of enabling Alex Tempest, MD of Whole- become the norm, enabling one this new work from home sale at BT, stated: “The learn- platform for all your commu- environment that so many ings from the Covid-19 crisis nication needs and centralising of us are experiencing right combined with the progressive your communications story.” now, and video meetings have withdrawal of ISDN only rein- become more important than Got a news story? email: forces the need for easy and ever as a result,” said Nenad [email protected] Start your journey instant access to productivi- Corbic, CTO of Sangoma. with us...
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Comms Dealer May 2020.indd 1 21/05/2020 21:05 INDUSTRY NEWS
NEWS ROUNDUP Titans unite Voiceflex NEWS ROUNDUP GAMMA is gearing up to 8X8 HAS launched its Express launch its Microsoft Teams sets route cloud comms solution to the Direct Routing solution UK micro business market which will be spearheaded which comprises circa five by Paul Wakefield, SIP in megadeal for Teams million small firms. It comes Trunking Product Manager. as a pre-configured package “For the channel, the THE launch of Microsoft Teams and includes dedicated biggest opportunities lie Direct Routing by Voiceflex is phone numbers, unlimited in both enabling Microsoft reflective of a seminal change UK calls, auto-receptionist, with telephony services in the communications industry, voicemail, intelligent call and supporting deployment according Paul Taylor, Sales & routing, video conferencing with relevant and timely Marketing Director. and team chat. Samuel expertise,” he stated. “The advance of UC&C Wilson, Chief Customer over the last few months is Officer and Managing Director OPENREACH has stated its unprecedented,” he commented. of EMEA, 8x8, said: “The intention to no longer sell “The way we communicate has goal of 8x8 Express is to copper-based products in 118 changed forever.” help eliminate complexity exchange areas across the Taylor cited figures from in procuring, setting up and UK. In a strategy update on Forbes which reported that managing a business phone its upgrade of the analogue Microsoft had witnessed a system with no need for phone network to all-IP the 775% increase in the use of its additional IT support.” company said it will cease cloud services, more than 44 the sale of such products 12 Mike Fries million daily team users and SSE Enterprise Telecoms has months from June 2020. over 900 million meeting min- secured a £10.5m full fibre A 50-50 JOINT venture deal Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete, utes per week in March 2020. deal from Aberdeenshire A 67 kilometer carrier-neutral to merge Virgin Media’s fixed who is Telefonica’s CEO, com- “With new users being added Council. The project spans up fibre network connecting line broadband business (owned mented: “We are creating a at a rate of four million per to 200km and will provide Bradley Stoke in Bristol by Liberty Global) and O2’s strong competitor with signifi- month, it is safe to say UC&C gigabit dark fibre out to to Next Generation Data’s mobile operation creates a cant scale and financial strength has finally been accepted,” public sector locations such data centre near Newport £31bn UK comms powerhouse to invest in UK digital infra- added Taylor. as schools and NHS sites in in south Wales has been rivalling BT. structure and give millions of “Without Covid-19 it would a number of towns around completed by Nextgenaccess. The deal values Virgin Media consumer, business and public have taken many years to reach Aberdeen. The 18 month The joint initiative between at £18.7bn and O2 at £12.7bn sector customers more choice the same levels of MS Teams project builds on a 20 year Nextgenaccess and NGD and the combined group intends and value.” users now using UC&C as part partnership and comes under utilised DPA/PIA code powers to invest £10bn into the UK The combination of Virgin of their daily life.” the banner of the Aberdeen for gaining access to existing over the coming five years. Media and O2 will create a Taylor also noted that Voic- City Region Deal, part of a Openreach duct and pole Mike Fries, CEO of Liberty nationwide integrated commu- eflex has introduced applica- funding allocation designed infrastructure. The project Global, said: “We’ve seen the nications provider boasting over tions that migrate customers to improve the region’s digital also entailed the deployment benefit of FMC in Belgium 46 million video, broadband and between Teams and their tele- infrastructure. SSE Enterprise of a 4km fibre section and the Netherlands. When the mobile subscribers and approxi- phony apps. Telecoms will also invest in spanning the Severn Bridge power of 5G meets 1 gig broad- mately £11bn revenue. the infrastructure and offer Got a news story? email: (M48) crossing with 864 band, UK consumers and busi- The transaction is expected capacity and services to [email protected] fibres in two diverse ducts. nesses will never look back.” to close next summer. mobile operators and ISPs.
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Digital Wholesale Solutions Comms Dealer June20.indd 1 19/05/2020 14:14:08 INDUSTRY NEWS Jansen opens up on Olive sets Strategic out plans support ‘radical’ restructure for Teams for APAC AMONG the impacts of Covid- THE launch of Connect4Teams 19 is a sharper focus on the criti- by Olive Communications pro- cality of connectivity which has vides direct routing, PBX inte- spurred BT to revise upwards its gration, voice recording and FTTP roll out ambitions. contact centre capabilities with- The company has revealed a in a MS Teams environment, Tim Field £12bn investment programme delivered through Olive’s Cloud to build full fibre broadband for Managed Service Platform. PRESSURE from UK resellers 20 million premises across the Lucy Callaghan, Head of has prompted a change in dis- UK including rural areas by the Marketing, stated: “Microsoft tribution strategy from interna- mid-to-late 2020s. Teams has seen success as a tional call management organi- Chief Executive Philip Jan- remote working and collabora- sation PeterConnects. sen stated: “Recent weeks have tion tool, especially since the The Netherlands-based busi- shown how vital it is to develop unprecedented events we’ve ness will now distribute its solu- next generation digital infra- seen from the ongoing pan- tions through Australian dis- structure. That’s why we’ve set Philip Jansen demic. As we look towards a tributor Voitec with the aim of out a new target.” post-pandemic workplace cul- ramping up support for its UK The news came as BT pub- Jansen also noted that BT “This five-year initiative will ture, Olive is already seeing channel partners with customers lished its full year results to 31st has been impacted by corona- re-engineer old and out of date demand for simplified voice and in APAC regions. March, which saw revenues virus challenges. “Covid-19 is processes, rationalise products, audio conferencing solutions “We work with a number down 2% to £22,905m with affecting our business, but the reduce re-work and switch off which are truly scalable.” of resellers in the UK that also profit before tax of £2,353m. full impact will only become many legacy services. Nick Beardsley, Enterprise have staff and offices based in “BT had a positive year clearer as the economic conse- “This next stage in the mod- Director, added: “It’s time to APAC,” said Peter Connects delivering results in line with quences unfold over the next 12 ernisation of BT will deliver transform the way we think spokesperson Tim Field. “One expectations and completing months,” he added. gross annualised savings of about voice and collaboration. of their concerns was over the our £1.6bn phase 1 transforma- “Due to Covid-19, BT is not £2bn over the next five years.” Just as businesses want agile, lack of local support and ser- tion programme, one year ahead providing guidance for 2020/21 In a statement the company robust and flexible solutions, vices we were able to offer to of schedule,” added Jansen. at this time.” noted that it expects business they also want choice, hence their APAC subsidiaries. He expects BT’s FTTP inv- To be better prepared for activity to be ‘sharply reduced’, our onboarding of Microsoft “Part of the reason for this estment to deliver pre-tax nom- the future Jansen noted that BT with rising insolvencies espe- Teams as a core service.” expansion was initially driven inal returns of between 10% needs to be ‘leaner, simpler and cially in the SME segment. out of feedback from the UK.” to 12%; and he noted that it is more agile’. BT also said that it expects PeterConnects now provides based on a regulatory frame- “We are announcing a radi- Openreach to face reductions Attendant Console solutions work consistent with Ofcom’s cal modernisation and simplifi- in the volume of broadband and on Cisco, BroadSoft, WebEx preferred policy direction cation programme that will use Ethernet upgrades and provi- Calling, MS Teams and Skype and support for infrastructure technology to create a better BT sioning due to a lessening of for Business, offering on-prem, investment and competition. for the future,” he added. business activity. Nick Beardsley hybrid and cloud solutions.
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NEWS ROUNDUP ICT budgets Need for NEWS ROUNDUP AN IT SERVICE Furlough BTT Comms Director Shiv package put together by managed Passap forecasts big changes GCI will reduce customer in how the company will licensing costs to £1 for each operate in the future furloughed employee per set to go up inventory following the Covid-19 month. The service ensures pandemic. “Traditionally, the that furloughed staff are THE coronavirus pandemic DEMAND for outsourced majority of our staff would locked out of systems and has prompted nearly a quarter inventory management services be working from the office services, and is geared (22%) of IT budgets to increase is forecast to intensify and is with only three members towards a rapid return to BAU over the next year, with 20% of reflective of the lasting shift working from home,” he once furloughed employees ICT buyers forecasting a rise of to home working, says Rob commented. “This will return to work. Mark Lee, more than 5% year-on-year. Cunnane, MD of engineering change. The pandemic also Business Development “Most businesses are now and repairs firm Multimessage. highlighted areas where Director, said: “Reducing seeing the advantages of work- “It’s increasingly clear that we needed to digitise some licensing costs helps to keep ing in the cloud and will start to WFH isn’t going to end with paper-based exercises, or the costs of furloughed look beyond just what systems lockdown,” he stated. “But the make certain procedural employees down and keeps like Teams can deliver,” stated importance of efficient process- changes. And we have found systems functioning so people V12 Telecom co-founder and Charles Rickett es remains vital to performance ways to make efficiencies can get back to work quickly.” MD Charles Rickett. and profitability. One solution through further investment in The company worked with ture in place to easily provision that reduces the need for a ware- technology. The coronavirus M12 Solutions MD Andrew Larato to produce the Covid- home working,” added Rickett. house, on-site staff and all the also brought the wellbeing of Skipsey is set to scale down 19 Implications for Business “Many of our customers had associated costs is to outsource our staff to the forefront.” the number of office workers survey, which pointed to a num- already been using Teams with to a specialist provider.” and at the same time extend ber of priorities occupying the Direct Routing which enabled Cunnane noted that many of BUSINESS leaders will be the geographical reach of minds of IT leaders. them to add homeworkers to Multimessage’s customers have much tougher on managing his recruitment strategy. “I “With the possibility of the their system and carry on with- already called on the firm to costs and productivity and don’t think we’ll ever have PSTN switch off in less than out interruption. manage their inventory in its take a far leaner operational the need for everyone in five years, and with the Covid- “For those businesses that warehouse, while at the same approach following Covi- the business to work under 19 experience under their belts, had planned properly and have time looking to improve their 19, according to T-Tech MD the same roof again, and IT professionals need greater secure and stable comms, their SLA performance and extend Daniel Teacher. “An enormous we should be able to recruit flexibility moving forward,” next goal is to look not just at geographical reach. amount can be achieved from across the country to added Rickett. “It won’t be long how to keep teams collaborating “Managing inventory to sup- remotely beyond many make sure that we get the before many of them extend productively, but how to ensure port customer faults is some- peoples’ expectations,” he right skilled and motivated their entire unified communi- the individuals in those teams times overlooked, often relying stated. “No employer has an people through the door,” cations structure to the cloud.” are managing themselves. on engineer spares and purchas- excuse to say people can’t he commented. “We may Rickett noted that the lock- “This human aspect will be ing urgent parts from distribu- work from home on a regular think that the last few weeks down and home working stam- a key driver for how organi- tors or resellers of refurbished basis. There will be less have been extraordinary. pede was well managed by busi- sations assess their needs and equipment,” added Cunnane. office space as a result but But perhaps this is only a nesses practiced in dealing with make decisions about their ICT Multimessage’s professional the value of IT as a currency taste of the many kinds to business continuity matters. requirements in the future.” services include the manage- has gone up. People need upheavals to come, for all “Some were well prepared, ment of voice, data and net- laptops, cloud technology and Got a news story? email: with our survey showing that working inventory to support sectors, that will bring both [email protected] communication tools. This opportunities and threats.” 24% already had the infrastruc- maintenance contracts. will only continue to grow.”
