Avatar

Many Cisco partners have achieved outstanding success selling managed Meraki-based services to their SMB customers in support of fast and dependable connectivity. But did you know that Meraki also provides a versatile platform that partners can harness to enhance security and safety for their customers, leveraging AI, the Meraki open API, and Meraki Marketplace? There is growing opportunity to deploy smart workspace solutions that address physical security and environmental insights.

The new Cisco Powered Meraki Intelligent Workspace specialization brings industry-leading cameras and sensors backed by expert management and powerful data software to deliver video surveillance, environmental sensors, and business analytics to business customers.  Intelligent Workspace services allow providers to create as-a-service offers that help prevent theft, enhance safety, increase sustainability, and optimize resource management. By integrating intelligent workspace with the cloud, these transformative services enable businesses to solve problems today and prepare for challenges tomorrow.

Security is paramount for SMBs, with a staggering 66 percent reporting incidents within the past year. And with the video-surveillance-as-a-service (VSaaS) market forecast to reach US$4.7 billion by 2025 and growing at a 16 percent CAGR, the opportunity for Cisco MSP partners is larger than ever.  However, the opportunity extends beyond video surveillance and even video as a service. Think about increasing your recurring revenue and profitability by providing Cisco Powered Intelligent Workspace experiences that leverage Meraki cameras, environmental sensors, and the broad ecosystem of Meraki third-party application providers.

Build on your customers’ managed Meraki-based network environments

How can you provide these outcomes to your customers? Simply add Meraki MV smart cameras and Meraki sensors to existing Cisco Meraki deployments with a few clicks in the Meraki dashboard. Smart cameras and environmental sensors can help SMBs keep their employees and customers safer, and their offices smarter and more secure. Expanding your managed service portfolio to include managed offers with Meraki MV smart cameras and sensors to deliver a seamless workplace intelligence solution as a service, fully managed through a cloud-based dashboard or portal integration.

Delivering born-in-the-cloud innovation

Cloud-based Meraki cameras and sensors simplify deployment with network transmission for video and sensor feeds. This eliminates the need for local servers or digital video recorders (DVRs) to passively store data.

The cloud-based approach also enables the Meraki Marketplace, which offers a range of third-party ecosystem partner applications. These partners leverage the Meraki open API to integrate their solutions in areas such as hybrid work, safe environments, smart spaces, and more.

These applications can be seamlessly integrated into your managed service offering, enhancing its distinctiveness, and expanding revenue opportunities

Deliver smarter work experiences by leveraging machine learning

Effectively, Meraki MV cameras serve as advanced visual sensors, harnessing the capabilities of machine learning and computer vision. They provide invaluable insights into the behavior of individuals and vehicles within physical spaces, unlocking a wide range of potential use cases, including:

  • Personalized shopping experience: One retail client wanted to enhance the shopping experience through customized digital signage. It deployed Meraki MV cameras to monitor shoppers, using age and gender recognition to tailor digital signage content. The outcome? Improved customer experiences, increased revenue, and more comprehensive analysis of customer foot traffic and demographics.
  • Efficient curbside pickup: Another customer streamlined curbside pickup services by leveraging Meraki MV cameras to reduce customer wait times. These cameras detect customer arrival and match license plate number to order, triggering a Webex notification to alert employees to the waiting customer.
  • Mask compliance enforcement: Another application involved using Meraki MV cameras to identify individuals not wearing masks. This system automatically sends a Webex alert, accompanied by a snapshot, to security personnel for prompt follow-up.

By harnessing the power of machine learning built into Meraki MV cameras and sensors, your customers can achieve a level of visibility into their workspaces previously unattainable. This includes applying AI to gain insights and receiving real-time alerts based on camera and sensor data.

Offer Day 0, 1, and 2 services

Cisco partners can enhance their offerings with Day 0 project scoping and Day 1 installation services. If needed, Meraki Marketplace provides access to licensed camera and sensor installers, eliminating the need for partners to develop in-house installation capabilities.  Additionally open APIs and computer vision app integrations provide greater automation and machine learning to further innovate and deliver intelligent experiences.

Ongoing Day 2 services depend on partner and customer preferences. Some customers seek continuous management with 24/7 monitoring through the Meraki Vision Portal. Others prefer private data access, where partners provide training, troubleshooting, maintenance, and uptime monitoring, tailored to customer needs.

Cisco MSP partners integrating Meraki into their practices have significant opportunities to upsell Meraki cameras and sensors, creating Intelligent Workspaces that address security and safety needs while increasing recurring revenue and differentiating their managed services. Only Cisco offers this level of service innovation and margin opportunity for our MSP partners.

Curious to learn more? Contact your Partner Account Manager or visit the Cisco Powered Services Specializations. Check out the portfolio overview for the latest on the Cisco Powered Intelligent Workspace.

 

Learn more about Cisco Partner Managed Services here!

 


We’d love to hear what you think. Ask a Question, Comment Below, and Stay Connected with #CiscoPartners on social!

Cisco Partners Facebook  |  @CiscoPartners Twitter  |  Cisco Partners LinkedIn



Authors

Jason Norton

Offer Manager, Global Partner RTM Sales

Partner Managed XaaS