Why DECT Headset?

DECT headsets are the ideal choice for business offices due to their interference-free operation, ensuring uninterrupted communication in high-density workspaces. These headsets offer clear voice transmission in VoIP systems, enhancing efficiency and focus for employees. Additionally, DECT headsets prioritize security by utilizing encryption and authentication algorithms, ensuring privacy for all calls. With their reliable connectivity, superior audio quality, and data protection features, DECT headsets provide a seamless communication experience, making them the preferred option for professionals in the business headphone market.

Hybrid Work Trends

With the rise of hybrid work models and the increasing demand for versatile audio solutions, hybrid wireless technology has emerged as a game-changer. Work is no longer a place you go, but a thing you do. We all know that the base and deployment would limit DECT headsets. But can DECT headsets be more flexible?

Innovative Wireless Mode Expands Possibility

With DECT & Bluetooth hybrid wireless technology in the headset, you don’t have to worry about the base limitation and keeping your mobile phone connecting with the dual wireless technology built-in headset. That’s how the Yealink WH64 hybrid wireless headset can help you.

WH64, Industry first hybrid wireless mode headset certified for UC platform, breaks through various scene and device usage restrictions to meet diverse employees’ needs while ensuring better and more professional experience to enhance work efficiency.

Featuring industry-leading 3-Mic noise cancellation technology, the WH64 headset ensures users can work seamlessly in various environments, including the new open office layout where noise levels can be unpredictable. Its innovative ergonomic design ensures all-day wearing comfort, allowing users to focus on their tasks without discomfort.

In summary, WH64 dual-mode functionality is the preferred choice for business professionals. They offer the necessary features for daily office tasks and are adaptable to different work environments, aligning with the hybrid work trend. With seamless switching between SIP phone networks and mobile phones, WH64 provides flexibility and optimal performance, making them the ideal solution for business communication.

Yealink at InfoComm 2024

Join us at InfoComm 2024, from June 12th to 14th, to witness firsthand the WH64 hybrid wireless headset. Visit Booth C5141 to experience Yealink’s full range of headsets, offering enhanced functionality and superior comfort.

To learn more about the new Yealink WH64 Hybrid wireless headset, visit their website here.

The post Hybrid Work Trend Arises: The Impact on DECT Headset & the Role of Hybrid Wireless Technology appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Video Collaboration

Look For: Enhanced Communication and Productivity
Avoid: Stressing the Network

Video applications are used across industries for everything from collaborating and problem solving with colleagues, to training sessions, to providing customer services like telehealth appointments. While the use of this technology grew exponentially with many working from home, these applications are so entrenched in business operations that they won’t disappear with return-to-office mandates. Employees will still reach for videoconferencing to connect them with others who aren’t in the same office building — whether that be with a colleague or client in the same state or in another country.

Networks — wired and WiFi — must be resilient enough to withstand the growing dependency of video collaboration. They must support the upload and download of real-time data; otherwise, meeting attendees will experience distorted video, speech delays and other issues.

To keep communication and productivity on track, IT professionals must have:

• End-to-end user experience metrics that measure how capable networks are of supporting video platforms. Metrics measured must include latency, jitter, dropped packets and the Mean Opinion Score.
• Real-time analytics for video collaboration software and all other network devices, applications, and infrastructure to identify and resolve issues with pinpoint accuracy.
• Complete visibility into the entire network ecosystem so there are no behavior and performance mysteries.
• Automatic, proactive alerts to issues as soon as they occur and before users are impacted, rather than reactive alerts from inconvenienced users.

The 6GHz Frequency Band and WiFi 6E Migration

Look For: Expanded Connectivity
Avoid: Interoperability Issues

WiFi 6E appeared on the market soon after the release of WiFi 6. While the two deliver similar benefits for enterprises, WiFi 6E devices are alone in their ability to use the new unlicensed 6GHz spectrum. This is the first time in over a decade that the amount of available unlicensed spectrum has changed so this is far from your run-of-the-mill migration.

Yes, the 6GHz spectrum will be less congested and offer less signal interference since it will only allow 6E devices, and adds 14 additional 80MHz channels and 7 additional 160MHz channels. Yes, the faster data throughput and lower latency are exciting, especially for technologies such as cloud computing, augmented and virtual reality, and instantaneously uploading / downloading extremely large files.