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HPE takes a Air IT swoops NEWS ROUNDUP CIRRUS has appointed Dean Cook as Finance Director and Bernard Ross joins the firm as Customer Operations Covid-19 hit on sales chief Director for the UK and North American operations. FORMER GCI-ers Mark infrastructure Whitehead also The hires come two months Whitehead and John Whitty noted that Air IT expects future after the merger between have reunited following the hire growth to come from its cyber Cirrus and TelXL. Cook of Whitehead as Air IT’s Sales security and business intelli- brings more than 20 years Director. The firm appointed gence services. of finance experience from Whitty as CEO in February “As businesses get more data PwC, KPMG and a range when new Chairman Ian Brown heavy there will be an increased of SMEs. Ross has over 30 kicked off an aggressive expan- need to consolidate information years experience in the ICT Antonio Neri sion campaign supported by as well as greater emphasis on industry and moved from investment from August Equity. data protection due to cyber Britannic Technologies where HPE has embarked on a three well positioned to accelerate our The Nottingham-based MSP security threats,” he said. he was Head of Operations. year cost cutting programme edge-to-cloud strategy in a post- intends to make bolt-on acquisi- Whitty commented: “The after posting a lack lustre set of Covid-19 world.” tions and yield greater organic addition of Mark as Sales TRITON Telecom owner results for the second quarter HPE is bringing in a ‘cost growth with Whitehead at the Director will allow us to Dean Billington wasted no ended 30th April, with revenues optimisation and prioritisation forefront of its ambitions. strengthen our service and help time in helping three local down 16% at $6bn. plan’ to refocus investments and He commented: “My expe- clients enhance their businesses organisations overcome In the same quarter last year ‘realign the workforce’ to areas rience includes introducing as we move into the next phase pressing challenges amid the the company posted a $434m of growth. new technologies at the right of our development.” Covid-19 crisis. He provided a operating profit. This time it This includes measures to time that are game-changing for Air IT employs over 80 full- 4G broadband connection and disclosed a $834m operating simplify its product portfolio businesses. I aim to help new time staff and has more than hardware loss. The financials are reflec- strategy, go-to-market configu- and existing clients transform in 500-plus SME customers. The free of tive of supply chains being hit rations, supply chain structures, the post-pandemic era.” company has experienced 30% charge to and deployments delayed as a digital customer support model Along with an accelerat- year-on-year growth over the Essentials result of the pandemic. and marketing. ed transition to cloud-based past three years. Delivery, HPE said it will not provide HPE expects that the plan which fiscal year 2020 third quarter or will be implemented through to provides food, personal goods full year financial guidance. fiscal year 2022 and estimates and household items for the “The global economic lock- that it will include gross savings elderly, vulnerable and NHS down significantly impacted of at least $1bn through chang- workers in the Birmingham our fiscal Q2 financial perfor- es to the company’s workforce, and Solihull region. Billington mance,” commented Antonio real estate model and business also donated 100 full-face Neri, President and CEO. process improvements. shields to Birmingham St “We are taking decisive The plan is also expected Mary’s Hospice (pictured); and steps to navigate the near-term to deliver annualised net run- donated a Xbox to University uncertainty while ensuring rate savings of at least $800m Hospitals Birmingham Charity we align resources to priority by fiscal year 2022-end (when in response to its appeal to Mark Whitehead growth areas, so that we are compared to 2019). kit-out the staff break areas.
RECOVERY is under way in the general tech M&A market Sage sees solid H1: Issues cautionary with targets tending to be the smaller companies, according to Jonathan Simnett, Director note over virus impacted H2 outlook of tech M&A firm Hampleton Partners. “In terms of how SAGE Group reported a solid the group with organic revenue things are looking currently, first half but cautioned that up 10% to £198m, including a overall we’re seeing little H2 will be more reflective of 13% rise in recurring revenue. change in the amount of tech impacts due to the pandemic Across the full year the firm M&A deals being done,” he driving licence and professional anticipates organic recurring said. “Tech deal volumes in services sales down. revenue growth will be below the first third of 2020 are on For the six months ended its previous guidance of 8%-9%. a par with 2019 and 2018.” 31st March 2020 the financial Steve Hare, CEO, comm- He also noted that the size software firm witnessed organic Steve Hare ented: “Sage has sustained mo- profile of acquired firms has sales growth of 5.7% to £935m. mentum as we continue to focus declined sharply with around The company’s operating revenue jumped 10.3% to model and the Sage Business on recurring revenue growth 90% of deals being for sub- profit measured £213m, a 3% £826m with more customers Cloud. The Northern Europe and making good progress in $200m turnover companies, increase. Meanwhile, recurring migrating to a subscription region outperformed the rest of strategic execution.” up from 60% in January.
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Wyld deploys mesh Hardware NEWS ROUNDUP COMPUTACENTER has issued sales take a positive trading statement and taken its UK staff off the Government furlough scheme. tech to tackle virus a tumble Its unaudited financials for the four months to 30th April MESH technology designed THE Covid-19 pandemic has 2020 include the impact by Wyld Networks to deliver had a bigger impact on mar- of Covid-19. The company services in areas where people ket demand for hardware than said that current trading congregate has been repurposed software or services, but some was ‘more robust’ than to aid the fight against Covid-19 sectors like computing com- anticipated at the start of the in Scottish care homes. ponents continue to do well, crisis, and that business has The tech provides digital according to channel analysis ‘accelerated’ with important access and anonymised social from Context. contracts won due to its distance monitoring and alert- The market analysis firm ability to scale operations. So ing via a mobile app and mesh says that enterprise hardware much so that Computacenter wireless network of connected revenues declined from -1% expects the first half of 2020 smartphones and IoT devices. year-on-year in January to -11% to be ahead of the same The system creates virtu- in March and -17% in April, period last year. CEO Mike al geozones around the care Alastair Williamson while services have increased Norris said the business home and particularly sensitive to 4% in April and software had used the furlough or quarantined areas to con- The technology may also Wyld Networks CEO, Ala- revenues slipped from 10% to scheme for one month. trol access, as well as dynamic have broader applications in stair Williamson, commented: 4% over the period. personal two-metre geozones helping other businesses get “By using Wyld’s real-time Of the major categories, US-BASED security firm around everyone with the app. back to work. data analytics platform, care those experiencing some of the Cygilant has entered All staff and visitors will Statistics from the National home managers can contact and biggest declines in revenue from expansion mode and is be required to download the Records of Scotland show that advise anyone who has been in January to April were servers targeting the European mobile app and input Covid-19 more than half of the recorded close contact with someone who (-10%), continuing a historic market from a new office and test results, and enter any symp- coronavirus deaths in Scotland tested positive with Covid-19 or decline, large format displays security operations centre toms into a self-diagnostic algo- were in care homes. develops symptoms. (-8%) and disk arrays (-7%). established in Belfast, the rithm embedded in the applica- “Supporting innovation “Our mesh technology was “While the Covid-19 crisis sister city of Boston where tion to create a risk profile. across the healthcare system is designed for applications such has impacted sales volumes in it is headquartered. The Residents without a smart- more important than ever and as sporting events, music festi- March and April, long-term company has a particular phone could be given electronic will be central to securing trans- vals, retail centres and transport drivers are of greater signif- interest in the finance, wristbands or similar. formation and improved care,” hubs to deliver location-aware icance to data centre infra- education, healthcare Anyone approaching a geo- said Frances Hines, Research, information. But it quickly structure with the move from and retail sectors. Invest zone will be sent a message Development and Innovation became clear that it could play a on-premise to cloud affecting Northern Ireland, the regional instantly to let them know if Manager in NHS Highland. vital role in protecting residents, negatively the sales of main- business development they are allowed to enter. Wyld “Creating the conditions for staff and visitors in care homes, stream servers and storage agency, supported Cygilant’s Networks is working with NHS more collaborative approaches hospitals and hospices.” systems through distribution,” expansion into the region by Highland and Highland Health to innovation and enabling the commented Gurvan Meyer, helping to secure office space, Got a news story? email: Ventures to help prevent the adoption of new technologies Senior Research Analyst and foster local partnerships and [email protected] spread of Covid-19. will be key.” Head of the Enterprise Team. increase local hiring efforts. Comms Dealer in your hand available now!
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SPECIAL REPORT Emerging from Covid-19 lockdown with strength
Telltale signs of what will happen when the UK is freed from lockdown were revealed at last month’s online round table discussion hosted by Comms Dealer in association with BT Wholesale, where renewal and operational space to innovate and strategise emerged as key factors, along with workplace transformation and developing a collective more flexible partnership approach that will better position channel players for future success.
s the UK emerges informed and supportive is useful for a lot of people. from lockdown communication a key We’ve focused on running Covid-19 will still element of easing staff sessions, projects, team glare at us daily, fears and uncertainty over meetings and doing sales Aso we must come to exist in the future – and in helping reviews. This helps people a new reality. Some people them to adapt to working feel that the business is think the channel’s greatest remotely. Maintaining a behaving as we always have challenge is getting back to sense of Business as Usual done. We just happen to be BAU following the eventual is also key. Continuity scattered across the UK. release of lockdown. They of work is evident in are wrong. The greatest how furloughed staff are Steve Warburton, challenge will be identifying being trained in areas Managing Director, and capitalising on the many that will make them more Gavin Jones Zen Partner new opportunities that exist productive post-lockdown. We’ve seen a number of as a result of Covid-19. Our delegates also improvements from home One indication of this is the learned a thing or two.... Now, it’s time to think about working, which can also link between the services boost staff morale. We’ve ICT providers deliver and a Matt Wring, Chief what we can do differently been communicating business community with no Technical Officer, Southern regularly. Open and choice other than to undergo Communications and how we can focus more honest communication a digital transformation. Staff have had time to think sharply rather than get lost is a lesson learnt for us Likewise, there was no option about their lives and what going forward. We will about the jolt to home they want to do. Some may on the runway continue this with all staff. working environments... want to do something else. We should look at what realised there wasn’t going our business and our people. • It is clear in retrospect • Our round table is happening in our staffs’ to be a need for staff, and It’s people first, and all about that ‘old school’ thinking delegates have taken heads. We learned about there has been much concern looking after the people who on home working is strong measures to the character of our staff over whether people will lose look after our business. exactly that. Now, all support employees’ and how we can work with their jobs. We’ve learnt a caution about staff wellbeing at home with them more flexibly in line lot about our duty of care. Phil Race, Chief working from home has with their home environment. Executive Officer, Adept It’s been an eye opener. Stuart Davis, Executive Technology Group Chairman, Bamboo Staff are in various states of Matthew Croxford, Technology Group uncertainty and fear over the Director, CityTalk Good, open and honest future, so it’s important to Communications comms with staff is key. over communicate. We’ve We talk to staff regularly. We have to embrace more done this in different ways via Communication has been trust in our employees. video conferencing, recorded key in making sure they are Working from home gave videos and newsletters, reassured and their mental us no choice, but it’s been a constantly reassuring people wellbeing is maintained. We positive move forward and that the wheels are still Matt Wring Phil Race started furloughing when we changes the way we look at turning. Reassurance of BAU
Emerging from Covid-19 with strength
16 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com SPECIAL REPORT Emerging from Covid-19 lockdown with strength
