Cisco has teased major announcements around products, strategy and partnerships ahead of its flagship WebexOne event later this month.
WebexOne will kick off in person for the first time on 24 October at the Anaheim Marriott in California.
Already-confirmed speakers include legendary actor Robert de Niro, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and Tribeca Festival co-founder Jane Rosenthal.
Webex’s senior leadership team will also take to the stage, with Javed Khan, SVP and GM of Collaboration at Cisco, telling UC Today he’s delighted to be back in person for the event.
“I’m excited about re-establishing connections and making new ones!” he said. “In-person meetings and seeing customers on the show floor really foster relationships, and no matter how amazing our technology is, experiencing an event like WebexOne in person is unparalleled.
“Further, this is a tremendous opportunity for our customers to experience the power of our technology and demos first-hand, including new innovations they’ve never seen previously.”
WebexOne will run as a hybrid event following successful virtual iterations over the past few years. Last year’s keynote was viewed by 11.8m people, demonstrating the value and reach of hybrid events.
The AI Opportunity
Khan said that artificial intelligence will underpin much of the conversation at WebexOne, including some of the solutions that Cisco will unveil at the event. Specifically, Cisco will demonstrate how large language models and voice assistants are shaping its strategy.
More broadly, Cisco will showcase the full power of the Webex platform.
“We’ll focus on three different areas,” Khan revealed.
“First, we’re going to show the world how they can reimagine work with the Webex Suite, and then we’ll show how they can reimagine their workspaces with our devices. Finally, we’re going to show how you can reimagine customer experience, especially with the Webex Contact Center portfolio.”
The customer experience focus comes at a time when retention is more complex than ever, as customers demand more from the brands they buy from.
Khan said Cisco will demonstrate how new AI-powered solutions can help companies address both how they engage with customers and how they empower employees.
“Customer Experience has become a board-level initiative,” he explained.
“One of the biggest challenges for CX professionals is that the bar has risen, and retaining a customer is harder than ever before – people expect fast, self-service, and personalised experiences. How do brands address this?
“Also, specific to the contact centre, burnout among agents is a huge problem that’s becoming more and more common. Organisations are grappling with how to address this from a wellness perspective for both employees and overall business outcomes.”
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Joining Khan at WebexOne will be a host of Cisco execs, as well as leaders from enterprise customers, including United Airlines, AT&T and T-Mobile.
At the event, attendees will get a chance to explore upcoming Webex innovations, participate in hands-on demos, and select from more than 40 technical breakout sessions and four technology tracks to attend. Moreover, during the event, Cisco will reveal the recipients of its annual Webex Champion Awards.
The event will span three days from 24-26 October, beginning at 8 a.m. Pacific Time in Anaheim. It will also be broadcast virtually via the Webex Events app.
