Year: 2016

February 17, 2016 1 Comment
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The Emerging Era of Customer and Workforce Experience

We are in the midst of the era of customer and workforce experience. I read one report predicting “by 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator.” Consumers and employees are more loyal to companies that go beyond products and services to deliver unique and rewarding experiences for new insights, flexibility and value.

To help our customers accelerate participation in the trend toward digitization, we’re launching this week a new set of Digital Capabilities in the context of Digital Ceiling, Customer Experience and Workforce Experience.

These new Cisco Digital Capabilities are simple solutions proven to improve customer and workforce experience to increase revenue and competitiveness, enable new business models, and improve customer and employee retention and loyalty. Each of these involves putting together connectivity with rich analytics, providing insights that can be harnessed by our customers in new ways.

Within the Customer Experience Digital Capability, we’re launching three key offers to help transform the customer experience:

  • Virtual Expertise: Face-to-face, real time personalized interactions from anywhere, anytime and on any device
  • Mobile Experience: Create differentiated, relevant experiences through mobile devices
  • Intelligent Branch: Provides a rich, comprehensive, simplified experience across a varied, yet unified set of applications throughout a customer’s journey

And in our Workforce Experience Digital Capability, we’re introducing Workspace Productivity to increase employee engagement and productivity, and enhance innovation by transforming the workplace into a flexible, collaborative environment that helps empower today’s digital workforce. Continue reading “The Emerging Era of Customer and Workforce Experience”

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John Brigden

Senior Vice President

Offer Monetization Office

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Cisco Digital Ceiling: Creating Smart and Securely Connected Indoor Spaces

Digitization is fundamentally reshaping business — and new technologies are changing the way we think about managing commercial indoor spaces.

A couple of interesting facts:

  • 40% of a building’s operational expense is keeping the lights on. Using LED lighting can cut those costs in half and using network-powered smart lighting cuts costs even further.
  • 23% of all global electricity is used in commercial buildings. Simply reducing energy use by about 30% can yield up to a 5% higher operating income and building asset value.

It’s not just about cost or efficiency and lighting is only a small part of a much bigger opportunity. Organizations that are turning to digital technologies can rapidly:

  • Transform processes and business models for faster time to market and leaner operations.
  • Personalize customer/citizen experiences for increased loyalty and greater insight to predict future purchases.
  • Empower workforce efficiency and innovation for better productivity and employee retention.

Innovations in building systems such as lighting and HVAC make it possible for building owners and managers, as well as architects and lighting designers, to increase efficiency and transform user experiences. This applies to any building – offices, hospitals, schools, retail stores, hangars, and manufacturing plants.

Let’s talk about why this segment is ripe for the next wave of digital solutions.

Today, Cisco announced new Digital Solutions in three categories: Customer Experience, Workforce Experience, and the Cisco Digital Ceiling. The Cisco Digital Ceiling is about connecting previously silo’d building systems and services on a single IP network. In the Digital Ceiling, users can converge lighting, heating, cooling, sensors and other actuators, in order to make a building not only smart, but seamlessly and securely connected. The Cisco Digital Ceiling improves the efficiency and sustainability of your buildings and enables you to manage them more effectively. The same platform can also be used to deliver highly personalized user experiences that improve the productivity, safety, and comfort of building occupants.

Digital Ceiling_1
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Continue reading “Cisco Digital Ceiling: Creating Smart and Securely Connected Indoor Spaces”

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Tony Shakib

No Longer with Cisco

February 16, 2016 Leave a Comment
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Customer Spotlight: Austin Independent School District Drives Toward 2020 Classroom Vision

Austin, Texas is the fastest growing big city is in the U.S. As a result, we have an extremely large student population in the Austin Independent School District (ISD) – about 85,000 students in 129 school communities. We’re proud that our student population is extremely diverse, but we do face challenges with language barriers and economic inequalities. With the city’s growth holding steady, we made it a priority to provide equally distributed public education to the Austin community.

President Obama’s ConnectED initiative helped serve as a catalyst for change within Austin ISD. The initiative’s focus on empowering teachers and students through access to digital content aligned nicely with our own vision. Specifically, administrative leaders and decision makers created our own program, Austin ISD Vision 2020, an initiative aimed at building classrooms where students are producers and contributors, as opposed to simply digital consumers.

A major roadblock to pushing our vision forward has been the recapture and redistribution of taxpayer’s money in Texas, which requires districts to return money to the state. For 2015, Austin ISD will be mandated to return $175 million, more than any other school district in the state. Of course, this has a significant effect on how funding can be allocated by the district.

To align with ConnectED, our 2020 classroom vision and the district’s budgetary constraints, we set out to find ways to be cost-effective and still provide specialized learning in an increasingly collaborative, digital environment. We needed a technology solution that could help us keep operational costs down and meet the district’s growing bandwidth requirements (50% annually), with the capacity to support additional applications.

Cisco’s Resilient Ethernet Protocol (REP) technology and updated energywise switches met our needs. These technologies ensured fast and reliable network convergence on our existing fiber-optic infrastructure while lowering costs. The solution helped to connect our district’s 129 different school communities in a cost-effective manner, and gave each campus a converged set of network services.