been cast to the winds; surprised that productivity less buildings and more and round table delegates from home workers is the flexibility in contracts and were eager to show same as in the office. We how they work. We believe themselves as favouring want to switch to more that’s where the industry the shift to remote remote work environments. will potentially go, based working at a time when on people wanting to close they need to be more fit Steve Warburton, offices and work from home. for purpose than ever... Managing Director, Zen Partner • What is also clear is Matt Wring, Chief We’ll see changes in our use that the application of Technical Officer, Southern Wayne Cartwright of premises. We currently bureaucratic principles Franki Hale Communications have a head office in long associated with Our business and the way we have 308 – in the form of Rochdale that houses circa innovation and product business. It is important to operate is a lot more robust bedrooms, kitchens and 500 people. We have a development do not apply have a development arm in and diverse in structure studies. In the future we premises in Leeds and we in lockdown, accelerating the organisation and make compared to January. It’s may rationalise the business are looking at taking some product pipelines as sure that you are innovating been a challenge for some in a more elegant away and space in London. We may service providers take a technology for the future. of our customers but the not plan around offices or see a move to a situation more ‘get it done’ and We are building a platform reality is that flexibility is a physical locations – I don’t where we’ll be employing flexible vantage point... that will enable people to real positive. We’ve learnt need them. It’s a massive people nationwide from be more self-serving. we can work at home. cost burden. Why are we home, and potentially Gavin Jones, Channel We didn’t think we could, dragging people to an office? utilising more flexible office Director, BT Wholesale • Overnight our industry but we pushed almost space anywhere in the UK. With more time you tend to has become more of everyone out of the office. Wayne Cartwright, CEO, be more innovative. We’ve a science with its key Communicate Better Franki Hale, Director of launched new processes on elements needing to Phil Race, Chief I’ve been wanting to gain Strategy and Change, our service desk which have be understood before Executive Officer, Adept insights into areas of Convergence Group proved popular for dealing informing strategic Technology Group the business in terms of The transition to home with customers. Without this choices. With the stakes It’s been amazing to productivity for some time. working has been amazing. period it probably would have this high, there had to transform the business in The move to home working We already halved the taken a year-plus to think be a discussion on the a short space of time. We offered an opportunity and as office space in Solihull about the changes, write a issues that will guide had eight offices, now we I am more ‘old school’ I was as people were wanting few papers and go through more focused strategic committees. Now, it’s time business decisions now to think about what we can and in the future... do differently and how we Covid-19 trends and trajectories to consider can focus more sharply rather Franki Hale, Director of AS LOCKDOWN restrictions gradually ease it is wise to explore how to manage than get lost on the runway. Strategy and Change, the impact of the outbreak and identify strategies and courses of action that will Convergence Group ensure ICT providers emerge stronger and with a renewed outlook and clearer Matthew Croxford, With less BAU and things sense of purpose. Part of this process involves an assessment of the organisational Director, CityTalk on hold, strategically we insights that the Covid-19 crisis has already brought about, and then explore Communications have probably done more ways to strategise and capitalise on these learnings, which are many and varied. We have an internal in seven weeks than we’ve This requires analysis and planning, based on the key strategic priorities that development team and done in seven months. Its emerged from the round table discussion that will make us stronger than before. platform for all teams and all about strategy and we Action points departments which has given need to keep the momentum • Understand the ‘new workspace’ and drive productivity based us granularity around insights going. If we could bottle on trusting your staff and building on flexibility gains. into what is happening in our what we are doing now and feed it to everyone twice a • Seek to optimise channel partnerships with greater levels of mutual trust and flexibility, creating the conditions for much needed collaboration. day we’re onto a winner. • Supercharge innovation and product or platform development Matt Wring, Chief with a sharper focus on creativity and getting things done. Technical Officer, Southern • Prepare your workforce for the new world with, for example, sales training. Communications • Leverage your new-found flexibility to ramp up after lockdown. We are terrible in this country It can help as you transition into the ‘new normal’. at investing in our futures. • Strategic rethinks are the first step in driving and accelerating operational We are driven by the day- changes, shifts in focus, the creation of new business models and capitalising to-day. Now, we have an on new market opportunities, as well as engaging more closely with staff opportunity to take an Matthew Croxford and customers. So make the most of this time to think and plan. Continued on page 18
Emerging from Covid-19 with strength
www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 17 SPECIAL REPORT
Continued on page 17 space to elevate higher customer needs equate operational pause and think levels of thinking and take to an opening of the more strategically. These faster actions, including opportunity sluice gates... restrictions will be with us for the adoption of new a long time, so we need to sales approaches... Phil Race, Chief better understand and work Executive Officer, Adept out how to live with this new Matthew Croxford, Technology Group reality. We should be thinking Director, CityTalk A lot of conversations with about what entrepreneurs Communications customers pre-Covid about are doing, where the next Sales methods in CityTalk updating technology can be shift is coming from and how Stuart Davis have changed. These changes lower down the priority list, Mark Cowgill we service the support layer won’t just last a few months put off until another time. underpinning those trends. work moving forward – how after we come out of this But Covid-19 has brought to all still operating but in a That, more than anything we work with the right crisis, they are here to stay. the fore their ICT challenges different way. We’re now else, will drive our industry. customers and the right One of the challenges will and difficulties, all of which seen as the fourth utility, channel partners. You have be upskilling the ‘old school’ represent opportunities. which is recognition of the • The thoughts and to be of the same mindset who are used to knocking on People will want to address significance of connectivity actions of our round to get things moving quickly. doors, filling out paperwork, those shortcomings so they and underlines the table delegates suggest We are speculating at the making friends. We’re can continue to be resilient importance of a good service they are adopting new moment, not completely going to have to provide a at this difficult time. So provider and service partner. approaches to customers sure about what our lot more training and have while we wait for the new Dark fibre gives us a big and channel partners customers will be needing been working on training world we should make the opportunity. Providing up to in delivering digital in the future. Commercially courses with furloughed sales most of the current one. 100 gigabit per second gives solutions. There is only one we will also do things a people so when they come us an opportunity in bigger obstacle, inflexibility, but lot differently and start to back they are more in tune. Stuart Davis, Executive markets where we may that could soon become look at offers and services Chairman, Bamboo not have been considered a thing of the past... rather than product. We can Phil Race, Chief Technology Group contenders, so we are build on the commerciality Executive Officer, Adept Business continuity generally looking at larger projects. Phil Race, Chief of product in a better way. Technology Group had not been taken Executive Officer, Adept What is clear is the need Many of our customers’ seriously enough. Now we Gavin Jones, Channel Technology Group for open discussions with concerns are long-term are seeing people engage Director, BT Wholesale Continuing to get the best partners and to have some – will they still be here in with us and move to a We’ve shown that our out of partnerships is key, flexibility to move forward. the future? Customers are digital infrastructure much networks have got a lot and in this stressed world It’s about how we arrive worried about their long-term quicker than they previously more performance and you really find out who at a resolution together. capacity than we dreamed your partners are. We are of. There were questions as having good conversations Gavin Jones, Channel The message is that we need to whether we could cope with all of our top partners Director, BT Wholesale to be more flexible and work with the nation’s demand, on how we make this It’s about talking to our especially in broadband work, identifying what we customers and making together, and put trust in and service, between us all can do better and how to sure we are continuing to we’ve shown that we can make things more efficient. communicate, and to use each other in the right areas deliver. We are definitely the The collaboration and some of this time on new fourth utility. The response partnership theme is key. ideas, and keeping the viability, their scale, working expected. The Bank of from customers and partners momentum up on developing behaviours and patterns. England forecasts that Covid- across the industry has been Franki Hale, Director of some of those ideas and There is a lot of uncertainty. 19 will fast track investment remarkably positive. We Strategy and Change, thoughts for the partner The sales team needs to in digital infrastructure – can all be proud about how Convergence Group channel. The message is dig under the cover and upgrading systems, improving we helped the UK through We’ve had lots of that we need to be more fully understand customer productivity and greater this challenging period. conversations with different flexible and work together, challenges and fears. We automation. These are things suppliers and discussions and put trust in each other typically gear up our business we can jump on, along with Pritesh Gajjar, Managing around flexibility on billing in the right areas moving on three year contracts. That productivity monitoring and Director, Aastha and supply for example is forward, leaving no-one out doesn’t wash now, so we reporting which is becoming I’ve been thinking more key. Flexibility is massively to dry. That is the way to are trying to be adaptable, more important. We have the about our customers, looking important to the way we succeed. We are using this flexible and creative. We’re technology to build platforms at which are profitable, time to try and get closer going to have to break some that give business owners to partners and get rid of real standard paradigms and managers a better view some of the bureaucracy and that will require a lot of of what’s happening in home in the ways we work. collaboration with partners. working environments.
• Strengthening your • It is time to consider Mark Cowgill, Director and strategic focus and how to capitalise on Co-Founder, Exa Networks efficiencies and seeking digital transformations Sales were down against new revenue streams as organisations move budget by 30 per cent last are not necessarily new to remote working and month but we still did a priorities, but Covid-19 require tech upgrades. significant number of new Steve Warburton Pritesh Gajjar has provided time and In this, immediate deals. The sales team are
Emerging from Covid-19 with strength
18 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com SPECIAL REPORT which are vulnerable, which Bites from are long-term and placing them into segments. This the table... means I have to perhaps let What is suffering within the some of them go to look business is a big unknown. after others better and make Which areas amid the malaise will start to show later on? space for more customers. YOUR KEY TO There is an opportunity to Matt Wring, Chief capitalise on the fact that Technical Officer, Southern SD-WAN REVENUES Communications people are going to be working remotely and using Julian Burkill Traditional business will technology more and more. diminish, and there will be a WEDNESDAY 15 JULY lot of requests for disaster know at the moment what recovery and home workers. 14.00-15.30 • Familiarise yourself with will drive our businesses. the big technology shifts When ADSL emerged, that’s Julian Burkill, Technical Director, BDR Group when Amazon and Google because the impact of Your Key to SD-WAN Revenues is the first etc started out. There is a The key is 5G and the extra their longer-term outputs in Comms Dealer’s new series of online is largely unknown. And big question about what bandwidth that will be made available. It will be networking sessions, MarketsUnlocked, which scenario planning may is truly our future: It’s got all digital, and I see a huge will help channel partners unlock new and to be digital, far more self- help to apply some insight opportunity for our industry. emerging technology markets. into what is essentially serve and intuitive. There is Pritesh Gajjar, Managing an uncharted landscape Director, Aastha In these short and informal online sessions – the future of business industry experts will share insight, experiences communications... There are We’ve seen productivity improvements. New features and ideas which can help you expand into on our roadmap are coming new technologies, or improve your existing Gavin Jones, Channel so many out of the door quicker. practices and win more business. Director, BT Wholesale positives. The lack of distraction There are two seminal has been a benefit. Including interviews with end user IT directors/ investment trends: 5G, which We can all Steve Warburton, CIOs, successful resellers or technology providers, has the ability to revolutionise Managing Director, sessions will cover: what we do. We think of be proud Zen Partner mobile predominantly as We needed to furlough Why managed SD-WAN? having a handset and being about how we the sales function while Why SD-WAN and its networking capabilities able to download a video, keeping service people have never been more applicable – particularly but there’s loads more helped the UK operational. We’ve been in this period of Covid-19 enforced workplace coming during the next few through this doing installs, fulfilling transformation. years. And growth of FTTP: projects – we are still busy. Regardless of what BT is period Wayne Cartwright, CEO, Network optimisation and why it matters doing there’s lots of other Communicate Better New opportunities to bring network intelligence, people out there and the immense potential just in We need to think about analytics, enhanced application performance, average download speeds are core telecoms to build out to living with Covid-19 for security, predictive bandwidth management, something like 54-55 meg. the future. Imagine 20 million a long period of time, so reduced TCO and maximised network Just BT alone has committed households pushing 300 meg the offerings we take to throughput to your customers. to serving circa 70 per cent of down. It’s going to change businesses need to be more the population by 2025. It’s our lives in many ways and holistically thought out. Simplifying network management going to create a bow wave bring new business ideas. We Phil Race, Chief Discover ways to create value added services for of data, information and just don’t know what it will Executive Officer, Adept your customers requiring distributed networks in opportunities. Yet we don’t look like right now. n Technology Group the post-Covid-19 world.
Are you on the road to autonomous More points to consider networking? Practical next steps to start your SD-WAN • Think about how to capitalise on digital transformations as journey organisations move to remote working and require tech upgrades. • Get under the skin of your customers and understand their longer-term considerations, challenges and strategic shifts arising from Covid-19. Register now at: • Explore opportunities focused on becoming more flexible in customer www.markets-unlocked.co.uk and partner relationships, arising from uncertainties over the future. • Assess the resources your company now needs to meet your business and customer requirements. For further details about this and future • It is critical that future planning considers the longer-term market Markets Unlocked events, contact context that you may be operating in. How else can you make the fully Simon Turton on 07759 731134 considered strategic decisions that will underpin your sustainability? • Navigate ways to stabilise existing customer bases and make the most of their receptiveness to technology upgrades while preparing for future sponsored by revenue and profitability mixes, which are perhaps less predictable now.
