Cloud & Video Services Lead UK Simon Watson, and Microsoft Product Specialist UK, Andrew Byett share their opinions on the partnership and what it means for Kinly customers.
Last year, long term Kinly partner, Cisco, announced the addition of a native Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTRs) option to its communication and collaboration portfolio.
This move extended the availability of Cisco hardware to a wider audience and meant that users received an enhanced experience, with greater flexibility in communication and collaboration tools – effectively delivering a more productive and efficient workplace. And since the announcement, Kinly has seen a shift in its client base, with many more organisations choosing Cisco products for their AV needs.
Now that the first Cisco end-point device is certified for MTRs – and the remainder will follow in the next few months – Cloud & Video Services Lead, Simon Watson, and Microsoft Product Specialist, Andrew Byett wanted to share their own takes on the maturing partnership and why it’s important for Kinly’s customers.
Simon Watson, Cloud & Video Services Lead UK
“As I’ve stated in a previous interoperability blog, a one-size fits all solution for workplace communication simply doesn’t exist. Business is complicated. Customers are complicated. People are complicated.
“Organisations need the flexibility to switch between communications platforms with ease and this is exactly what Cisco’s addition of a native Microsoft Teams Rooms option offers – one-touch easy access to all MTRs features when Microsoft Teams is the communication platform of choice. It’s no wonder more of our client base are choosing to use Cisco products since the announcement.
“But what is really important to me when it comes to this partnership is the sustainability benefits it has –and will continue to– open a whole host of new customers to.
“Cisco’s hardware shelf-life extends well beyond the industry standard of three years and uses 70% less power than previous MTRs. Many offerings also benefit from environmental monitoring, with built-in sensors providing valuable data on air quality, room temperature, ambient noise, and light, plus room occupation.
“AV is a crucial part of any office space and so the sustainability of that offering should be a core consideration when looking at new technology. With Cisco, you not only get the new native Microsoft Teams Rooms option, but you also get peace of mind that you’ve made a sustainable choice for your business.”
Andrew Byett, Microsoft Product Specialist UK
“With my focus on the Microsoft Ecosystem experience, I am naturally a big advocate of any offering that allows the holistic features of Teams to be brought into the meeting space.
“In fact, one of my favourite aspects of this job is working with customers to help them navigate their journey and realise how Microsoft technology can help them meet their business goals.
“In this instance, Cisco’s MTRs deliver an enterprise-level Teams experience and still give users the full Webex meeting experience. Cisco devices are the only devices on the market that can do this, so this is a huge selling point for customers wanting to get the absolute maximum out of the Microsoft offering whilst giving flexibility for their legacy estate and access to traditional VC environments.
“With so many of the people I speak to having had bad experiences with meeting room technology — which leave them scared or suspicious of tech — offerings like this that make accessing the best meeting software on best-in-class hardware easy really are transformational for organisations.
“A major player in the communication space, Microsoft is often leading the charge with solutions that embrace and improve the hybrid working experience. It’s why we chose to work with them and why we’ve developed a Microsoft Centre of Excellence around our MS Teams offering.
In short, the progression of the partnership between these two industry-leading companies is exactly what many have been waiting for and Kinly is happy to be able to introduce its customers to these solutions.”
To learn more, see our Cisco and Microsoft Teams Rooms brochure, or request an in-person bespoke demonstration via our Customer Experience Centre booking form.
About Simon Watson
Simon Watson, Cloud & Video Services Lead UK, joined Kinly as an engineer and worked his way through many engineering-focused roles, including solution architect and collaboration consultant. More recently, he moved into a commercial position as technical account management and product sales specialist. Simon has built a wealth of knowledge across a multitude of different technologies in unified communications and audio-visual verticals through his 15 years of experience, knowledge he shares with his clients and via Kinly’s popular podcast series.
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