But, networks and network ecosystems are going to significantly change with the new frequency band. Migrations need to move slowly and steadily to avoid interoperability issues. Technology leaders must prep their teams to be ready to:

• Analyze end user metrics to predict which departments need the upgrade first. Migrations are expensive and time consuming; that time and money should be spent where the ROI will be the greatest.
• Redesign AP deployment to better provide 6GHz connectivity. The 6GHz spectrum uses shorter wavelengths than its 2.4GHz and 5GHz predecessors. Existing AP placement may not offer the best support for the new technology.
• Ensure redesigns don’t cause roaming issues for devices on any of the three frequency bands.
• Watch and analyze three frequency bands 24/7. Issues of any sort can occur at any time; if all three frequency bands aren’t analyzed 24/7, IT professionals will be missing data. There’s always the chance that the data that teams don’t have will be the data that is needed to identify a root cause and make it possible for IT to implement a resolution.
• Compare network performance before and after transitions both to identify issues and determine if the expected ROI is delivered.

AI-Powered Network Automation

Look For: Complete Wired and WiFi Assurance
Avoid: Manual, Reactive Operations

Enterprises need issue-free wired and WiFi networks. If networks aren’t issue free, organizations need solutions in place that will drastically:

1. Reduce the number of issues
2. Reduce resolution times

Fewer issues that are in turn resolved faster than ever result in networks that spend more time working optimally and less time causing delays in business continuity. When almost every single business process is dependent on the network, network assurance is a critical need.

Enterprises can try to achieve network assurance through purely manual means, but they will fail. Networks are too complex for this to be possible. Assurance depends on real-time analytics from every single connected device, all infrastructure, and even nearby networks. IT professionals cannot analyze thousands of data packets a second. They need AI-powered network automation.

When teams have the support of these solutions, they have:

• Complete network visibility provided by a solution that never sleeps
• Real-time, automatic problem detection, notification, and identification (root cause analysis)
• Recommended resolutions
• Proactive network testing
• Automated remote troubleshooting

AI-powered network automation solutions deliver in-depth network analytics, down to the device level, so that technology leaders know the precise behavior and performance of their network, and what is needed to improve it. Generalities are not the answer. Enterprises want the best network for their users – and their users have specific needs and pain points. Understanding these, and designing a network that improves user experience, will also improve business performance, reputation and revenue.

AI-powered network automation solutions provide the needed capabilities in a cost-effective and scalable way. This is modern wired and WiFi assurance.

The Details Matter

A network that must be significantly updated or redesigned every year is one that is doing no one any favors. Networks need to meet the needs of enterprise users right now and be adaptable enough to continue providing optimal support for the next three to five years. Build your network to support the three trends of video collaboration, WiFi 6E and the 6GHz band, and network automation, and your network will be resilient, reliable, and give you a competitive edge that lasts beyond 2024.

Roger Sands is the co-founder and CEO of Wyebot, Inc. He has 20+ years of executive management experience under his belt, gained from working with both successful networking startups and Fortune 500 companies, such as the following: Hewlett-Packard’s WW WLAN business, Colubris Networks, Accton Technology, 3com, USRobotics, and Bytex Corporation.

The post Top Three Network Concerns for Technology Decision Makers appeared first on My TechDecisions.

As more large learning models (LLMs) are coming to market, you might find that your enterprise customers are asking how they can automate processes and drive efficiency with AI. While eager to inquire, enterprise decision-makers often hesitate to invest in generative AI for their business upon discovering the significant resources, security considerations, and operational changes required to deploy an effective generative AI tool. While trendy, AI adoption still carries a lot of uncertainty and risk.

AI and the AV Industry

The good news is that our industry is uniquely positioned to help in this new scenario. As a trusted resource and advisor for technology decisions, clients trust AV integrators to offer AI-powered solutions that are ready for prime time and have a meaningful impact. These four critical questions can help integrators and technology managers adapt their discovery phase to incorporate AI into their AV technology roadmap.

Q1. What are the strengths and limitations of AI?

In response to the increased demand, technology vendors have rushed to develop AI integrations for everything — from truncating transcripts into meeting minutes to brainstorming ideas beyond reality. However, integrators should recognize both the efficacy and limitations of AI in truly enhancing the end-user experience. While generative AI can do a lot in its current state, it’s still best suited as a support tool for enhancing and accelerating processes rather than completely overtaking operations end to end.

