It’s that time of the week again, where we catch you up on the latest happenings in the world of unified comms.
This week saw a UK reseller launch a suit against Microsoft claiming the vendor is abusing its power in the licensing space. Elsewhere, the future of work was a strong topic of discussion this week as LogMeIn and Forrester revealed that employers are still wary of a remote workforce and Cisco execs looked back on a year of change for the company and customers at its annual Cisco Live event.
Microsoft Teams Updates for April
We’ve rounded up all the latest enhancements to Teams this month. The tech giant remains busy as ever with updates for its flagship comms platform, with the latest innovations including “meetings recaps” which provides a transcription, recording and attached files. It also rolled out voice-enabled channels, which allows the connecting of a call queue to channels in Teams as well as additional managemetn and security features.
UK Reseller Files £370m Suit Against Microsoft
Software reseller ValueLicensing is taking Microsoft to court accusing it of stifling the supply of pre-owned licenses through clauses in customer contracts since “at least” 2016.
The reseller – which specialises in the resale of second-hand licences – claims that these clauses give customers a discount on other Microsoft products and services, in exchange for not selling on their redundant licences. ValueLicensing’s business model relies on it being able to buy these licences to sell on.
It also claims that non-disclosure agreements have “eliminated most preowned licences from the market”.
ValueLicencing is arguing that it has lost an estimated gross profit of £270m since 2016 because of the tech vendor’s conduct.
Cisco Channel Chief on the Importance of Partners
At this year’s virtual Cisco Live event, global channel boss, Oliver Tuszik, highlighted the importance of partners in the relationship between the vendor and its customers. He also told partners that they need to review their competitive edge and find out where exactly they can add value to their customers to ensure long-term loyalty.
“For the partners watching today, you have to work to stay agile and relevant,” he stated.
“Explore how you can deliver the right value on top of Cisco solutions to expand your success. Our customers want your help to consume and manage technology in new ways, with your managed offering and as–a–service solutions, and with simple flexibility that make it easier to buy and renew. You need to grow your development skills so you can build unique solutions on top of the Cisco platform. This brings added value to customers, increases their loyalty, and helps you develop an edge in the market.”
Employers Still Wary of Flexible Working
Research from LogMeIn and Forrester revealed that team leaders and decision-makers are still untrusting of flexible working. Five per cent of employer respondents stating that remote workers are more productive and a whopping 70 per cent sayng that the feel staff in the office are more trustworthy.
Despite this unwariness on the part of managers and employers, hybrid working is now here to stay and they must accommodate these changes. The report advised employers to focus on employee wellbeing, implementing appropriate policies and having the right technology as “must-haves” for the future of work.
Cisco Collaboration Boss Opens Up on Hybrid Working
Elsewhere at the tech vendor’s event, Cisco’s Collaboration GM, Javed Khan, opened up on the “all-new Webex”, which has been driven by the realisation that hybrid working will become the norm for workers around the world.
He told attendees that successful companies in the hybrid age will be defined by the experience they give to both customers and employees.
“For employees in the office, how do they find a place to work; how do they know that space is safe; and most importantly, how do they stay connected to employees that are still at home,” he stated.
“For employees that are at home, their concerns might be whether they’re going to be left out, or whether they can still be seen and heard in meetings. Can they still make the same impact?”
What are your thoughts on this week’s latest happenings? Join us on our social media channels to discuss all of this week’s events!
