Nigel Dunn, incoming Managing Director for Jabra Business Solutions UK&I, talks growth strategies, bridging the 'last yard' gap, and taking on market rivals.
Dunn's inspired appointment in December last year displays perfect timing in Jabra's chase for supremacy in the professional headset market. He boasts a strong background in driving the adoption of technologies and has embarked on a mission to educate users and vendors on UC headsets as the key to unlocking the value of their systems. He aims to grow Jabra's UK and Ireland market share to 50 per cent within three years. And he is a man with a relish to get things done. "I love the buzz of business," he enthused. "We want more core partners in the UC space where we are already strong and additional contact centre focused resellers to take a greater share of that market."
Dunn's strategy involves forging closer links with UC vendors and their key resellers to reveal the big opportunities and drive adoption rates. "I also want to see more resellers in the SMB space realise the opportunities in UC," he added. "Microsoft, Cisco, Avaya, Aastra and Unify make this possible but there are many cloud vendors available too. All of these users need to get the best out of their systems by using quality headsets. The user experience of an audio interaction with IP or UC systems, blended with their working needs and office environment make headsets the most critical decision they could make. Get it wrong and all that investment will be under used, making the RoI lower than anticipated. Get it right and people will easily adopt UC and achieve good RoI."
Not one to sit on his hands, Dunn is already busy laying the foundations for Jabra's next phase of growth and his relentless quest for fresh ideas could help make it happen quicker than expected. "I am a habitual early riser and my mind starts to work even before I'm out of bed," he commented. "As yet, I haven't run out of ideas. Jabra holds the key to UC adoption and this means new ideas to help end users realise RoI faster. Audio solutions for business are a big opportunity in an already growing area of the market. As companies move to IP telephony and UC, the critical path to adoption is embracing the new way of working which will involve a transformed desktop and mobility as well as video."
Selling licences is meat and drink for most resellers, but serving up the full UC experience requires a different recipe. For companies to achieve RoI and for vendors to maintain the revenue streams in the future, adoption is the most important issue, believes Dunn. "In my experience adoption is most influenced by an urge to work in the new environment rather than resorting to old style convenience, like using a mobile phone instead of the IP system, thereby increasing costs rather than reducing them," he stated.
"Critical to this adoption is the audio headset and that last yard between the multi-million pound system and the user. A headset is the key component that links the user to the system while providing a single interface to the handset, the desktop and the mobile phone. This means headsets are key to the adoption of IP and UC systems, and that places Jabra in the right place at the right time."
Globally, Jabra grew by 23 per cent in 2013 and in the UK 14 per cent growth was recorded. "UC is the fastest growing sector," noted Dunn. "Last year, across the globe our UC product sales grew 27 per cent and we believe this will grow by the same if not more this year. In the UK Jabra holds second position in the devices market but top position in UC. US competition has until now been the de facto choice making it difficult to establish our Danish credentials of expertise in audio and design quality. It's time to tip that overall balance and align the UK with the rest of Europe where Jabra is a leader."
Dunn's predictions should not be taken lightly, especially when you consider his career pedigree and long tenure as a prime move for some of the industry's household name companies. He began his 30 years stint in the IT industry as a graduate trainee salesman at HP. Next came a spell in reseller territory at Rapid Recall, followed by three stints at Tech Data (first as Frontline, then as Datech where he started up the videoconferencing Division becoming PictureTel, Polycom's largest European Distributor in a year). Prior to joining Jabra he operated as Managing Director of Azlan, the Enterprise Division of Tech Data.
Dunn explained: "I've worked for vendors such as Promethean as VP Channels EMEA, started up PlaceWare Europe (now part of Microsoft Lync products) and was VP Sales North EMEA for Genesys Conferencing (now part of Intercall). I also had time to start a few of my own businesses in-between. I have worked at all levels and been involved in all aspects of the channel. I just don't tire of the excitement of being around people and learning."
Dunn succeeded Andrew Doyle, former Jabra UK&I Managing Director, who was promoted to the role of Senior Director, Channel Management in EMEA. Dunn found himself in the right place at the right time, in a professional headset market with a compound annual growth rate of 14-16 per cent and a partner base that is outstripping the market in terms of sales.
"The channel is our only conduit to market and it's our lifeblood," added Dunn. "It's vital that we have the right conditions, programmes and people to help our channel be vibrant and live the Jabra dream for themselves. I'm a channel man at heart and I sold best when I felt the vendor's passion. Much of this has gone and that's why the channel is vital for me. My understanding of the user and vendor pain points and what helps the channel embrace opportunities, I bring strong experience in the right areas to make this all happen. Get it right and Jabra will win."
Dunn's experience of driving the uptake of technologies such as multimedia conferencing at PlaceWare and Genesys, and his background in the IP comms and UC market will also help to determine Jabra's play in the contact centre space. According to Dunn, the vendor sees a big opportunity in the contact centre market for a product refresh, and he has high hopes for the just-launched Jabra BIZ 2300 corded headset.
"Jabra has a strong portfolio that enhances the working experience for agents," commented Dunn. "Our competitors have had an easy run at this market and Jabra now wants its share. We are turning up the heat in the contact centre space and also upping the tempo in the mobile market with the Jabra Motion UC multi-use headset. Also in the 2014 pipeline is a new product family that will transform the CC&O environment. Watch this space."•
We should expect nothing less. The Danes have a strong heritage in audio, design and the telecoms business. Copenhagen is one of the epicentres of new software progression and Jabra is part of this culture. "There is a hunger for business but the Danes have a wonderful way of wanting business for the right reasons," commented Dunn. "Customers and their experience come first, and Jabra's staff are equally considered. Our CEO, Niels Svenningsen, says it perfectly, 'Look after your customers and your people and everything else will fall into place'. I love this philosophy and that's what makes Jabra special to me." •