The key is to identify discrete tasks that AI can successfully handle. If a human must significantly revise an AI’s output to make it usable, AI will waste more time than it saves. Work with clients to establish clear operational guidelines and oversight for AI tools to avoid these limitation roadblocks. This includes defining responsibilities; establishing handoffs between AI and human operators; allocating maintenance resources and having reasonable expectations. Once these boundaries are established, integrators can introduce effective opportunities to accelerate tasks with AI.

Q2. How do the strengths of AI support the client’s goals?

Properly trained AI can extend enterprise bandwidth by accelerating mundane-yet-time-consuming tasks, like retrieving data to answer questions or inform project timelines; providing employee and customer support; and digesting information to guide brainstorming and decision-making. This kind of implementation improves existing information retrieval processes. AI can also automatically compile information from across sources or customize responses to align with user data permissions.

Once you understand the capabilities of AI, it’s time to bring them to your client. To understand how AI can best support their organization, work with them to understand their unique pain points. Remember, the goal is to improve efficiency in existing systems, not replace processes entirely with AI.

AI functions must align with the interests of the enterprise and the evolving processes, demands and expectations of the business. Deployments should complement and improve the existing employee experience. AI should work across devices and processes, offering a reliable and seamless user experience. If an AI application does not make the job easier for enterprise customers, it’s probably not ready for deployment.

Q3. What training resources are available?

When trained with the right data aggregations, AI assistants can produce qualitative and quantitative-driven outputs that help streamline employee experiences, audience engagement, and objective results that benefit an organization’s defined visual goals and output. That being said, an AI’s responses are only ever as accurate as its dataset. Before launching an AI implementation for an application like sales, customer service or troubleshooting support, a business should have solid and up-to-date documentation of its processes and internal knowledge.

While AI implementation can make operations easier, it’s not an effortless addition to a business model. Deloitte cites managing internal data and processes as one of the most reported obstacles in scaling AI. It is important to inform the client about the continuous investment required for AI and discuss how they plan to maintain it. Before deployment, the business should evaluate whether the AI solutions that client plan to adopt are maintainable. They should then develop a long-term support plan and appoint someone to oversee the ethics and accuracy of the AI system.

Finally, ensure your clients can deliver on processes continuously after deployment, even if their AI tool is down. Integrators can help customers identify reliable, intuitive foundational AI tools that will support their business best, but setting realistic expectations that no AI tool will be free of error or downtime is the key to effective process management and planning.

Q4. What data is acceptable to share?

Data security is top of mind for enterprises, and while the benefits of AI are worth discussing, it’s crucial to educate clients about the potential risks linked with AI.

One risk is the “black box” paradox: the inner workings of AI systems are obscure to humans — this lack of transparency may pose challenges and lead to unforeseen consequences as AI evolves. That being said, sharing data and training is essential to successful AI implementation. Integrators must educate their clients to ensure they understand the risk. This will help clients make more informed decisions regarding adopting and implementing AI technologies.

Security is also a discussion point when evaluating whether an AI tool will operate on premises or in the cloud. On-premises solutions offer several benefits, including that data never leaves the local area network. This is especially important for businesses that deal with highly sensitive data.

Additionally, on-premises solutions offer firewall protection and integration with internal contact/user data, which enables AI to learn identity and permissions. Finally, on-premises solutions provide access to highly secure employee-facing AI chat with responses derived from proprietary company data.

On the other hand, cloud-based solutions offer flexibility, high scalability and accessibility for distributed workforces. However, clients have less control over data distribution than an on-prem solution. Data and encryption keys are stored with third-party providers. This means that if there is downtime, clients may be unable to access their data.

While each option has its benefits and drawbacks, integrators should advocate for establishing a solid security protocol and best practices before sharing data with an AI assistant.

Concluding Thoughts

While the AI landscape fluctuates, these four questions can guide integrators in evaluating and recommending the right AI investments to meet enterprise customer demands. While some clients might be ready for AI, other organizations might need more preparation before taking the leap. Emphasizing genuine operational enhancements over fleeting trends is paramount, guiding clients toward integrations that yield enduring advantages.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on March 19, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post Four Questions to Guide High-Impact Enterprise AI Integrations appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Security Operations Centers (SOC) and Beyond

As businesses focus on business continuity and situational intelligence, IT integrators with a holistic approach are increasingly being asked to extend their expertise beyond the peripheral systems that they are deploying — into the Operation Centers that manage the systems. This natural expansion emphasizes the growing need for a comprehensive approach that combines security, operational functionalities, infrastructure and AV considerations within the enterprise.