Emerging from Covid-19 with strength www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 19 BUSINESS INTERVIEW Gilder brings new energy as Colt CEO
That ‘energy’ features prominently in Keri Gilder’s modus operandi is not only evident in her approach to learning, leadership, diversity, developing peoples’ careers and advancing business growth strategies, but also in her music collection where vinyl, heavy metal and Metallica reign. Here’s how she plans to rock as Colt Technology Services’ new CEO...
ilder joined Colt as customers, and services Chief Commercial that are fully transparent Officer in November in regards to the way they 2018 and became operate. Automation will be GCEO last month following a big focus for us moving the departure of former forward, because we know Chief Executive Carl Grivner. automation has the power Not for nothing has Gilder to improve the customer developed a reputation experience and security. for her leadership skills and bringing energy to What will be the main all aspects of her career, strands of your partner as she explains… growth strategy? It’s critical that we are part What got you onto the of a wider technological career path in ICT? ecosystem so that our I started my career with customers can work with one a degree in management connectivity provider that can information systems and connect them to the data worked as a network centre, the cloud, the edge architect before I moved into and all the other touchpoints sales with Ciena. Coming they require. We have been into sales with a technical ensuring we can do this for background gave me the Keri Gilder some time by expanding our confidence to speak about relationships with the key a range of challenges Cloud Service Providers and a customer may be My job as a leader is to enable our people to System Integrators so that experiencing. I have a strong however and wherever our desire to keep learning, and look into the future and plan for it today customers want to connect, as technology moves fast we can facilitate that. In it is also critical to have an of my first task – I will be have a great strategy and Blockchain, Edge and AI, terms of an evolution of this, open mind about what the doing a significant amount of foundation to build upon, all need a dense, agile, we are now working with future might bring in order listening and learning to help so what I’m really looking high bandwidth network our partners to develop joint to enable a truly connected make the critical decisions. to do is augment a few to power them and this go-to-market strategies so we world. Although it is labelled areas of the business and next decade will change can work more collaboratively as a ‘soft skill’, I believe that What are your elements of the strategy to the face of our industry to make enterprise it was one of the critical current priorities? truly take us into the future. in more ways than one. connectivity as seamless criteria in my CEO selection. When you become a CEO the and effortless as possible. first thing you have to think Where is growth Which new technology Why did you take the about is your employees coming from? areas are on your Where do you see Colt in role of CEO and what because they are the heart The next phase of growth radar screen? three to five years time? was your first task? and soul of the business. I for Colt will be in next- If I look at the trends in We implemented Becoming a CEO has been a will be looking into how I can wave technologies and also the industry right now, technologies such as SD long time career aspiration, help them develop and move expanding on our role within one of the major ones is WAN and on-demand and the fact that it has obstacles. This will enable the wider technological around automation and networking before there was happened in a sector I have us to incubate the best ecosystem. The technologies creating capabilities that even a solid business case worked in for more than 20 ideas and ways of working. that are going to transform enable a reliable, secure, for them. For me, I see Colt years is exciting. In terms We have a solid base, we our industry, such as and a fast service for our having the same innovation
20 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com BUSINESS INTERVIEW
Gilder brings new energy as Colt CEO Unleash
at its core moving forward. levels. Now I am involved in full fibre To get there, we need to Network25 which champions Just a minute with remain nimble, customer women at Colt as well Keri Gilder... focused and also ready for as wider Inclusion and Role model: Marie Curie, the constantly changing Diversity initiatives within the a pioneer in technology on your nature of our industry. We business, because for me, and science before it was are planning for and creating it’s essential that everyone really possible (and cool) solutions to problems that can bring their authentic for women to be seen as leaders in the sector. customers don’t exist yet. Our network selves to work – regardless and organisation is built of their gender, age, race or Your main strength and what to change, and my job as sexual orientation. I am also could you work on? I have a lot of energy and truly value a leader is to enable our on the executive diversity Broadband. diversity, but I could work people to look into the team for the TM Forum. on learning quicker as the Built for speed. future and plan for it today. world is moving so fast. How should the ICT sector Best piece of advice you Built for business. Looking back across address the diversity issue? have been given? Prioritise A big factor for increasing your career, what is your your time. This means biggest achievement? greater diversity in ICT is blocking time in my calendar Unleashing fibre across the nation, connect- Seeing how people in my starting the conversation and making time for the ing more businesses in hard-to-reach areas, past teams have progressed early. I am a strong believer in things that matter most. guaranteeing speeds no one else can. Partner with Glide to provide best in class broadband their careers, how they getting girls and people from If you weren’t in for your customers. have embraced learning more diverse backgrounds communications what would and moved into new areas into STEAM subjects. They you be doing? A sports coach of the industry or even into not only give you the or a travel photographer adjacent industries. I place technology and science – two of my passions. Fibre connectivity direct from our unique national network and over a high value on personal fundamentals, they also set Name three ideal dinner to your customers. development as a manager you up to seek knowledge guests: Peyton Manning, an and it puts a smile on my and to be constantly incredible athlete and he’s face when I am able to see learning, which is critical for also hilarious; Bill Gates, Superfast broadband to MPLS those that I have worked succeeding in this sector. I not only is he wicked smart, networks. Glide has you covered. with in the past shine bright. also think flexibility will be he is also an amazing a key factor for increasing humanitarian; and a seven- Our purpose-built partner portal year-old kid, it would be makes doing business with Glide easy. As a successful diversity going forward and interesting to get perspectives we are already looking to woman in ICT, did you from the generation to meet any challenges adjust our ways of working come, and I would love to based on gender? to help facilitate this. see how Peyton and Bill My experiences as a woman would interact with them. in telecommunications Historically, certain people What’s the biggest risk have been mostly positive. might not have been able to you have taken? Moving However, there were times succeed in a typical corporate outside of the United States. when I was the only woman environment. But in this era It didn’t just affect me, it in the room or the only of flexibility we might get affected my entire family. female network architect. people into our business who Tell us something about That can be intimidating. previously felt they could not yourself we don’t know: It did at times feel like I work in a typical 9-5 job. I love music, particularly had to continue to prove They could be people who heavy metal and vinyl. why I was capable in order have taken career breaks, Metallica is by far my to be considered to lead people who have to care favourite band. I have seen them five times in concert. the project, the team or for others in their lives or the region. This has made possibly people who can’t What talent do you wish me want to ensure that all commute or work in a typical you had? To read very fast. women feel accepted and office environment. So, I There are so many books that I would like to read. valued in the sector. This believe as the workplace How do you relax when not lead me to start Women@ changes, this could be the 0345 5911 766 Ciena – Ciena’s global perfect opportunity to open working? My kids say I don’t know how to relax, but I find [email protected] internal diversity initiative, up our sector to a wider taking very long walks and glidegroup.co.uk/business-broadband which strives to encourage population because we all working on tangible projects diversity through motivating benefit when there are more with an immediate result and inspiring women at all voices in the room. n relaxing and rejuvenating. To advertise in contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411 www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 21
Comms Dealer & Comms Business Adverts AD 1.indd 1 20/03/2020 10:37 BUSINESS PROFILE Apalo leaves launch pad
Apalo’s Business Development Director Philippe Matos is promising to elevate the current state of UCaaS solutions in the UK with a new platform developed for the channel and launched by the ambitious firm this month.
rench born Matos, a provides national and man of many tongues, international calls and data, Just a minute with crossed the channel with TLS SRTP encrypted call Philippe Matos... in 1994 to immerse traffic as standard and SBC Role model: Alex Rowe, F one of the most decorated himself in a new language, management for monitoring a new way of life and make and fraud prevention. members of the French England his home. Likewise, Legionnaire (he was born in Newcastle). He didn’t Apalo (the brainchild of Eg “Business communications make it in the British Technologies) has branched is evolving at a faster rate Army on medical grounds, into new territory as it than ever with working space but never gave up. seeks to advance its first becoming more agile along Best piece of advice you channel partner offering with a greater reliance on have been given? Don’t having supported other UC,” added Matos. “The waste time, stay focused industry players and brands way we communicate has and always keep learning. in the past to develop their changed and we know that What talent do you wish you strategy, business plans and moving forwards having an Philippe Matos had? To be a hyperpolyglot! grow their customer bases. IP PBX or hosted telephony I love languages and platform will not be enough. speak French, Spanish, “Apalo will change that Business communications Users want a truly unified Portuguese, Italian and approach and is a key turning collaboration platform English, with more to come. point for Eg Technologies,” is evolving at a faster rate and our team is focused Tell us something about stated Matos. “Apalo on launching Apalo to the yourself we don’t know: I is a new Mobile First than ever with working space channel and ensuring we are held the record for running Communications Platform ready to onboard partners. 500 metres and for rowing where UCaaS, CCaaS and becoming more agile along Our ongoing opportunity 2,500 metres in my region mobile are integrated in is to build on relationships of France for over 15 years. a single solution that is with a greater reliance on UC and industry knowledge What do you fear most? accessible any time through and continue to develop Enclosed spaces. any device. We’ve invested develop the platform, CRM integration and the our integrated service.” Name three ideal dinner heavily in the platform and including Nick Razey, Simon lack of a real all-in-one guests: Jean Pierre Rive, a have big ambitions for us Taylor and Rob Edwards. platform is a growing In more good news for legend of French rugby; and our channel partners.” Razey and Taylor have led frustration for end users,” partners, enthused Matos, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, a number of successful stated Matos. “Remote Apalo integrates with MS the oceanographer; and Zahi Hawass to find Matos perhaps understates ventures including founding and home worker demand Teams and Zoom. “Things out the secrets of the the extent of his ambition Interoute and Next has increased considerably have changed so much in Valley of the Kings. when you consider that he Generation Data Europe. EG and will only continue to recent months and every Give one example of wants Apalo to become Technologies itself was set up grow, both for core working business is finding a new something you have the number one integrated in 2011 and has developed and business continuity.” normal and new ways of overcome: Pain during platform provider for mobile the insight it needs to working,” he added. “The my youth playing and UC&C in the UK. He attract and onboard partners Overcoming limitations Covid-19 period underlines rugby in France. says his objective is solidly wanting to deliver mobile, Matos says that Apalo our thinking about never What possession could you underpinned by the platform telephony and collaboration circumvents the challenge holding back on innovation not live without? The picture which bristles with 100-plus tools, says Matos. faced by providers that and always putting the of my family on the home features and is presented need to engage with several customer first. I love the screen of my smartphone. with the appropriate tech “The time of simply picking partners to give customers industry, ensuring people What’s the biggest risk you back-up and support, and up a desk phone in the what they want and bring stay in touch through ever have taken? Boasting to is therefore positioned as office has gone, and the UCaaS under one roof, changing technology and my Scottish father-in-law an alternative to CSPs. paucity of core features such with services sometimes the new opportunities this that I was great at golf as presence status, IM, file forced together through brings, which is particularly before playing my very Key industry figures joined and screen sharing, video functionality-limited OTT important when you look at first round with him. I’ve the Apalo team to help and audio conferencing, applications. Apalo also what’s happening now.” n still never lived it down!
22 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com THE ONLY WAY IS UP
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SPONSORS BUSINESS INTERVIEW NEC’s gaze falls on global cloud top spot
NEC’s heritage and standing in the comms sector makes it something of an industry hero, and its big ambitions in the global cloud market are just as notable, according to Sales Director Andrew Cooper.
