Polycom channel partners are likely to see the telepresence, video and voice
communications vendor up its game when it comes to channel sales and marketing
in the months ahead.
That’s because the company has named a former Tandberg CEO
and Cisco executive as its executive vice president of global field operations.
Andrew Miller says that Polycom may have lost market share when it comes to the
video market, as Cisco has entered the space and other players have made big
moves in that area, gaining share.
But watch out, he says. Polycom has a strong portfolio of products and
technologies to take to channel partners and customers, and he plans to build
on that.
“What I think I can add and that will be important to the company is that sales
and marketing focus,” he says.
But before he even does that, Miller says, he plans to establish a clear
go-to-market strategy around high-touch customer relationships and selective
distribution.
“That means we have a sales force responsible for driving customer intimacy and
relationships with Polycom, but that products are fulfilled through a
close-knit, selective channel community,” he says. His job will be to make sure
that both that high-touch sales force and Polycom’s channel partners can live
within an ecosystem together with everyone putting customer satisfaction first,
he adds.
Finally, Miller says he will make sure Polycom has the right product and
technology sets to lead the environment over Cisco and Tandberg.
“Cisco does more than unified communications, so we need to prove we are best
in breed there,” Miller says. “If we do that, we can compete effectively with a
Cisco who does many things.”
In his new role leading the global sales operation at Polycom, Miller will be
responsible for the entire sales force and channel program.
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