C-Level Recognition of Platform Solutions

A significant shift is occurring in the C-Suite with chief information officers (CIOs) recognizing the value of adopting platform solutions over point solutions for visual displays serving core enterprise operations. Enterprises are increasingly seeking integrated platforms that go beyond individual applications, thus providing a unified solution for all visual display needs. This shift reflects a desire for comprehensive solutions that streamline operations and enhance overall efficiency.

Rise of Data Dashboards in Enterprise

The rise of data dashboards in the enterprise is fueled by the growing need for effective metrics measurement and tracking. In this landscape, operational benefits play a crucial role, allowing businesses to manage content on any screen without relying on expensive and unsecure thin client PCs or USB drives, eliminating the need for significant manual intervention in content updates. Users can securely and centrally manage content directly from their web browser, presenting a more efficient and secure approach.

This trend is underpinned by the demand for integrated solutions that seamlessly connect with leading technologies. Notably, these data dashboards fully integrate with key applications like Power BI and Tableau as a single source, ensuring automatic, persistent and secure authentication to dashboards, charts and reports.

The aggregation of multiple charts as a source facilitates the secure distribution of operational data to relevant teams and stakeholders. This not only highlights the importance of technological compatibility but also underscores the broader trend of fostering informed decision-making through streamlined and secure data management.

Software-Defined Solutions versus Hardware Limitations

The paradigm of hardware-based point solutions is becoming obsolete as software solutions gain prominence. The ability of software solutions to seamlessly integrate with various industry-leading technologies provides a level of flexibility and scalability that hardware-based solutions struggle to match. This shift marks a departure from the limitations of hardware-centric approaches to a more agile and interconnected future.

The Significance of 8K Solutions

The advent of 8K solutions adds a new dimension to AV/IT integration. As display resolutions continue to evolve, the demand for higher quality visuals in enterprise environments is driving the adoption of 8K solutions. This shift is not just about increased pixel density; it’s about providing a more immersive and detailed visual experience that enhances collaboration and decision-making processes.

AV Integrators Embracing IT Protocols

On the flip side, AV integrators are gradually embracing IT protocols and solutions designed for the digital age. Software-defined solutions built for IT — standardized over networks — are gaining traction. While the adoption may be slower due to the historical reliance and subsequent familiarity that hardware solutions provide, the industry is witnessing a transformative shift towards embracing more agile and adaptable software-defined solutions.

In conclusion, the convergence of AV/IT is reshaping the landscape of enterprise operations. From organizational restructuring, to the demand for comprehensive platform solutions, and the adoption of software-defined approaches; the trends in AV/IT integration indicate a paradigm shift towards a more interconnected, data-driven and technologically advanced future for businesses.

As the industry continues to evolve, staying abreast of these AV/IT integration trends is imperative for integrators seeking to provide modernized enterprise-class solutions to their clients.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on March 15, 2024. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

Jamey Miles is VP Channel & Strategic Accounts at Userful.

The post Top AV/IT Integration Trends Shaping Enterprise Operations in 2024 appeared first on My TechDecisions.

For decades, writers and filmmakers have imagined dystopian futures where AI displaces and tries to destroy humanity. So, it’s understandable that people are apprehensive about generative AI’s foray into the workplace. It’s important to acknowledge AI’s transformative effect on workplaces, industries, economies and everyday life in ways we’re just starting to envision.

Even before ChatGPT came on the scene, researchers projected AI would displace 85 million jobs by 2025, but that same study also predicted 97 million new jobs will be created. Organizations that embrace and develop AI, provide incentives for employees to use it and create a human-centric culture where AI helps employees succeed at work will win the future.

As CTO of a team that recently launched a successful AI product for the global employer of record market, I’m optimistic — not only about the value of the technology but also for the employees whose knowledge and expertise AI will augment. Here’s a closer look at how employees and AI complement each other’s strengths and can work together to create business value within a human-centric company culture.

AI Should Augment Human Capabilities Rather Than Replace People

To address the elephant in the room, AI won’t replace human knowledge workers. It requires our insight into what’s happening in the real world to grow and learn to accomplish new tasks. According to some studies, approximately 90% of content online is predicted to be AI generated by 2026, i.e., synthetic data. In some scenarios, synthetic data is useful for training specific models. In fact, a 2021 leveraging synthetic data to refine AI-powered fraud detection tools.