For us, the three biggest advantages of the REP technology are affordability, high bandwidth and high reliability. These three components enable our district to be a more effective, agile and responsive organization that is better equipped to use our resources intelligently. The speed of our network has increased exponentially, and with better bandwidth, we’ve been able to meet ConnectED initiatives.

Today, our classrooms have next-generation wireless access, VoIP and cutting-edge cloud services – regardless of their location. Some of the programs powered by the new REP network include dual-language courses, early-college high schools and online learning. Students and parents are using a cloud-based web portal, which gives them access to applications, textbooks, grades, progress reports, assignments, financial programs and more.

Our ultimate goal is to use technology and connectedness to reinvent the classroom experience, ensuring that students and instructors have access to the information and tools they need to succeed. As educators, it’s our responsibility to equip tomorrow’s leaders with the skills they need to thrive in our constantly changing world and technology will play a big role in making that happen.

To learn more about how Austin ISD is using its REP network, check out the new Cisco K-12 education case study here. You can also go here to learn more about Cisco’s Connected Learning solutions.

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John Kohlmorgan

Director of Network Services

Austin Independent School District

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Protecting Data Globally: A Modern Mandate

Data is the currency of the knowledge economy. This makes it a highly valuable commodity – for organizations and cybercriminals alike. As threats to data security mount, organizations must find ways to keep their critical digital assets safe at all touch points and compliant to international data protection regulations that vary by country.

A tall order, to be sure. Yet protecting data is a mandate in today’s global economy. With customers all over the world, organizations need to be able to demonstrate transparently how they are protecting data and ensuring privacy to earn the trust of their customers, users, partners and employees. This year at CiscoLive Berlin, I shared how Cisco protects its sensitive data through a data protection program that emphasizes trust and compliance with the law. It’s my hope that the information will be brought home and used by attendees in their own organizations.

Continue reading “Protecting Data Globally: A Modern Mandate”

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Michelle Fleury

Senior Director

Supply Chain Transformation

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Turkish Delight: D-Smart Launching Multiscreen with Cisco’s Infinite Broadcast Solution

It came out at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show that Turkish satellite video and broadband provider D-Smart is working closely with us to launch a multiscreen service, branded “D-Smart Blu,” based on our Infinite Broadcast solution. In this video interview between D-Smart CTO Erdoğan Şimşek and our own Conrad Clemson, VP/Strategy for the Service Provider Technology Group, the reasoning behind the collaboration is revealed. The upshot: If the challenge set includes a need to quickly launch and continuously innovate on an attractive user interface that bridges across old (set-top-based) and new (IP-based) devices, with the flexibility to change with alacrity, while blending traditional (live/linear) with broadband (OTT-sourced) content, the shortest and best path is Infinite Broadcast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8thgUh2O-Es

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George Tupy

Market Manager

Service Provider, Video Solutions

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Service Provider Opportunities and Strategies in IoT

On February 9, Cisco held a Cisco Knowledge Network (CKN) webinar hosted by John Shelnutt, Vice President, Global SP Mobility, on the topic of “Service Provider Opportunities and Strategies in IoT”. The webinar attracted nearly 200 attendees to hear the results of the thought leadership Internet-of-Things (IoT) study done by Machina Research on behalf of Cisco. The study was based on extensive interviews with Service Providers around the globe, providing insights into how SPs see their value-added role and strategies for IoT.

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Here are some of the highlights from the study:

  • Many leading SPs have invested in key capabilities to become “players” in IoT including:
    • Support for connecting a wide range of IoT devices
    • Formed alliances and developed strategic partnerships
    • Established dedicated IoT business units
    • Deployed Connectivity Device and Application Enablement platforms
    • Targeted priority vertical markets with end-to-end services
  • SPs are keenly observing and engaging in technology trends that will enable to stay ahead in IoT, including Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) networks, Network Function Virtualization and Software Defined Networking (NFV/SDN), and data analytics.

Additional resources:
View the webinar, now available on demand.
Download the corresponding white paper.

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Brian Walsh

Senior Marketing Manager

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The New Workplace:  If You Build It They Will Come

Remember when work meant being in the office from nine to five, using a desktop computer, and sitting in a cubicle? Well, the traditional workplace is changing. Offices are no longer productivity factories designed for individual task work. They are a blend of physical and virtual environments that encourage team collaboration. And offer workers choice to work from anywhere, anytime, on any device.

  • According to the Harvard Business Review, the average vacancy of commercial office space during business hours in the United States is 50% and in Europe 70%.
  • More than 80% of corporate real estate executives believe having a workplace strategy is important to company performance, reports CEB.
  • In a workplace article by Forbes they shared that 66% of millennials in the United States feel that an organization that adopts a flexible, mobile, and remote working model has a competitive advantage over organizations that require employees to be in the office from 9am to 5pm every weekday.

