When Voicenet Solutions was acquired by US giant 8x8 Inc in December 2013 for $18.4 million the UK-based cloud comms provider suddenly looked very different...
Following the acquisition and now known as 8x8 Solutions the Bucks-based company found itself on a springboard to growth with access to a leading technology platform and the resource, investment and financial strength of its NASDAQ listed parent. "The brand and platform is attractive to new resellers and we are benefiting from these door-opening credentials," said Charles Aylwin, Director for Channel and Public Sector, 8X8 Solutions.
Strategists working within 8x8 Inc's 'brain department' showed incredible foresight when they identified Voicenet Solutions as a prime acquisition target. The timing of the deal quickly proved propitious and the outlook is getting brighter, according to Aylwin. "The rapid growth now being seen in the economy is enabling companies to review and upgrade their technology," he commented. "They are concentrating on improving productivity through better collaboration. The move to the cloud has reached a tipping point and our experience with this technology puts us in a strong position."
Aylwin fully expects to augment his partner base with companies more adept at complex selling techniques. "As products continue to integrate we will work with future partners to develop the skills and knowledge they will need and take them with us on the journey."
He also pointed out that a priority for 8x8 Solutions is to ensure that the market is aware of new technology and its benefits to drive demand for channel partners in the hosted space. "The time for cloud-based communications is now and it touches almost every aspect of business today," he commented. "The opportunities to start a discussion with an organisation, no matter how large or small, on how the cloud can help them are plenty and varied."
8x8 Inc has developed its own technology and gained control over it having been awarded 100 patents. "We determine what happens with our product and will continue to invest in the R&D supporting our roadmap," added Aylwin.
The firm has also established best in class product partnerships with leaders such as Knoahsoft, Teleopti, Zendesk and Salesforce. Such link-ups enable the company and its channel partners to discuss integrated business systems with customers, and therefore appeal to a wider audience. "These partnerships address the mid-market which obviously helps existing partners grow, but it also attracts new partners that are working with larger enterprises," added Aylwin. "We are encouraged by the new great enterprise deals we have won with our partners this year."
8x8 Solutions enables partners to work with it in a way that best suits their business. Some address niche verticals and geographies and partners come in all shapes and sizes. "We try not to be overly prescriptive so give partners the choice of being an Affinity Partner, a Dealer Partner or a Co-brand Partner," noted Aylwin. "To capture the massive opportunity in front of us we need to ensure that we provide our partners with the right training, support and incentives. For this reason we are constantly reviewing our programme and refreshing our training scheme."
According to Aylwin there are four primary enablers of growth: Technology, a sound roadmap, a pure cloud offering and the best people. Also blipping bright on his radar screen is the critical role of training as a driver for gaining market share. This is something the company takes seriously and its Academy testifies to the high priority status given to partner education.
"Our Academy is a permanent resource with full time staff and support," explained Aylwin. "We ask our partners to attend a full two day course as part of their accreditation. The Academy has been expanded this year and the courses are modularised so they can be revisited for refreshers, and the curriculum is expanded on a monthly basis and supported by webinars. Our channel team follow up partners immediately after they have attended courses to reinforce their learning in the real world of revenue generation. We aim to enable our partners to differentiate themselves with real expertise as a basis for long-term relationships with their customers."
When Voicenet Solutions transformed overnight into the UK arm of 8x8 Inc's US operations 15 months ago a remarkable growth story unfurled as uptake of the firm's UC and Contact Centre portfolio began to accelerate. Notably, these solutions are proving popular with mid-market and enterprise customers and this trend continues to gather pace.
"Our journey from Voicenet Solutions to 8x8 Solutions has been fast and exciting," said Aylwin. "We have a fantastic team, are recruiting good people and will build on the success we are already experiencing. We work hard in this business every day to make sure we get all the basics, as well as the value adds right. There is a massive opportunity and we are pedalling hard to make sure we maximise the potential for us and our partners."