But past a certain point, synthetic data can corrupt large language models due to LLMs depending on unique, creative insight related to real-life events, systems and trends to produce reliable answers. Models like ChatGPT may curate and repurpose existing content, but they also rely on human knowledge and creative thinking that transcends linear reasoning. For example, if companies are trying to hire, recruit and pay international talent, turn to AI for the latest HR best practices, which often change in response to new legislation and emerging trends, they’d need to use an AI model that incorporates human expertise to ensure accurate answers.

Some of the most exciting applications of generative AI are solutions that combine proprietary business expertise with LLM platforms to create a generative AI chat interface. This type of knowledge base can expedite delivery of information to internal and external customers and become a more valuable business asset over time as it learns and improves. But that’s only the case if company leaders think of employees not just as people who help administer the technology but as partners in a sociotechnical system, where people and AI work together, each making contributions to generate value.

Redefining Employee Roles in AI-Powered Industries

The best way to create a system where interactions between humans and technology create value is to build AI solutions in collaboration with employees, not as a separate project to replace them. This is especially important in industries that offer expertise and knowledge as their primary product.

A productive AI-human partnership will require new ways of thinking about how to deliver knowledge to customers. For example, in some jobs, employees apply expertise by responding to emails, submitting helpdesk tickets or collaborating with customers on phone calls. A new role for those employees might be analyzing emerging trends, writing content and training models, bringing the same expertise to solve customer problems in a novel way.

To develop AI solutions that augment employee expertise and knowledge, technology leaders will first need unfettered access to company data — including information that might be difficult to reach due to the use of legacy systems. They’ll also require AI-specific talent to help build out the solution, a blend of expertise from the software engineering and data science disciplines. That’s a commodity already in short supply, so finding people with the right skills should be a priority for an AI project.

Equally as important, building AI solutions will require incentives across the workforce to fine-tune the generative AI solution after launch. As the model ingests more and more information, it learns and becomes more adept at solving problems. Employers who bring more people into the conversation with AI will create additional value by providing multiple perspectives. So, if a customer has a question, the AI chat interface can provide an initial answer that can later be refined by human partners to create a solution that includes well thought-out strategies.

Building a Human-Centric Culture

So how can companies create a generative loop where humans and AI work together to constantly improve output? My AI project team created a chat interface that automates some of the mundane and time-consuming aspects of our knowledge workers’ jobs, and this has proved to be a powerful motivator for employees to keep engaging with the system. It frees staff from tedious tasks and gives them more time to focus on higher level work. That benefit answers the “what’s in it for me?” question that employees naturally ask themselves.

Other real-world examples of ROI from our AI project include employees getting instant answers to questions, when before they used to have to wait hours or days for a subject matter expert to weigh in so they could resolve an issue for a client. Another internal user called the chat interface a gamechanger because it can instantly access data across multiple systems that a person would have to laboriously assemble by consulting several different applications and datasets.

If you can create an architecture that seamlessly accesses data companywide and put together an innovation team that’s encouraged to experiment and explore new possibilities with emerging AI technology, you can build a solution that adds value immediately. And if you operate within an environment where people are adaptable and motivated to access AI to fulfill your company’s mission, you can leverage that human-centric culture to transform the business.

Every business will adapt in its own unique way, but being transparent about how AI will affect roles, encouraging employees to embrace change and instituting a more collaborative approach are essential across the board. Ready or not, generative AI will continue to transform the way companies operate, and an AI-driven business transformation, that leverages human capital, can offer exciting opportunities for businesses to serve customers better and gain a competitive edge.

Duri Chitayat is CTO of Safeguard Global

The post Leading the Evolution Towards Human-Centric AI Work Cultures appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Productivity plays a huge role in a company’s financial health. Recent data from McKinsey & Company shows that productivity has barely grown in the U.S. (1.4%) since 2005. They also estimate that boosting U.S. productivity represents a $10 trillion opportunity.

Few teams feel the effects of unproductive work quite like IT. Their teams are typically small, and yet their work is overwhelming and mission-critical to keeping businesses moving forward. For instance, countless SaaS applications are now integral to the operations of every company, and yet one, often lean team is responsible for their upkeep and management.

