Advantage 2018: Bringing the Smart Enterprise to Life

Posted by Larry Levenberg on July 11, 2018 Posted in Conference, Education, Events, Government, Healthcare, Hospitality, Unified Communications Tagged advantage 2018, biometrics, Channel partners selling, enterprise servers, IT solutions, NEC, NEC advantage, NEC Advantage Executive Conference, NEC vision, unified communications

Sharing stories of transformational success

Hundreds of attendees converged on the Gaylord Texan Resort to attend the 25th anniversary of NEC Corporation of America’s 2018 Advantage Executive Conference . The three-day gathering brought together top-performing NEC partners and solution integrators, along with distributors, resellers and IT and UC consultants.

This year’s conference agenda emphasized sharing success stories of transformation—through selling and implementing Smart Enterprise solutions in businesses of all sizes. Playing off a theme of “Exchange. Transform. Experience.” keynote presentations focused on how Digital Transformation is altering today’s business landscape. Paul Kievit, head of NEC’s enterprise business for EMEA and the Americas, noted that the integration of digital technology permeates all areas of business, causing a cultural shift in which organizations increasingly challenge the status quo with technology and innovation. NEC’s success comes from delivering IT and communications to create customer solutions for digital transformation.

*Full General Session Playlist*

Partners Take the Spotlight

Opportunities for attendees to network, exchange lessons learned and share new ideas expanded this year with the addition of expanded breakout sessions and solution demos.

“We listened to feedback from our partners and transformed our conference to include more breakouts, unique sessions, customer stories and partner experiences,” said Larry Levenberg, vice president of sales.

One of the highlights this year was the “Proud to Partner” session with presentations by a panel of partners Guyette Communications Industries, ServiceMark Telecom, Matrix Communications and Magna5. Representatives from each company described their organizations’ own recent transformational experiences, sharing advice and lessons learned with partners planning to embark on a similar path.

Vision for the Future

NEC executives also shared the company’s technology vision and strategy updates during keynote presentations. NEC’s Smart Enterprise technology strategy consists of a three-pronged approach, as outlined by Ram Menghani, senior vice president, UC/IT products and support:
1. Maintain unified communications and hybrid IT at our core
2. Grow intelligent-edge solutions and business models by incorporating biometrics, artificial intelligence, IoT and dynamic workflow into our offerings
3. Create additional value for individuals, enterprises and societies

“Since we first launched our Smart Enterprise initiative in 2015, we’ve converted many of our solutions to software-based platforms and converged our IT and communications channels. We created hybrid cloud offerings, building Platform Solution Integration Centers across the globe,” said Menghani. “Moving into the future, these centers will evolve into Centers of Excellence and key competency centers that will further fuel the creation of innovative solutions based on local and global trends, as well as emerging factors in society.”

He went on to say that this past year NEC expanded its strategy by functionally combining operations in NEC America with those of NEC EMEA. This combination propels innovation and simplification of the company’s products, resulting in greater support for both partners and customers.

Advantage also provided an excellent opportunity for partners and consultants to meet directly with NEC solutions experts and the management team. The expo area featured demos of NEC’s IT and UC solutions for both SMB and enterprise, including cloud, biometrics and analytics. Valued partners who provide joint solutions with NEC also showcased their demos in the expo area.

To learn more about NEC’s Solutions for Smart Enterprise visit the website.

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Join NEC at Enterprise Connect 2018: Enabling the Smart Enterprise to Thrive

Posted by Larry Levenberg on March 6, 2018 Posted in Contact Center, Education, Events, Government, Healthcare, Hospitality, Retail, Servers and Storage, Unified Communications Tagged digital transformation, enterprise connect, Enterprise Connect 2018, enterprise servers, Government, healthcare, Hospitality, IoT, IT solutions, orlando gaylord hotel, SDN, Software Defined Networking, unified communications

The annual Enterprise Connect event attracts communications and IT professionals from around the world to delve into the newest technologies, share best practices, sample new ideas, and learn firsthand from expert insight. This year, Enterprise Connect 2018 in Orlando presents a chance to discover something new that could improve your organization’s operations, and potentially increase business opportunities as well.

For the past 20+ years, NEC has brought its biggest and brightest ideas to the conference and expo. We’ve always found this event to be an excellent opportunity to meet with our customers, prospects and partners and participate in conversations and idea exchanges in a more personal way.

Driving Digital Transformation

In 2018, NEC will be featuring an impressive display of its solutions for the Smart Enterprise. Current strategic business disruptors are driving digital transformation for today’s organizations—regardless of size or region. To help organizations thrive in this environment of change, NEC offers Smart Enterprise, a comprehensive approach to safety, security, efficiency and reliability—by integrating NEC’s own unique mix of technologies and solutions. We offer something that no other competitor can bring to the table.

Visitors to NEC’s expo booth #913 will see firsthand how digital transformation and advanced approaches for delivering and managing communications and IT services can help Smart Enterprises thrive.