Andrew Cooper
Many resellers have a fear of just becoming an agent, especially with cloud solutions. It’s important that they continue to own their customers
ooper started his current suppliers. One of In April NEC linked up with offer choice and our ambition and the follow-on expanded comms career in the first key systems sold by Intermedia, enabling it to to lead in both premise and offering will integrate with the mobile industry, British Telecom was made ramp up its global cloud cloud is stronger than ever,” NEC premise-based systems. working with fitted by Nitsuko, a part of NEC. comms and collaboration said Cooper. “This, combined The partnership was hailed C‘In Car’ telephony, long With such a rich pedigree, it services strategy with the with our 100 per cent as significant in the industry before the days of the should come as no surprise launch of UNIVERGE BLUE channel focus and financial by sector analysts, among mobile. NEC’s origins reach that NEC is aiming to take Connect UCaaS solutions and stability, is at the core of them Elka Popova, Vice back even further to 1899 the global top spot across all the UNIVERGE BLUE Engage our channel offering.” President, Information when it was formed as a aspects of communications. CCaaS offering. The move and Communications partnership with Kunihiko And according to Cooper, comes as NEC builds on its Big move Technologies at Frost & Iwadare and Thomas Edison. the vendor’s timely entry into prowess in the global premise UNIVERGE BLUE will be sold Sullivan, who rated the deal Not surprisingly NEC’s UK the cloud market will write market, with the UK in the primarily under private label as a big move for both NEC involvement goes back the next chapter or two in ascendancy. “With Intermedia through a network of reseller and Intermedia. “When you beyond most of today’s the history book of NEC. joint venture our strategy to partners and IT distributors; combine NEC’s reach and
24 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com BUSINESS INTERVIEW NEC’s gaze falls on global cloud top spot
relationship with its channel transition to cloud solutions and Intermedia’s UCaaS has continued to accelerate Just a minute with and CCaaS offerings, you with growth of over 15 per Andrew Cooper... have to take notice,” she cent. Whatever happens next, Role model: Too many to name. I’ve been lucky MS Teams said. “Now, more than ever, choice will be the key.” this gives NEC a clear path enough to learn from some great mentors over my career to help its customers with Evolution is key and have tried to adopt, their cloud migration.” Also of great significance is “Up” with adapt and then enact the the future place of resellers things I have learned. It must not be forgotten and Cooper has strong views What talent do you wish that NEC offers choice with on their role as essential VanillaIP you had? The foresight to premise, hybrid and cloud pillars in the ICT ecosystem, pick six numbers on the solutions. Cooper added: and the cruciality of their very week the lottery was “The decision is not one capacity to evolve with the at its highest prize value. HPBX being forced upon partners times and ride the wave Best piece of advice you or users of our technologies of industry changes will be have been given? Look after – that is for each of them to key. “Many resellers have your customers and your pay £2.51 monthly per user, decide what is best for their a fear of just becoming cheques look after themselves. particular circumstance. I’m an agent, especially with If you weren’t in comms for first 12 months* old enough to remember cloud solutions,” he what would you be doing? visiting Woolworths on a commented. “It’s important Something outdoors. I’d *Excludes Microsoft Licence Costs, conditions apply that they continue to far rather be working own their customers. outside than in an In our current office environment. climate it’s “Resellers must continue How would you like to be to evolve and consolidation remembered? As someone all about will also continue at pace who cared and strived to and undoubtedly create do things the right way survival of the new challenges. The larger a Give one example of LEADS business becomes the base something you’ve overcome: PROSPECTS adaptable principles may be the same Answering these questions. CU S but the implementation Name three ideal dinner STOMER Saturday morning, when becomes more challenging. guests: The three main faced with a single tube Some will thrive and some leaders of the modern of sweets or tucking into will fail. The key will be the world. Over a beer I’d like pick and mix, I knew choices they make in vendor to ask them if they’d each where my decision lay.” relationships, recruitment consider leaving a better legacy. Just imagine how of good staff, creating the different life could be for all. Cooper is pursuing a dual right strategies and the right strategy and his priorities environments for success.” Your biggest career achievement: Being part of are founded on the principle peoples’ development; and of customer choice. “We As with all business strategies the longevity of NEC’s team, are focusing resources on they must be put to the resellers and end users as 30-day contracts, enhancing our premise test, sooner rather than well as the healthy uptake real-time deployment portfolio alongside building later, believes Cooper. “The of new ones over the years. a strategy to enter the world market is transforming fast,” What do you fear most? Leeds of ‘all things as a service’ he stated. “The effects United being robbed of their Fully integrated with our UNIVERGE BLUE of coronavirus and the place in the Premier League. softphone app platform,” he said. “We lockdown will be with us for within the MS Who do you admire most Teams Window will all see and experience some time. UK business, and in the channel? I learnt a change in the market the UK channel will never be the most from Rocom’s as we move through, and the same again. According to founder Bob Old. Flexible – Only hopefully soon, past the the ONS, almost 49 per cent How do you relax when add to extensions current Covid-19 crisis. of adults in employment were not working? With two that require it At the end of 2019 the working from home as a sporty teenage children installed base of on-premises result of the social distancing downtime is in short supply. solutions still represented measures. In our current Top tip for resellers? 75 per cent of the total climate it’s all about survival Choose your supply UK installed base, but the of the adaptable.” n partners very carefully. Join the webinar vanillaip.com/webinars or call 0800 970 0971 To advertise in contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411 www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 25 BUSINESS PROFILE Mills: Demand for migrations hotting up
The diverse nature of customer projects sometimes makes them technologically challenging, difficult to win and hard to control. Enter Support to Win CEO Julie Mills whose support service fed swiftly into ever greater demand, especially for major migrations of all shapes and sizes.
he stumbling blocks for many resellers and channel organisations are what they always Thave been – a lack of skills and resource to secure and deploy projects of all sizes with a high degree of execution. Support to Win intervenes to remove such blocks, enabling businesses to circumvent big challenges to their growth prospects. “We fill the gaps in the reseller and carrier market, allowing CPs to sell and bill while we do the rest,” stated Mills. “We sit across all vendor technologies and handle major migration projects for operators and service providers, be it from platform to platform, network to network, on-prem Julie Mills to hosted or TDM to IP.”
Support to Win operates as a In just under three years we’ve gone from working in a change-enabler in the comms and UC market, facilitating garden outbuilding to having two office locations. That’s a the evolution of resellers, operators and service great feeling providers, and addressing the tactical need for expert The leitmotif running through achieve more,” she said. firm’s customer base is wide not selling comms but we support at all points in the Mills’ career narrative is “CEO James Palmer taught ranging and includes large, have all the experience to customer lifecycle. “One of that determination, tenacity me that success comes from global UCaaS businesses, support those that are. the big changes we have and hard work pays off. one thing – not giving up and national carriers and smaller Teaming up with Tamsin seen in the last 12 months is She started her career at working harder than you ever resellers and platform Deutrom-Yue – who was an increase of demand and BT 25 years ago where she knew you could. I took that owners. As well as covering my partner in crime at Nine market opportunity for our was a qualified trainer prior attitude into the founding the UK, the company has – has given Support to Win migration services,” added to managing call centre and launch of Train to Win also started delivering the twin perspectives of Mills. “This is opening doors teams. Mills then moved to and then Support to Win.” services throughout Europe. sales and delivery. Putting for us to partner with the MCI WorldCom working in us together was always leading UK platform owners. the channel followed by a Expansion “Our strategy is to continue going to produce a great To support this need we spell in sales with a reseller, Support to Win has grown growing the business and key company. And our portfolio opened a second office. from where she joined Nine quickly in terms of personnel, to this is staying relevant to is evolving, such as offering In just under three years Telecom and became Sales increasing heads from five the changing requirements a virtual onboarding service we’ve gone from working Director. “I have always to 25 in under two years. of the channel,” stated including video and AI.” in a garden outbuilding to worked in channel sales Mills’ near-term plan is to hit Mills. “We see value in our having two office locations. and my role at Nine shaped £1 million turnover within expertise and understanding The migration strategy That’s a great feeling.” my career and drove me to the next two years. The of the channel. We are advanced by Support to Win
Building your telecoms business Contact Abrahan Keinan Become a partner Tel: 0344 545 0051 • [email protected] has never been easier www.swiftnet.co.uk
26 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com BUSINESS PROFILE Mills: Demand for migrations hotting up
is helping business minds disruption. Even amid the traumatised by Covid-19 disruption of Covid-19 Just a minute with focus on the future with lockdown and restrictions Julie Mills... Ultimate Product optimism. “Migrations have to gaining onsite access we Role model: I don’t have been critical,” added Mills. have continued operating a specific role model, but Flexibility “Migrations is where we projects during this period.” people who inspire me are really excel and differentiate, those who do not give in and we’ve developed a Platform shifts to the low times in life. We all have them. It is how Give your customers separate team, office and Mills has witnessed many you respond and move culture. We focus on projects channel partners using the forwards that counts most. what they want. of all sizes and are skilled on lockdown hiatus to take Your main strength and what six UC platforms with broad stock of their supply chain could you work on? My competence on others.” strategies and instigate shifts refusal to accept second best Delivered via Hosted, from platform to platform. is a strong point, and my The first significant migration “Being able to add value to a determination to succeed; Service Provider Platform, projects began in 2018, challenge like that allows us but I sometimes I can lack Virtual or On-Premise. enabling telecom businesses to stand out, and this comes patience and concentration. to realise payback from the from our understanding of Best piece of advice you platform consolidations how the market works,” have been given? From my Integrate Microsoft Teams of M&A, and to enact the she commented. “We have old boss, James Palmer, who long-term evolution of also been investing in our advised... ‘Without a positive with IPCortex today. their technology strategies. service delivery capabilities outlook you will not succeed. “Past projects range from with greater automation. And owning a business is enterprise-scale (1,000-plus a roller coaster – believe in it and you can do it’. seats) implementations of “We are big believers in cloud PBX and managed people, but it is clear that If you weren’t in SIP services, through to the software automation has a communications what mass-migration of tens of part to play in making things would you be doing? I’d be a criminal investigator. thousands of endpoints like migrations faster and for 6,500-plus SME more responsive, enabling In hindsight: I would have customers on behalf of a our customers to implement started a business sooner in my career, but working major international cloud their decisions at speed and in fantastic organisations comms operator,” noted scale. This has been crucial taught me to look Mills. “We also offer in-life in allowing providers and forwards not backwards. support services to optimise channel partners to convert Tell us something about the customer experience their trial-period customers yourself we don’t know: My and lifetime value beyond – acquired ‘temporarily’ husband once auctioned me the migration process.” during the coronavirus crisis to build a school in Africa! – into permanent paying Give one example of Methodology customers by facilitating something you’ve overcome: The migration service automated pre-migration Grade 3 breast cancer. provides a zero touch data discovery on legacy Ten years on now and capability to clients from hardware without having to still a very big part of my initial data discovery though visit the customer premises.” past and present life. to virtual onboarding and Name three ideal dinner assisted plug-and-play Covid-19 has exposed all that guests: Kurt Cobain, services. “These are the only is vital to businesses, and to find out if it was ways to do migrations at the channel should grasp Courtney Love who shot the moment (under present the gaps in cloud uptake him; Alexander Dreymon, lockdown constraints) but that are being revealed by because he is simply the Speak to us today typically we would also the pandemic, urged Mills. best Viking; and David Attenborough of course. offer an on-site dimension, “Covid-19 has given the particularly for larger marketplace the compelling Your biggest career 03330 150 174 deployments,” explained reason it needed to move achievement to date: Mills. “Our 10-stage into the cloud,” she stated. Train to Win and Support to Win are both massive migration methodology has “We are entering into a new achievements. And my Sales been perfected to ensure world of working and I have Director appointment has to success to appropriate total faith that our industry be up there too. I worked Learn More timescales and with minimal will embrace this.” n my socks off for that role. ipcortex.co.uk/microsoft-teams To advertise in contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411 www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 27 EXECUTIVE WORKSHOP Stobart on leading out of a crisis
The application of true leadership principles should apply now more than ever, according to Zen CEO Paul Stobart who says a one-size-fits-all approach flies in the face of any concept of effective leadership – and he shares insights into his own learnings and methods which he believes should be adopted across the board as a priority.
he Living Leader training programme completely transformed my Tthoughts and ideas around the topic of leadership, and we are rolling the concepts out across Zen. It was at a course about 15 years ago that I started to learn some of the raw truths about leadership, and how, in a crisis, to be the best kind of leadership role model one can be.