That makes IT operations a potential bottleneck. Unsurprisingly, according to Evanta (a Gartner company), CIOs say increasing efficiency and productivity are top priorities for 2023.

The Manual Trap

SaaS applications, from project management, CRM and collaboration to MarTech and expense tools, are inseparable from our daily work. And our IT stacks are continuously increasing, with companies worldwide using an average of 130 apps in 2022.

My experience in the IT space has taught me that most IT teams still manage SaaS applications manually, attempting to track their licenses, users, and renewals via spreadsheets and provisioning/deprovisioning access to applications one by one. These bandwidth-crunched teams are wasting valuable (and expensive) time completing important yet mundane and repetitive tasks that are humanly impossible to keep up with – and, therefore, prime candidates for an automation-driven productivity boost.

The Onboarding/Offboarding Bottleneck

Two of the most time-intensive IT operations are onboarding and offboarding employees from SaaS applications.

Consider this scenario: A company is growing rapidly, hiring to fill the gaps they have across their organization to keep up with the high volume of work required to hit their increasing targets. Maybe they bulk-start new employees on one specific day, every two weeks.

If they have five employees starting on that day, IT first needs to receive the information that those employees are starting. They need to learn what departments those employees will work within and what tools are required for their roles. From there, they must provision access to those applications per employee and application. Endless Slack messages, clunky application backends and likely incomplete information eat up their day.

By the time they finish provisioning that group of new hires, the next group is likely just about to start. Any failures along that scattered onboarding process create a less-than-ideal onboarding experience and derail a new employee’s initial productivity.

On the flip side of this process is offboarding employees.

Manual offboarding requires IT to work with a departing employee’s manager to learn what apps they used (a less than scientific endeavor, particularly when you consider that many employees subscribe to apps on their own without others’ knowledge), and then manually deprovision them from every application. Beyond the time sink for IT, there is also a risk factor — failing to deprovision an employee from even one could leave sensitive company information accessible.

While handling these critical tasks in this manner is inefficient, it’s also indicative of the wasteful nature of manual IT operations. IT pros are highly technical and talented. Having them spend their time on tedious tasks distracts them from working on higher-value projects.

Related: ChatGPT-Like Microsoft 365 Copilot Will Be Coming to Microsoft Productivity Apps

Increase IT Productivity Through Automation

Gartner predicts that by 2025, 70% of organizations will implement structured automation to deliver efficiency, an increase from just 20% of organizations in 2021.

Despite that, Torii’s  survey of over 200 IT professionals found that less than half of respondents have fully automated most tasks, and only 13% reported great success with automation.

So what’s stopping IT from automating? Time: 58% cite insufficient staffing or time as significant challenges in automation implementation. It’s a chicken and egg scenario.

The only way forward is through investing in tools that help manage their SaaS stack, that also include intuitive automation capabilities.

Investing in any old automation, won’t cut it either. In the context of IT, how that automation integrates and interacts with your SaaS stack is key.

Solutions such as SaaS Management Platforms, with automation built-in, provide the visibility IT needs to understand their SaaS stack and associated users and costs, as well as with the actionability required to manage it.

For the onboarding/offboarding bottleneck, this means automatically discovering and surfacing every application in use at your company, first and foremost. From that point of centralized visibility, you can create workflows that automate previously time-intensive tasks (and eliminate the chance of things falling through the cracks) to free up your IT staff’s time (and improve results).

For example, the system can detect which department new hires work in and automatically provision access to the applications they’ll require. Equally for offboarding, when an employee leaves — since you’re aware of every application they’re utilizing, the same platform can automatically deprovision them once triggered by your IDP or HRIS.

These are just small examples of the automation opportunities for IT, but when you compare them to the manual alternatives, it’s easy to imagine the productivity gains you can garner.

As companies continue looking to save costs, greater productivity could fit the bill — as it improves the value of every dollar spent.

By better using time, you’ll enable your organization to optimize resource use and focus on the objectives that drive revenue. Those that invest in productivity now stand to earn more from the efficiency gains of the future.

The post Now’s The Time to Focus on IT Productivity appeared first on My TechDecisions.

AVI-SPL has been a Cisco solutions provider for more than a decade, the company says. It thus continues to deepen and expand the expertise in its Cisco practice to guide companies everywhere. With this, it aims to reimagine the workplace for better employee, partner and customer engagement as new hybrid work models take hold. In Cisco fiscal year (FY) 2023, AVI-SPL ranked as the #3 video devices partner in the U.S. and globally.