A sampling of this year’s featured solutions includes:
• NEC’s industry-leading integrated IT and unified communications solutions
• Software Defined Networking (SDN) for secure, automated QoS
• Unique use of facial recognition for safety and security as well as demographics capture and analytics
• Workflow optimization through a common database and services shared amongst multiple software systems
• Self-service kiosks for better efficiency and improved customer service
• A human “in-the-loop” path to efficient and reliable Internet of Things (IoT) solutions
• Vertical-focused solutions designed for the specific needs of industries, including healthcare, government, hospitality and more. Workflow optimization, facial recognition and attendant solutions for healthcare will be highlighted in the booth, but similar methodologies can be used in other verticals as well

Solving Customers’ Biggest Headaches

Attendees will also learn how our customers are discovering ways to solve their most pressing pain points through NEC’s Smart Enterprise approach, such as:
• Tackling inefficient workflows and processes—both of which can have a negative effect on the overall customer experience
• Reducing business disruptions related to technology and network issues
• Managing disparate databases across the enterprise and through partners
• Coping with insecure networks in the face of expanded cyber attacks
• Ensuring the physical safety of employees and customers alike

To learn more about how NEC customers are embracing Smart Enterprise solutions in their organizations, check out these case studies:

NEC Speakers at Enterprise Connect 2018

In addition to the Smart Enterprise experience in our booth, NEC speakers will be featured in several conference sessions. We invite you join us during the following time slots.

GENERAL SESSION
Thursday, March 15 | 10:15 am – 11:15 am
Resiliency, Disaster Recovery & Emergency Communications: New Threats, New Ways to Prepare
Sam Safa, Sr. Solutions Development Manager, of NEC Corporation of America, will join a roundtable of industry experts.

BREAKOUT SESSIONS

Wednesday, March 14 | 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm
Cloud Tradeoffs: Customization vs. Off-the-Shelf, Cost vs. Agility
JP Najar, Sr. Solutions Architect – Cloud, NEC Corporation of America, will participate in a roundtable discussion with vendor representatives.

CUSTOMER CASE STUDY SESSION:
Wednesday, March 14 | 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm
Real-World Enterprise Speech Tech Use Cases
This session features several use cases, including one from NEC customer Brad Hazelbaker, Network & Telecommunications Manager, of St. Elizabeth’s Healthcare who will also participate in the roundtable discussion.

We’re counting down the days until the Enterprise Connect conference kicks off on March 12. To save $500 off a full conference pass or get a FREE Expo Plus Pass, simply register through NEC’s Enterprise Connect web page and enter discount code: NEC.
We look forward to seeing you there!

For More Information
If you are interested in learning more about NEC Smart Enterprise solutions or would like to set up a meeting with an NEC expert during Enterprise Connect, please fill out and submit the following form. More information about attending Enterprise Connect is available here.

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NEC & Black Box: Enterprise IT Solutions on a Global Stage

Posted by Stephen Spencer on February 17, 2016 Posted in Unified Communications Tagged 3C, Blackbox, global agreement, IT solutions, NEC, Univerge

As any information technology (IT) professional knows, you need an IT infrastructure that’s secure and trustworthy, one that’s robust enough to achieve your current needs and agile enough to grow as a company expands. Well, the same can be said of an IT solutions partner.

Black Box Corporation is a leading technology solutions provider that’s helped its customers build, manage, optimize, and secure IT infrastructure for more than 40 years. Also, for the majority of that time, Black Box has been a trusted collaborator with NEC as a leading North American dealer of NEC solutions.

“NEC and Black Box’s relationship goes back 30 plus years,” said Mike McAndrew, CEO of Black Box Corporation. “Throughout that entire period, one of the key attributes that has lent itself to the success that we’ve had together is the clarity and commitment of the NEC team to the channel partner.”

McAndrew continued, “I think back to our first significant (UNIVERGE) 3C client. I got an email from one of the client representatives who remarked on how the Black Box and NEC teams were working together on a major cutover as if they were one company. And I was really proud of that note, because it was us working together, but in the client’s eyes we worked as a single unit.”

Recently, this partnership took a huge step forward as the two companies expanded their North American agreement into a global distribution channel.

“Essentially, we have two global companies that have been operating effectively outside of North America on their own,” said Larry Levenberg, vice president of NEC Corporation of America. “This agreement brings together new global capabilities for both companies.”

The new arrangement means that Black Box can now offer NEC’s unified communications and collaboration (UCC) solution, UNIVERGE 3C, to its global clients, as it has for its North American clients. UNIVERGE 3C integrates multiple media types to ensure that employees have the information they need anywhere, anytime, and from any device.

“Our clients are looking to simplify their IT and communications environment, while at the same time bring more capabilities to that environment relative to collaboration tools, network management, and other aspects. So, UCC has been a crown jewel for us,” said McAndrew.

NEC’s UCC solutions unleash productivity by combining IT and voice to facilitate mobility and “anywhere” communication. As more and more companies increase their global footprint, they require an IT infrastructure that is:

Agile enough to be accessed anywhere and evolve as needed
Resilient enough to handle the pressures of a global workforce
Secure enough to withstand the threats of today and whatever may come tomorrow

It’s an approach NEC calls Smart Enterprise.

“The commitment to a positive client experience from NEC and Black Box is really tremendous,” said McAndrew. “Listening to the clients and what their needs are and finding unique solutions for them is the hallmark of a successful channel partner, systems integrator, and partnership moving forward.”

For nearly four decades, NEC and Black Box have collaborated to provide North American companies with agile, resilient, secure, and united IT and voice solutions. This expanded agreement will ensure global availability to the powerful, converged business applications of UCC – solutions that empower a workforce from virtually anywhere.

“We have put together a very cohesive and full portfolio of solutions, and having an integrator like Black Box that can go out there and put all those pieces together, make the commitment and serve those clients both from a sales perspective and operations as well as installation really means a lot. I’m glad that our views are so closely aligned going forward, and I think we’re really going to see a lot of success in the future,” said Levenberg.

Tags: IT solutions