Several trends are influencing workers today including globalization, a rising millennial workforce, social media, and mobile technologies. Designing a workplace based on people, space, and technology can help cultivate engagement, productivity, and cost savings. Continue reading “The New Workplace:  If You Build It They Will Come”

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Sandra Acham

No Longer with Cisco

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Visit Cisco at HIMSS16 in Las Vegas

We are looking forward to participating in the HIMSS16 Annual Conference & Exhibition from March 1-3 in Las Vegas, NV.  If you are planning to attend HIMSS16, be sure to visit the Cisco booth (#2643) to see new solutions for patient engagement, telehealth, security, application integration and more. In the booth, you can meet with Cisco Healthcare specialists, experience hands-on demos, and watch the in-booth theatre presentation highlighting Cisco Connected Health solutions and relevant Cisco partner products.

Demonstrations will include:

  • Cisco Patient Connect
  • Security Solutions
  • Cisco Tropo Cloud APIs
  • Telehealth solutions including Cisco Jabber, DX Series endpoints, and the new Avizia telemedicine cart
  • Cisco Automation and Integration Platform

Learn more about the Cisco booth, the Connected Health Summit on March 1, and the other exciting activities we have planned for you at HIMSS16.

Hope to see you in Las Vegas!

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Mike Haymaker

Healthcare Industry Marketing

No Longer with Cisco

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How Social Media Keeps Us Connected

Sergey in Russia

Social media brings people together – and while this may not be breaking news, the connections we create and the friendships that form from the likes of Twitter and Instagram never cease to amaze me. For someone like me who is always interested in my Russian heritage, to Sergey Polushkin who is always interested in connecting others to his Russian culture and his passion for why he loves working here at Cisco – social media can open so many doors!

We have never met in person, have only just met recently on Instagram, and yet Sergey and I are fast friends. He says, “The fact of how we met and how we are having this conversation right now shows how powerful social media and Cisco really are!” Once again, Cisco connects the unconnected.

“People ask ‘why social media’ and our meeting is a great example,” Sergey states, “We connected over photos on Instagram!” It is as simple and easy as that.

Sergey is driven to help people – and our #WeAreCisco tribe – see how social media can bring our global Cisco community together. Want to let the world know that you #LoveWhereYouWork with #WeAreCisco? Sergey offers five very convincing reasons to as why Twitter and Instagram can help you share your story.

  1. Social Media is Part of our Daily Lives. Social Media is an opportunity to share your life with the world. There are so many different ways you can use it too, either from videos or photographs to texting and tweeting – there really is a platform for everyone! Mobile phones also make it so easy to share and are a convenient form of communication. You open it up and all of your friends are right there, you can quickly send an update and share so many interesting things with each other, and make new connections too!
  1. People are Curious about the #CiscoLife. When you work at Cisco people are instantly curious about what the life and culture are like. There are so many great opportunities and great projects we are working on! People really want to know what goes on behind the scenes – what cool things are you experiencing, how do you live inside that company? People love to hear about big companies that have a great culture that focus on their people and the world around them – Cisco is a prime example of this! I’ve found it to be what my audience is most excited to learn more about.
  1. People don’t just want stock images! They want real stories and real photos. There are some beautiful logos in the world, but that only goes so far – social media offers an “informal” and genuine look at our great company. Through social media Cisco employees have an amazing tool to express themselves and what they’re working on in a very unique and personal way. The more authentic you are on social media – the more people identify with your story and engage with you. They can then see the real Cisco.
  1. It helps to create a more “One Cisco” feel for us all and connects us to the world beyond Cisco. We are a very global company, but social media can help us to reach out to our co-workers around the world and start great conversations with them! It is a true Cisco advantage that leads us to moments like these and shows us the “power of Cisco” to connect us all. It also helps us to connect with others outside of the company who may not realize all the great happenings at Cisco! If they see us talking about these events on social media, it may spark an interest to work with us or work for us because they are watching on places like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
  1. Learning, Engaging, Giving Back. At Cisco, we are very focused on inclusion, diversity, and giving back – of course, here at Cisco Russia we are proud of these traits that make us a very powerful and compassionate company. From when I was able to travel to Las Vegas for GSX to helping a local Russian orphanage throughout the year, Cisco has given me so many opportunities to share in. These are great for telling our story on social media too! I enjoy that we engage more women in tech, are encouraging new partnerships, and really want people to succeed – that’s a positive company message!

Here in Russia we also have teams of co-workers who are on a winter swimming team – yes! They go swimming in the cold Russian winters! We also have runners who motivate one another. We all really thrive on focusing on our future. These all help to tell our local Cisco story, but also offer great connections for us on the global level too! There are hard times and easy times, of course, but together at work we rely on each other to accomplish our goals, and we celebrate the good moments. Our “One Cisco” approach makes us a great team, and social media can help to further these connections.

 

How many Cisco friends have you made through social media? If you’re sharing from the heart, you can’t go wrong! Join us on Twitter and Instagram and don’t forget to tell the world why you #LoveWhereYouWork!

 

Looking to #LoveWhereYouWork too? Apply now!

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Casie Shimansky

Content Strategist | Provider of Pixie Dust

Employee Storytelling