“Cisco’s recognition of AVI-SPL as a leading workspaces partner speaks volumes to our ability to confidently guide customers to reimagine and realize the modern work experience,” says Tom Nyhus, AVI-SPL vice president of the Cisco practice. “By embracing Cisco Webex’s innovative, leading-edge roadmap and programs, together we’ve helped global companies stay securely connected and productive from anywhere.”

The partnership between Cisco and AVI-SPL grew significantly in 2023 with new, joint go-to-market efforts. Per a statement, AVI-SPL led the way with the new Cisco Webex Hardware as a Service (HaaS) program. It thus became one of the first partners to conduct a customer pilot of the program. AVI-SPL also beta-tested new video devices and provided feedback through Cisco’s Video Champions Advisory Council around market trends and customer needs.

The Cisco 2023 Webex Partner Award honors partners who have developed and delivered exceptional Cisco-based solutions and services during the past year.

Cisco announced the Annual Partner Awards during the WebexOne 2023 conference on October 25, 2023. Additional details on the 2023 awards are available on the Cisco Webex blog.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on November 1, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

The post AVI-SPL Receives Cisco 2023 Reimagine Workspaces Partner of the Year – Americas Award appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The combined print property — branded Commercial Integrator + Security Sales & Integration — debuts its first combined issue on September 1, and it will be distributed at CEDIA Expo/Commercial Integrator Expo in Denver. These changes only affect CI and SSI in print, as both properties will maintain separate websites, newsletters and brand identities. 

Commercial Integrator is a multi-platform editorial property that helps audiovisual integrators run their businesses better. Security Sales & Integration (SecuritySales.com) is a 44-year-old publication that serves executives, sales and technical professionals who recommend, buy and/or install electronic security equipment. With technology trades continuing to converge and professionals increasingly working shoulder to shoulder on commercial jobsites, Emerald recognized that there was no better time to unite these properties in print. 

“By integrating Commercial Integrator and Security Sales & Integration in print, we are eager to deliver more value for our readers and advertisers by expanding our reach to a larger audience than ever before,” says Danielle Puceta, executive vice president, content & commerce, Emerald. “As the publisher of some of the most respected titles across trades and industries, Emerald seeks not only to report on trends but also to reflect them. With these brands combined in print, we’re able to more comprehensively report into the evolving technology ecosystem that our readers and advertisers occupy.” 

Convergence of Trades

In recent years, both CI and SSI have extensively covered the convergence of technology trades, as more and more installers and integrators seek to be “a one-stop shop” for commercial clients. This has inspired AV integration firms to seek to broaden their core competencies to include fire alarm, access control, video surveillance and more; at the same time, large numbers of security integrators are exploring opportunities to bid on and win AV work, including digital signage, conference room setup and more. Thus, Commercial Integrator + Security Sales & Integration could not arrive at a more opportune time. 

Dan Ferrisi, group editor, commercial and security, Emerald, underscored the point that the uniting of these brands in print reflects today’s merged ecosystems of AV and security technology. “As an editor, I believe it’s imperative to ensure that any publication I lead speaks directly to the lived reality of the audience that consumes our content,” he says. “What once were ‘non-overlapping magisteria’ in the technical trades have come closer and closer together, and the lines blur more with each passing day. Aligning with our mission to help integrators run their businesses better, Commercial Integrator + Security Sales & Integration will deliver print issues that inform, inspire, enlighten and edify our audience. Exciting times lie ahead!” 

Industry response to the announcement of Commercial Integrator + Security Sales & Integration has been overwhelmingly positive, with AV integrators and security professionals alike celebrating increased page counts and expanded circulation. The inaugural September/October issue is 128 pages, and it contains all the features, columns and departments that readers of CI and SSI have grown to love. Moreover, the combined publication goes to both properties’ audiences, which means advertiser messaging enjoys dramatically increased reach. 

About Emerald

Emerald’s talented and experienced team grows our customers’ businesses 365 days a year through connections, content and commerce. We expand connections that drive new business opportunities, product discovery and relationships with over 140 annual events, matchmaking and lead-gen services. We create content to ensure that our customers are on the cutting edge of their industries and are continually developing their skills. And we power commerce through efficient year-round buying and selling. We do all this by seamlessly integrating in-person and digital platforms and channels. Emerald is immersed in the industries we serve and committed to supporting the communities in which we operate. As true partners, we create experiences that inspire, amaze and deliver breakthrough results. For more, visit emeraldx.com.