The definition of a leader according to the Living Leader programme is anyone who is in a position of influence over anyone else. It’s not just about the leaders of organisations, it is about everybody in the business, anybody who is in a position of influence, whether it is someone on the phone supporting customers, whether it is someone in Paul Stobart the field trying to sell a new idea, or somebody in the back office trying to collect Leadership is not the preserve of the boardroom. That’s an monies. Leadership is not the preserve of the boardroom. important learning, at least it was for me That’s an important learning, at least it was for me. what you’re going to do. and the concepts that other have time to offer their own Communication behaviours That mode is very familiar to people might have, and ideas or thoughts. If you’re Manager mode is about There are two leadership most of us. There’s nothing in so doing, through my in Leader Mode all the me, leader mode is about modes. The first of these is wrong with Manager Mode leadership inspire others time that can also be quite you. Let’s take it into the what we might call Manager because in the right balance to do it for themselves. chaotic because there is no context of leadership Mode, which by the way was it is absolutely fine. leadership, no instruction, behaviours because there’s the mode I was in before I Suffocating and in a time of crisis people a very good researcher, Neil went on the Living Leadership The other mode of leadership I was in Manager Mode on don’t want to be inspired Rankin, who did lots of course. This is when you is Leader Mode, which is all steroids. If you’re managing to do things for themselves, research and identified that are driving other people to about inspiring others to do people in that mode all the people want to be told what the best performing people perform to the optimum. In it for themselves. It is about time, telling them what to do... ‘this Covid-19 crisis, were those that exhibited that sense it is about control, freedom, about me giving to do, all of the time, it is what am I going to do about optimal communication it is about ‘me’ telling ‘you’ freedom to the thoughts suffocating. People never it, where am I going to go?’. behaviours. These behaviours
28 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com ENERGY UPDATE in association with Stobart on leading out of a crisis Fidelity Energy’s simplicity is The Independent Choice
come across in a number said, and pay respect to the of different ways: Through viewpoint of others. Also, AS the Managing Director and began, thanks to Fidelity anybody would not wish to your body language, make sure you draw-in those owner of telecoms reseller TIC delivering everything as explore selling energy. (The Independent Choice), Julie promised. through the written word, that are quieter in the room, Purdie likes to keep things “It is just a matter of getting most importantly through because often it is the quiet simple, which is why she is so “John and his people arranged hold of a client’s energy bills, what you say. What Rankin people who are the most pleased to have teamed up the training quickly which letting Fidelity have a look at discovered was that those reflective and analytical and with Fidelity Energy and is now everybody in our team really them and then sending them people who got the have the very best ideas, so successfully offering energy benefited from. They were very back saying here’s the savings deals to a loyal base of clear and concise and then we can offer you. I also like the behaviours in the right we should never forget them. customers in and around her they were always on hand if fact that if a customer can’t balance were far superior to company’s West Midlands we had any queries. What switch because they’re in a their peers. And he colour Behaviours marked out by base. really impressed me was how contract with another energy coded his ideas for clarity. the colour code Red should fast they turned quotations supplier, Fidelity can get all the be avoided at all costs. “I like easy, simple sales and round. The first one we paperwork signed up and we Fidelity Energy’s proposition worked on was for an can put them on to the new Blue is Manager Mode, These include shutting out really nailed it for me,” she insurance company client and rate in a year’s time or all about me and giving and cutting someone off. explained. we came up with a 42% whatever. It’s just a very simple information, informing We interrupt, we finish saving on their energy bills thing to do, which I love.” others. Politicians use it at their sentence for them, all TIC has a small team of 24 staff which could not have been a full throttle most of the kinds of behaviours which selling NEC, Panasonic, Mitel, better start! “We’ve always been comms Gamma and, latterly, Wildix centric, so when you start time. There is nothing wrong are verging on assault. telephony solutions, but Julie “Initially, we were just taking on a new product, one We’re just dismissing their was looking for new services to mentioning it to a few of our which we’ve never focused on Those who idea and implying ours is offer her valued clients which clients, but we recently sent before, support is vital. more important, which is have now become particularly out an e-shot to a larger base Fidelity’s hand holding potent in the wake of the of customers and the response experience throughout the demeaning. Also in the got their Covid-19 crisis. was really, really good. They whole thing has been Red are defend or attack replied to the emails asking for exemplary, and they have been behaviours behaviours that may see “I had been looking to expand more details and direct contact very, very easy to work with. leaders take disagreement our portfolio for some time with our sales team has been in the right to a personal level. We and our partnership with really positive, so we are now “Another big plus for us with Fidelity Energy is now helping looking to broaden the offer regards to Fidelity Energy is the get emotional, passionate, balance were our clients save money as well across our whole field of multiple suppliers they deal frustrated, and we get into as increasing our overall clients.” with. This means if customer is a personalised attack. turnover and giving us a a bit wary of one supplier, they far superior to recurring income.” So, what would Julie say to any can go with another. What Rankin discovered ICT company owner who their peers Julie initially met up with believes that adding energy to “It’s early days, but we want to is the ‘balance’. If you’re Fidelity Energy Managing his or her portfolio is a help our clients as much as we with giving information, it 100 per cent Blue you will Director John Haw at Comms distraction from their core can, so we definitely see a is important for information bore people senseless and Vision at Gleneagles last business? future with Fidelity. I am keen to be shared, it just needs to be impossible to please. November and energy sales to work on where we are now be done in the right manner. All Green is also a mistake. under the TIC banner began to “It’s not a distraction, It’s a big and build up our energy base take off at the right time, just benefit. It is just such a simple so that a lot more of our clients Other Blue behaviours are Rankin believes that the as the Coronavirus lockdown exercise; I cannot believe can benefit.” disagreeing and proposing blend needs to be 40/60 an idea or a thought or 50/50. Now, for most which is actionable. of us that was a real shock “It’s not a because I was 100 per cent Green denotes Leader Blue (if you are in a sales role, distraction, It’s Mode, which is all about me you want to be 80 per cent a big benefit. respecting others, inspiring Green, 20 per cent Blue). through my communication It is just such behaviours for others to do How do we relate all of this things for themselves, and to the current crisis we face? a simple supporting them to recognise Our communication skills the proposal and agree to it, perhaps matter most right exercise; I then build on it. If you get now, so get the balance cannot believe these working together you right. Don’t be dogmatic, get a really good team. Using don’t tell people what to do anybody words carefully and how we most of the time, summarise communicate, particularly what others are thinking, would not in an online world, is really ask for ideas, draw people in important. The same goes who’ve not yet volunteered. wish to for listening. Test your Very often they’ll be the ones explore selling understanding of what’s with most to offer. n energy.” The UK’s No.1 magazine for voice and data solution providers Julie Purdie
www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 29 BUSINESS PROFILE Covid-19 brings strategic clarity
While there is still uncertainty about Covid-19 and its impact, there is now perhaps greater clarity than ever on future developments in the channel, according to Eurolink Connect Managing Director Claire Maddox.
n the wake of Covid-19 or at least that it shouldn’t. channel organisations Businesses will become more have an unexpected flexible and I strongly believe Iopportunity to take we will see a blend of remote stock and reposition and on-premises working themselves. And for ICT as we move into the post- providers like Eurolink Covid-19 lockdown world. Connect the nature of We have also seen customers future partnerships will pivot and reinvent themselves be governed by the to serve local communities. strength of responses to the Covid-19 pandemic Having deployed our business and lockdown. Maddox into remote working we observed some significant found areas where manual differences that will have a processes were still in place telling influence on future that can be digitalised. Our partnering strategies… team and office processes have changed too. During The most interesting lockdown we have recruited aspect of this for me has a new sales team member been the vast divide in using Microsoft Teams to how businesses and/or interview, proving that individuals have reacted to the process was just as the crisis. For example, we Claire Maddox effective as a one-to-one have seen suppliers who interview. We’ve carried out have innovated, reacted a full induction programme with optimism and stepped We all know that the business world will across the business and up to provide training and made our new recruit guidance, where others never revert back to the way it was at the feel very welcome. This have battened down the couldn’t have been done hatches and gone to ground. beginning of 2020, or at least that it shouldn’t without video calling. Have a guess who we will be building relationships art of success will be around factor authentication into band and can they work • Maddox says we must with moving forward. effectively joining all the their networks? Do they with us – before working in ensure that investment dots in a secure and robust know how to blend personal partnership to create and in security underpins • Covid-19 has produced manner. It will be down and office-based devices maintain the infrastructure the drive to new good predictors of future to our industry to support seamlessly? Do they realise that they actually need. business and operating ICT procurement trends, and guide the innovation, you can have desktop models, increasing the and Maddox expects as one of the biggest phone systems that your • The moment the UK strength of remote purchasing to be governed barriers to implementation team can take and plug went into lockdown working solutions… by a number of new rules... is how you brief a new in at home seamlessly? all businesses entered There is going to be more Future ICT procurement infrastructure if you don’t a transition period. need for secure remote will in part depend on the know what is possible. We’ll move away from a one- Attention has now turned working and businesses must experience that the buyer size-fits-all brief or tender and to resetting strategies consider their data. Many has had in the way they ICT procurement teams we will no longer be given and reinventing how companies reacted quickly, as themselves moved into may well know the obvious item by item briefs. Instead, I organisations operate… we all needed to, but without remote working. As an solutions like cloud systems envisage initial procurement We all know that the a thought about their security industry we face a lot of and video conferencing, based on a pricing and business world will never at the time and there will experts who have specific but do they have the relationship differential first revert back to the way it was be lots of vulnerability in the knowledge. However, the knowledge to brief a multi- – are we in the right price at the beginning of 2020, marketplace, which provides
30 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com BUSINESS PROFILE Covid-19 brings strategic clarity
us with a great opportunity is the most efficient use of to deliver the virtual remote time and avoids unnecessary working model. Having come journeys and pressure on from a telecoms background, resources. Meetings are also developed our networking more concise and focused through our ISP model and with video calling. There is a subsequently moved into place for personal meetings the MSP space, we are as human interaction is well positioned to support important, but not as customers from end-to-end. many as in the past.
• Maddox noted an • The channel adapted appetite for online remarkably well to the relationships from unprecedented conditions customers, and the brought about Covid-19. success of collaboration Having overcome the platforms has prompted immediate challenge, organisations to Maddox believes that we take a fresh look at now face an opportunity themselves and establish to accelerate innovation a virtual approach to and growth… doing business... I’m optimistic about the Customer engagement is lasting implication of Covid- built through relationships, 19 – not the virus, but how especially within the early it will prompt a period of stages, and the physical intense innovation and an meeting and building of appetite to try and ultimately rapport are very important. adopt new solutions. In We will all adapt and it will bring out the entrepreneurial spirit in levels we have rarely, if ever, seen
But we have proven through the short-term, it’s an these Covid-19 weeks that unprecedented and awful these relationships can be biological incident, but we built across platforms such will all adapt and it will as MS Teams and Zoom, bring out the entrepreneurial and they are more efficient spirit in levels we have and cost-effective. Before rarely, if ever, seen. Covid-19 there was still resistance to video calling, We’ve been able to look at however people have ways in which we can help overcome the taboo and it and support those business has proven how useful it is, sectors that are struggling, even to the biggest critics. while showing others how we can adapt to support Just as we’ve transitioned their new requirements. I’m presentations to customers also looking forward to 2025 to Teams, when it comes to when we can look back on project meetings we can have this time and consider just all relevant stakeholders in how far we have come and the virtual room at the right just how fundamentally we time. Often that isn’t possible have changed, how, where, in a face-to-face meeting. It and why we work. n
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www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 31 BUSINESS PROFILE Woodham’s giant leaps
Chrome Telecom Managing Director Daniel Woodham has proved over and again that he is not averse to taking giant leaps into the unknown. His proclivity to try something new led to the formation of his business, and it’s a trait that will also ensure its long- term sustainability as he seeks to keep abreast of technology in key markets.
oodham enabling seamless customer displayed the journeys and video will be entrepreneurial the new voice. The Covid- spirit that will 19 pandemic – while being Wensure Chrome Telecom’s a terrible and unsettling long-term success early time – has highlighted why in his career – on coming my interest in video and UC straight out of college in fact is justified. Technology that when he entered the leisure delivers multiple means of industry and opened his communication, including own gym, but financially and video and remote working, professionally the venture has never been more crucial fell short of expectations. He for businesses.” n then took a low paid sales role in comms with long Just a minute with hours, having identified great Daniel Woodham... potential should he make a go of it. “With one child and Role models: Tyson Fury. Daniel Woodham He came from humble another on the way it was beginnings, has a can-do time to run headfirst into attitude and puts his heart the unknown and make it With one child and another on the way it was into achieving goals. work,” stated Woodham. Your main strength and time to run headfirst into the unknown and what could you work on? Having started his journey I’m intuitive about people into a career ‘unknown’ make it work and business. I can maximise based on a hunch, and peoples’ potential and having shown true foresight factors that prompted me and professionally. This of future acquisitions,” identify latent skills they in coming good and realising to set up Chrome. There is integral to Chrome as added Woodham. may not see in themselves. his potential, Woodham was a niche in the market we are a small company, But I can be too much of established Chrome Telecom for a telecommunications but with a big heart.” Chrome Telecom’s primary a perfectionist and could work on delegation. in 2014 with a friend. The company with a one-stop- base of customers are origins of the business lay in shop portfolio for customers, Award win currently within the care and Best piece of advice you necessities Woodham had I was a good salesman Chrome Telecom quickly healthcare industry which have been given? From my identified, on a personal and believed in helping established itself as a will remain a core focus mother: ‘Keep your word and do what you say you’ll do’. level and among a business people in business, and I standout Pragma reseller and area. “We will continue If you shake on a deal and it community in need of was not great at working collected a partner award to work within this sector turns out to be bad, honour a telecommunications for people. I needed to go last year which reflected due to a growing need for it and learn from the mistake. service boost. “By this out and build a team with company growth of 67 per unified communications,” If you weren’t in comms what point my wife was due our a drive equal to my own. cent from June 2016 to June added Woodham. “We would you be doing? I would third child, I had worked 2019. Woodham forecasts are helping to bring the have followed my family my way up in comms, “Now my priority is for growth of 57 per cent on sector into a new era of call into property development. going from telemarketing staff to embark on the June 2019 with an estimated management and technology. One example of something to sales management company’s mission, which expansion of 300 per cent to you have overcome: Early in and finally a field sales includes evolving our culture 2023. “I believe in organic “My interest also lies my career, being younger position,” he explained. and embracing changes growth, but I also have a in UCaaS and the ever and looking younger (not throughout the stages of few tricks up my sleeve increasing growth and any more), getting people “I had seen enough to our journey. I like to see in the form of calculated adoption of teamwork to take me at my word learn three important my staff flourish personally risks with the possibility applications. CPaaS is was a challenge at times.