Another version of this article originally appeared on our sister-site Commercial Integrator on August 31, 2023. It has since been updated for My TechDecisions’ audience.

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According to the companies, the new partnership and integration announced during InfoComm 2023 is designed to take the complexity out of BYOD meeting room deployment, use and management.

Using the Airtame App, users can start a conference call on the Airtame Hub Once connected, the Airtame Hub hosts the call for all attendees in a conference room, providing a central processing unit where Stem Ecosystem devices can be integrated. This is designed to simplify audio and provide a consistent meeting experience, the companies say.

“Airtame is proud to provide a platform that is compatible with the highest quality technology available. Together, the Shure Stem Ecosystem and Airtame Hybrid Conferencing Solution provide a frictionless experience for collaboration in any setting to better support the future of work and communication,” said Jonas Gyalokay, Airtame Co-Founder, in a statement. “This strategic alliance provides end users with flexible, intuitive conferencing solutions that can adapt to shifting demands and hybrid work trends.”

Shure’s Stem Ecosystem devices provide a scalable audio solution for rooms of any size, and Stem Ecosystem devices require only a single USB connection with Airtame. This is designed to make it help IT managers avoid the time-consuming, difficult, and potentially expensive task of integration, according to Shure.

The Stem Ecosystem platform enables users to add each device to their local network and assign them within the room. With access to free software tools, the IT team can adjust device settings to the room’s unique audio environment and verify a successful installation, Shure says.

“As the need for hybrid meeting environments continues to evolve, IT managers are exploring scalable and flexible ways to create modern, BYOD conference rooms for end users,” said Julie Crawford, Manager of Global Integrated Systems Marketing at Shure, in a statement. “With our Airtame partnership, we’re thrilled to offer a convenient solution to these decision makers and end users collaborating in hybrid meeting spaces where impeccable audio and integration with their own devices are essential to success.”

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InfoComm arrives at an exciting time for Kramer, as the audiovisual experience provider maintains a strong vision. With the accelerated convergence of AV and IT, Kramer expects the transition from product to experience in the buying journey, and a value shift from hardware to software.

The company says it is not only capitalizing on market trends and customer needs, but also leading them. This includes the introduction of a new and enhanced version of the VIA platform, Kramer’s wireless collaboration and conferencing platform, and a new quicklaunch for Education solution. In addition, the company also debuted a new series of interoperable audiovisual signal management products and the new KDS-100, an open-standard 4K60 AVoIP streaming solution.

Kramer CONNECT also showcased an extended portfolio of premium USB-C products, as well as an inaugural range of Services like space design, installation, and technical certification.

To showcase the potential of its audiovisual products, Kramer’s InfoComm booth also featured interactive, life-size examples of a fully equipped hybrid classroom, meeting space and sports bar.

Kramer Partnerships 

Kramer also highlighted new partnerships with Sennheiser, Samsung and Yealink. Kramer’s alliance with Sennheiser has led to the creation of a hybrid teleconferencing solution, based on Sennheiser’s Team Connect Ceiling 2 microphone and Kramer’s AFM-DSP20-AEC audio matrix switcher.

Meanwhile, Samsung and Kramer have teamed up to enable Kramer’s quicklaunch collaboration software to seamlessly work with Samsung’s Flip and QMB display series, for immersive smart learning and collaboration experiences in any type of classroom or office meeting space.

Kramer and Yealink have partnered to improve efficiency in meeting spaces by integrating Kramer BRAINware, Kramer VIA Go, Kramer VIA Connect2 and Yealink MVC II room systems. This collaboration gives presenters full control of Microsoft Teams meetings, the sharing of content, and room elements such as lighting and shades, all via a single, easy-to-use touch panel.

Alongside these partnerships and new products, the company remains focused on ensuring its customers’ business continuity, investing in a robust supply chain that ensures Kramer products are consistently available across hubs worldwide. Kramer has also established regional offices and leaders across EMEA, APAC and the Americas, to enable it to get closer than ever to customers and their local requirements.

A version of this article originally appeared on our sister site Commercial Integrator. 

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