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Having thrived in a highly paid job, TinCan Comms Managing Director Amy Mitchell’s decision to strike out on her own shows the depth of her ambition.
ow did you get like-minded businesses what was once deemed into comms? to support our growth. safe, traditional and a By accident. I was We also see expansion necessity now changed in Hworking as a travel coming from understanding the eyes of the customer? agent when the person I our customers and how New collaborations and was booking holidays for tailored communications development projects will asked me to work for him. can help them reach their be accelerated as a result I started as a fact-finder potential. There’s lots of of the Covid-19 pandemic. and data collector making new technology entering For TinCan Comms, we 150 calls a day, before the marketplace and we have everything we need to changing to telesales and will look to grow our become one of the Midlands’ eventually becoming UK Sales business by matching these leading telecoms service Manager for the business. advancements with the providers. And our close- Corporate sales wasn’t really requirements of our clients. knit team and agility means me, so I thought it was we can support customers time to go on my own. How do you see the quickly when larger firms impact of Covid-19 are too slow to move. n How risky was the move to on the workplace? strike out on your own? The current pandemic has Just a minute with Very. Walking away from a changed the way people Amy Mitchell... high salary job I was doing work as we know it. Role models: I like people comfortably in to start my Technology that allows home who have a real rags to own business was made working, total flexibility and riches tale, such as Alan even more difficult thanks virtual meetings has been Sugar, so I’ll go with him. to a clause in my previous around for years, but for Your main strength and what contract that wouldn’t allow Amy Mitchell some reason has always could you work on? I have a me to work in the sector seemed out of reach for genuine interest in people for a long period of time. smaller businesses. Overnight and what makes them tick. Undeterred, I had £1,000 in Telecoms had started to get a this reluctance has changed This is my biggest strength, the business account and off and cloud-based softwares but it can also be a weakness I went. TinCan Comms was reputation for behaving like FaceTime, Zoom, Microsoft as my desire to find out more born in 2016 with a business the used car sales or double Teams and Houseparty are means I can sometimes come partner, a relationship that now a fixture of everyday across as a little nosey. lasted about three months. glazing sectors. I wanted to life. Going forward, I think Best piece of advice you people will be asking for this have been given? If you What was the biggest change that technology before we can think you can do something, challenge you faced? get our sales pads out. They’ll you normally can! Losing my business partner a reputation for behaving Now we are surrounded be opening conversations If you weren’t in comms what within three months of like the used car sales or by excellent suppliers and with ‘does it plug-and-play would you be doing? I always going on our own was a big double glazing sectors, and are able to concentrate on at home?’, ‘Can I see my wanted to run my own challenge. What can be a I wanted to change that. growing the business. whole team on screen?’, ‘Do business, but, if pushed, as I very lonely experience was I have to travel to that sales went to drama college I’d be immediately heightened, but What have been the How fast is TinCan meeting 200 miles away?’. on the West End. Or, I always fancied a part in EastEnders. I used the experience to spur main turning points? Comms growing? me on and achieve what I Getting our suppliers right We have grown 320 per Is the comms sector at How do you relax when not wanted to do. I persevered was key. We made mistakes cent since 2017 and, with a watershed moment? working? You’re never off duty when running your and grew the company at the beginning and went ambitious expansion plans in Key questions have come to own business. But overseas by focusing on customer with friends of friends, which place, we expect to increase the fore: Will the flexibility of holidays are the best way service and ensuring led to real issues and we turnover by 600 per cent hosted and cloud products to completely relax, or we developed strategic paid for it with customers between now and 2023. In finally sell themselves over walking Rosie – you may partnerships with our clients. threatening to leave if the future, we may look to the traditional on-premises have seen her on the TinCan Telecoms had started to get we didn’t change things. collaborate with or acquire telephone system? Is social media accounts.
34 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com Telecoms and IP Engineering Solutions for Business since 1988
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www.spitfire.co.uk BUSINESS INTERVIEW 5G: Start planning now
Despite its technical attributes, 5G alone will not drive the next tech revolution. So which other technologies and factors will combine with 5G to maximise opportunities for the channel, and how will these combinations transform sectors? We asked Dr Arslan Usman, System Architect at Pangea.
decade ago, the AI-based algorithms can network operators in the year 2020 was search and rescue quicker middle. Something we’re forecast as the and more efficiently than getting closer to each day.” year when tech humans, with their heat Abreakthroughs would change and movement-sensing The most exciting part of the world as we know it. capabilities,” he added. 5G is the sheer number Those predictions weren’t far “For indoor operations, of business needs it fulfils, off the mark – 5G is exactly we all know Google Maps enthused Usman. Between the kind of technology that’ll doesn’t work in buildings, the three business cases of cause a paradigm shift, and but drones can scout out eMBB, URLLC, and mMTC, considering that 5G roll outs floor plans for navigation he says it offers all the key began with 14 countries in and reconnaissance. And requirements of vertical 2019, we’re close to reaching drones set up for fast, reliable industries, from ultra-reliable that transformational home delivery would come telesurgery to the massive IoT point. “What makes 5G so in very handy right now. connectivity for thousands Dr Arslan Usman revolutionary is its ability to of sensors in a smart factory. pair so well with every vertical “Or take healthcare for “This is all down to network industry,” stated Usman. example. Ambulance slicing, a 5G technology “It’s the combinations drones can work in tandem If we’re out of lockdown by that allows operators with those technologies with rescue drones and the end of June, we’ll see to customise resources that’ll open up profitable bring first aid supplies to like data rates, latency, opportunities for the channel. rescue sites. Connected loads of sudden changes in bandwidth and reliability ambulances and care homes based on exactly what a “Many of those combinations will enable remote diagnosis the 5G world through the rest solution needs,” he added. fall under the umbrella and reduce the strain on of smart cities. Vehicle hospitals. The catch is that of 2020 “Once we’re on the to infrastructure (V2X) is all these technologies require other side of the Covid- often seen as the flagship reliable, superfast, or ultra to use them,” added Usman. Usman. Network operators 19 pandemic, network innovation of smart cities low latency connectivity “But that’s exactly the already have the capacity operators will focus on (and the future in general), offered by 5G networks.” challenge right now, to deploy this business faster 5G roll outs to reach where cellular-connected cars because so few have model, but there’s a lack national coverage. They’ll communicate with everything Business models access to the 5G networks, of preparation in vertical also work on the maturity around them to boost There are three main 5G device manufacturers industries. “For example, V2X of 5G networks and equip road safety, avoid traffic business models, explained can’t tap into profits from needs to first work through them to standalone without congestion, and of course Usman: Enhanced mobile 5G-enabled devices just its security issues to become any 4G technology. drive without a driver. V2X broadband (emBB), yet. So national coverage viable, as nobody wants itself is a complex tech, but ultra-reliable low latency is the biggest hurdle. Once hackable cars,” commented “Channel partners need to it’ll come to life when paired communication (URLLC), 5G networks cover more Usman. “Healthcare needs be ready for when national with 5G networks. When and massive machine-type of the country there’ll be a to update its policies to coverage does take place, that happens, there’s going communication (mMTC). All massive customer base for allow for digital automation. as this will lead to a massive to be a huge market for it.” of the 5G-related vertical 5G-powered devices like And drone-based services influx of end user devices in applications rely on one or phones, dongles, routers need strong regulations that the market. If we’re out of Connected drones are more of these three cases. and more. But the onus ensure we don’t see more lockdown by the end of June, another element of smart “The current roll outs of 5G is on operators to get the scenarios like the Gatwick we’ll see loads of sudden cities which can provide draw from enhanced mobile networks to that point.” airport drone incident. changes in the 5G world game-changing services, broadband, proven by the URLLC will really come into through the rest of 2020. pointed out Usman. lightning speeds reported by Another challenge comes fruition when vertical industry So make sure you’ve got “Drones equipped with those who’ve had the chance with URLLC, pointed out customers are ready to meet your 5G plans in place.” n
36 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com Key components of the 5G connectivity era set to combine
G will become the “Small cells technology will entry ticket to a new be needed to complement world of technology 5G and can become the 5and applications, capacity workhorses of the unleashing industries from network, providing a more the relative limitations of cost-effective approach to traditional infrastructure. managing capacity within And according to Gavin built-up areas and buildings Jones, Channel Director with dense populations, such at BT Wholesale, it is as sports stadia,” said Jones. time to wake up to the coming revolution... Knowledge “Building and maintaining CUTTING 5G is about the integration 5G networks is complex, EDGE of business services and Gavin Jones and that’s before everyday we will see multiple services are rolled out on HOSTED different technologies for top. Therefore, collaboration oIP complementary use cases There is no based on strong partnerships V within a single building, with operators will speed office or campus environment need to delay. up the development of next in the future, believes Jones. generation data-driven, “The more society relies Channel automated, self-healing on mobile connectivity, resellers solutions, all of which help the more we will all need to minimise downtime, to focus on improving should start create 5G business network capacity, latency models and maximise and quality,” he stated. planning now channel opportunities.” “This will mean an extensive evolution of the current networks will demand a shift In terms of planning, while architecture to address single in how the whole industry 5G will rely on some fixed- points of failure and shared looks to harness the power wireless substitution, fixed fate scenarios, moving of these networks. “Dialogue networks will continue to content closer to the edge with operators, as well as the play a critical role in mobile and extending quality of manufacturers of 5G-ready delivery, providing capacity service implementations devices, will be imperative to through the backhaul and to full network slicing. maximise the opportunities core network, pointed Therefore, it is imperative for the channel and their out Jones. “Providers and that the channel ensures it customers,” added Jones. partners need to continue to is partnering with operators “There is no need to delay. deliver on their technologies that can help them deliver Channel resellers should to ensure seamless their end-to-end 5G mission, start planning now.” services,” he added. through a combination of technical knowledge and The expected surge in “In other areas, the industry experience.” demand for 5G network ongoing debate around the capacity, driven by video Government’s 5G auction 5G networks consist of consumption, augmented will need to be resolved to multifarious technologies, and virtual reality, IoT and help this technology move all working in tandem to other new data-hungry forward, and regulatory simwood.com/partner deliver a superfast, resilient applications, is going to bodies need to continue to and intelligent end result. change how capacity in high be involved in order to ensure [email protected] As such, these smart new density areas is managed. 5G best delivers.” n 0330 120 1314 To advertise in contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411 www.comms-dealer.com COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 37 THE CHANGING OFFICE KALEIDOSCOPE Has the office had its day in the new business normal?
“There will have been apprehension from partners around how a Covid-enforced decentralised ne good thing to workforce may impact productivity, but the situation has been handled well and had a positive effect come out of the in some cases. Equally, the speed with which Covid-19 transitions have taken place with minimal disruption O pandemic must be the will fuel belief that investment in remote working processes is worth exploring. Given that offices acceptance of on-line will require social distancing measures, decreasing collaborative working. capacity, we may see partners blending practices, providing a centralised hub but placing less People have become emphasis on its consistent use while also taking more confident of using advantage of remote working’s geographical and flexibility benefits. The promise of agility will become video conferencing a key characteristic of partners’ future efforts. We platforms and something need to bring products to market that require simple that used to be regarded activation, limiting the need for complex reselling and build processes. Covid-19 has driven an as a dark art for tech increase in demand for self-serve deployments and GAVIN JONES geeks has become a digital-only selling and these will only become more BT WHOLESALE common within the landscape.” working norm.
This has given channel “In these Covid times you’d be insane not to “It will be a long time until we return to the office players a great opportunity question the entire paradigm of commuting to an en masse, if we ever do in the same way again, not office to conduct work, when work isn’t a ‘place’, it’s just through fear when the pandemic is over, but to sell home working an ‘activity’. However, I think the office as a place also acceptance that has been gained during this solutions to clients and to commune, communicate and collaborate will lockdown that people can work from home, can still many resellers have continue to have a purpose and remains important, be efficient and actually increase productivity. Add particularly in the psychological aspects of being to this that there will be a reduction in operational reported record revenues in an employee. I think AdEPT will adapt its strategy, costs from running the office and this rise in the the early stages of the taking a more holistic view of the companies we “Smart Worker” mentality will be the new normal lockdown. serve, where the boundaries of companies include for so many. I think we will see a big change in the kitchen table and the home study, as well as the devices people use at home. People working the office desk. This changes the security model, in isolation won’t want a headset and will look at On the flip side, for some the support requirements, the network needs, and devices that are aesthetically pleasing when located industries such as retail and the cloud requirements for many businesses. FTTP at in a shared area of their houses and also provide home anyone?” functions that help with the work-life balance. This is manufacturing, staff critical to productivity increases for smart workers.” working from home represents a huge PHIL RACE IAN ROWAN challenge. But the biggest ADEPT WILDIX impact could be around the corner. With so many “I believe Covid-19 will have a permanent effect on “It is an over-simplification to say that the ‘office people working successfully the traditional office space long after the lockdown has had its day.’ According to YouGov, around remotely, will they ever is over. The ICT channel offers a wide range of 40 percent of Brits had never worked from home want to return to an office feature rich technology which enables businesses to before. Necessity is the mother of invention – mobilise their workforce to work remotely. Covid-19 everyone who can feasibly work from home has environment? Are we set to has forced us to embrace this technology and now now done so. Businesses are seeing the benefits of see a rapid decline in city- we can benefit from the efficiencies it offers whilst something they may have been culturally adverse based offices where maintaining service levels. During lockdown our too in the past. As we adjust to this new model, dealers have closed business remotely through our businesses will implement smarter working practices communications products portal and completed documentation electronically. to better enable a more agile workforce. However, and services are the Research shows remote workers can be more many businesses will have existing office lease lifeblood of channel productive. Coupled with the reduced costs, it commitments – so they cannot just ‘pull a Twitter’ would be hard to ignore the case for a mobilised and adopt full remote working overnight. There will businesses? workforce. Whatever businesses decide, we do know be is an increase in demand for technologies that future strategies will certainly continue to embrace enable effective working from any location, which is Brianne Kimmel, a venture the technology they’ve been exposed to and are great news for the channel. The key for vendors is to utilising now.” make sure t they are supporting partners, providing capitalist in Silicon Valley DAN MACKRELL MYLES LEACH the tools they need to successfully sell into any believes “there is a place SHIRE LEASING NFON working environment.” for a physical office to exist, Wavenet Kaleidoscope Comms Dealer Ad- June20.pdf 1 27/05/2020 15:52
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38 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com THE CHANGING OFFICE KALEIDOSCOPE Has the office had its day in the new business normal?
“It’s clear that the world of business “Most businesses have been adopting more but it should be an optional communications will be a very different landscape flexible working practices, enabled by technological space for employees to post-pandemic and many businesses have been advancements in recent years. With investment in looking closely at the costs of office space. To better connectivity we will see a dramatic increase choose based on preferred stay ahead of the curve, resellers will need to be in remote working and reduced office footprint. working style”. agile and adaptable with their approach. Many However, there remains a role for traditional workers who’ve found quick fixes using free video office working as the reinforcement of company conferencing apps will soon start looking for more culture and the comradery of physically being with YouGov recently questioned robust and feature-rich business-grade solutions. colleagues are some things that technology cannot 2,000 office workers across This is good news for the channel. Security is replace. If recent months are anything to go by, the UK and, beyond another factor and there’ll be plenty of IT managers then it will only have a positive impact, as we are looking to keep a tighter grip on their company communicating and engaging even more than usual. changes to productivity, the data. We’ve already seen a growing demand for Reduced travel and the flexibility of broadening the majority said there are call management applications and presence – many working day has created even greater ‘presence’ aspects of traditional businesses with contact centres will look for tools than before. We are capitalising on this opportunity to manage their customer service levels even when to get even closer to our partners via all UC working they sorely miss their teams are spread across multiple locations or channels, especially video conferencing.” such as in-person ANDREW COOPER working remotely. The goalposts have moved for GLYN THOMAS conversations with NEC resellers, but the opportunities are alive and well!” IP CORTEX co-workers and the relationships they have forged in the office. “Whilst it’s safe to say that the way we work will Covid-19 has changed our world and changed never be the same again, I do believe that it’s our industry! The ICT channel can only assist the So, will people be hankering important for employers to not lose sight of the landscape of the disruption this pandemic has to get back to the office fact that for many staff a home-office environment caused. We would be ignorant to think that we water cooler for some good may not be conducive to a productive day, five could ever carry on doing business as we were, this days a week. I don’t fully buy into the idea that if is the awakening that was needed. Do we need to old-fashioned office banter given a choice everybody will want to work from go into the office? Probably in some instances for or will they prefer to spend home going forward. As humans, we are incredibly our mental health but there is now an acceptable more quality time at home social creatures, and we crave the company of balance between home workers and office presence. others. As someone who works in sales, I feed off As one of the strongest contributors to the UK without all the hassle of the energy that only an office environment can economy I feel certain that the diversity in our travelling to a workplace? provide. The challenge being, I only need it a couple product portfolios will keep our sector strong. of times a week, especially when you throw in a Adapting to the disruption is key to our success. Our commute. For the channel, Gamma see all of this product portfolio is stronger than ever, and it will For this month’s as an opportunity. Businesses will need to arm only adapt with the ever-changing landscape of ICT.” Kaleidoscope, we asked their employees with the right communication and channel players a simple collaboration tools as well as access requirements ANDY SMETHURST for them to work effectively anytime, anywhere.” JOLINE CRAMOND question: “Do you think the GAMMA FOCUS GROUP traditional office has had its day?” Predictably, the responses were mixed “The traditional office as we knew it will never be “While home working is not new, the crisis has because, like so many the same again, especially in the upper SME, mid- fast-tracked adoption for leaders who have been issues surrounding this market and enterprise segments. Whether you look more hesitant to adapt. The technology is proven, from a commercial, health, wellbeing or productivity and those who were once skeptical are now pandemic, who really angle, businesses have taken giant steps to create singing the virtues of this way of working. Coming knows what the future the office of the future that can’t be retraced. out of lockdown, we predict a blended approach, holds? Using technology to work from anywhere, on any with employers giving those who want to work device, work is now a thing you do, not a place you from home the option to do so. For some, isolated go. Sales strategy for Evoke will focus on creating working or distractions at home can be a struggle One thing is clear. Agile ICT additional value by maximising the technologies and these individuals should be given an option to resellers that can respond that have already been trialled or invested in, whilst work from a more traditional office environment. The ensuring security of a remotely distributed workforce post-lockdown era for sales and marketing will see to customer demands for remains high on every agenda. From a marketing brands competing for attention in the digital space. flexible, robust, and secure perspective, messaging is no longer about a ‘move Those who have carefully considered their strategy solutions that successfully to cloud’ or a cost consolidation discussion. We and adapted their messaging and techniques during believe future marketing messages should be built the lockdown period, will thrive. Staying connected blend remote and office on empathy and understanding of vertical specific with our partners and maintaining very positive, communications will SUSIE WARDELL organisational issues and business challenges, using ADAM CATHCART genuine relationships has been our priority during ultimately win through. EVOKE TELECOM technology as mere enabler to provide the answers.” 9 GROUP lockdown, as it always has been.” Wavenet Kaleidoscope Comms Dealer Ad- June20.pdf 1 27/05/2020 15:52
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CLOUD and network engineer IN 2020 Stuart Hodgkinson is now New date the man at the forefront of for 2020 Vapour Cloud’s data centre and announced infrastructure operations having joined the Elland-based ICT provider from the Salford Royal Foundation Trust where he was a senior network technician. Hodgkinson said: “During my short induction period – before Northampton Marriott Hotel, 17th September 2020 the Covid-19 lockdown – it quickly became apparent that I’ll have an environment to thrive in.” Vapour Cloud Stuart Hodgkinson CEO Tim Mercer added: “Stuart has been involved in managing NHS Trust’s virtual infrastructures using VMware hypervisors to virtualise their estates. He’s been responsible for implementing the free-to-patient and staff Wi-Fi mandated by NHS Digital; and has held second and third line support roles, which shows the depth of his technical know-how. This degree of insight is exactly what we were looking for.”
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DCC Technology INGRAM Micro UK has pulled has appointed Clive in Gary Lomas as Sales Fitzharris as MD of Director for the business MOBILE NETWORKS INTERNET OF THINGS MOBILE DEVICES UNIFIED COMMS WIRELESS Exertis International. and its services arm Comms- He was Head of care. He brings 30 years Group Strategy and industry experience to the Development for role including a 13 year stint Places at Margin in mobile are expected DCC since 2017 and at Logicalis UK, and spells to be taken up rapidly, so register your also a board member at Ultima Business Solutions Clive Fitzharris of DCC Technology. and Computacenter. “Our interest in attending as soon as possible. Fitzharris joined DCC in 2009 as Head of Development for partners have never needed its Energy Division which over an eight year period tripled to demonstrate their value profits and entered ten new countries. In related news, and relevance to customers Denis Tobin has been appointed as Finance Director, Exertis more than they do now,” You can register now at: International, having previously been Finance Director commented Lomas. for Exertis Pro AV (Americas) and Exertis Mobile Living. margin-in-mobile.co.uk Tim Griffin, DCC Technology and Exertis Group MD, said: A BRACE of Business “These appointments reflect the evolution of our business Development Manager as we continue to increase our global presence.” appointments have strengthened Abzorb’s For sponsorship opportunities XELION UK has accelerated its expansion plans with the regional presence in central, contact Simon Turton appointment of Craig Howell in a business development role. south west England and His sales experience includes stints at telecoms companies Wales, the territories of Tim [email protected] and media outlets in the Loveday who joins after a 07759 731134 industry sector. Prior to his spell doing consultancy work. career in comms Howell His 20 year sector experience was a qualified PGA golf also includes time at Nildram, Gold sponsors professional instructor O-Bit, Cable&Wireless, working for the Leaderboard Coms.Com and Gamma – golf course group. Xelion all channel roles. Abzorb Craig Howell UK MD Dave Reynolds has also bolstered its Silver sponsors said: “Craig’s sales ability and account management skills Scotland and Northern will allow us to expand operations at a faster rate. The Ireland operations with the pandemic crisis has been a proving ground for home working hire of Andrew Johnson and many customers will want to adopt remote working whose background includes on a permanent basis. Craig will ensure that we and our engineering experience and partners are able to manage this window of opportunity.” a stint at ISP HighNet. Mobile zone sponsors Hospitality sponsors To advertise in contact The Sales Team on 01895 454411 40 COMMS DEALER JUNE 2020 www.comms-dealer.com THE COMMS PRODUCTS AND COMMSPAGES SERVICES PAGES To reserve your place and to be a part of the comms directory contact the call Simon now on 01895 454603 or email [email protected] for details
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