https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2023 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Technology Advisor 101 (TA 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • 2023 Call for Speakers
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2023 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Technology Advisor 101 (TA 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • 2023 Call for Speakers
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Channel Research


Shutterstock

Group of business persons handshake in the office

Poly: Channel Has Huge Opportunity with Return to the Office

  • Written by Christine Horton
  • October 6, 2021
Partners can help customers navigate a return to the office, says Poly's CEO.

Audio and video specialist Poly says the channel has a huge opportunity with the gradual return to the office.

Poly's Paul Clark

Poly’s Paul Clark

“People aren’t necessarily clear what they’re going back to,” said Paul Clark, Poly’s SVP for EMEA. “So there’s a huge educational opportunity for the channels to claim a space. They can help show the customer a path — value-based selling,” said Clark. “The channel has an opportunity to claim a space.”

“Customers who know they’re where they want to get to, but don’t quite know how to get there is an enormous value opportunity. There is margin to be made in dialogue,” added Clark.

Poly CEO Dave Shull said both vendors and partners must demonstrate more thought leadership for customers.

Poly's Dave Shull

Poly’s Dave Shull

“It’s no longer a plug-and-play model with hardware,” he said. “It has to be a complete experience that we’re offering to our customers. We need partners to come alongside us and demonstrate that same thought leadership as we walk into a Global 2000 CIO. Customers are asking us to define the boardroom, define the huddle space, define the individual and define that experience. It’s a very different dialogue than it was pre-COVID.”

Shull says Poly is seeing a lot of proofs of concept worldwide based on a return to the office.

“I think that’s what’s going to happen for the next six months. With a delayed a return to office, everyone feels like we have a couple months to sort this out. We don’t have a year. So there’s a bit of a sense of urgency around those proofs of concept.”

Evolution of the Workplace

Shull and Clark were speaking at the launch of the Poly Evolution of the Workplace report in London. The research is based on a survey more than 7,200 hybrid workers from the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Poland and the UAE.

Almost two-thirds of hybrid workers (64%) believe office culture has changed forever. The research also uncovered mixed feelings about the return to office. Many have missed the camaraderie and connection of seeing colleagues and clients. However, others are feeing anxious and worry their performance will suffer.

But the research suggests hybrid working is here to stay. Eighty-two percent of respondents intend to spend at least one day a week working from home in the future. Fifty-four percent are planning to split their time evenly between office and home. One of the drivers for this shift is the emergence of ‘anytime working’ — whereby employees have greater autonomy over when they do their work.

More than two-thirds of employees (69%) say the 9-5 workday has been replaced by anytime working.

Ultimately, Clark said organisations need to keep people, technology and spaces front of mind. Businesses need to understand employees’ personas and working styles. They also need to clearly define their future office — what spaces will be needed? Should they create more areas for quiet working or collaboration?

“This will allow everyone to reap the rewards and truly make hybrid ‘work,’” he said.

A ‘Soft’ Return to the Office for Poly

Poly itself has had a “soft” return to the office for employees, where attendance isn’t mandated.

“We’re encouraging folks to come in and mingle safely with vaccinations,” said Shull. “We’re trying to be very, very sensitive to the guidelines around the world. We’re reopening the offices; we’re just not mandated to return.

However, Poly’s policy is that the company will require either vaccination or testing as of January.

“It’s a political issue in many parts of the world. It’s an availability issue in other parts of the world. For example, in Mexico we have thousands of team members and access to the vaccine was tough. So we had a joint effort between Mexico and the U.S., where we’re able to bring them up to the border and vaccinate [more than] 80% of our associates. So, we will do whatever it takes to kind of make vaccines available. And then likewise, if people for religious reasons or health reasons don’t want to get vaccinated, we make tests available. But they’ve got to do one of the two.”

Want to contact the author directly about this story? Have ideas for a follow-up article? Email Christine Horton or connect with her on LinkedIn.

 

Tags: Agents Best Practices Business Models Channel Research EMEA Strategy Telephony/UC/Collaboration

Most Recent


  • New direction
    Deal to Buy Unify from Atos Seals New Direction for Mitel, CEO Explains
    The deal also includes a role for RingCentral.
  • Momentum
    Microsoft Security Now $20 Billion Business with 'Tremendous Momentum'
    One analyst says there's few legitimate obstacles in its path for further growth.
  • Intelisys Pre-AMP'd Marketing Forum
    Intelisys, Suppliers, Agents Take Aim at the Partner Marketing Gap
    Marketing is historically a second thought for the sales-focused world of technology advisors.
  • Layoffs
    IBM and SAP Are the Latest to Announce Layoffs, SAP to Shop Qualtrics
    IBM Will Cut 3,900 employees, while SAP plans to eliminate 3,000 jobs.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • zero trust security
    Sizing Up the Zero Trust Opportunity for the MSP Market
  • Cloud data storage
    AWS Cloud Storage Service Vulnerable to Ransomware, Says New Research
  • Scary hacker
    Ransom Disclosure Act Aims to Help Feds Fight Cybercrime
  • Power grid worker
    Schneider Electric Partners with Distributors to Offer Managed Power as a Service

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

May 1, 2023 - May 4, 2023

Channel Partners Europe

June 13, 2023 - June 14, 2023

Channel Futures Leadership Summit

October 30, 2023 - November 2, 2023

Galleries

View all

Deal to Buy Unify from Atos Seals New Direction for Mitel, CEO Explains

January 26, 2023

Intelisys, Suppliers, Agents Take Aim at the Partner Marketing Gap

January 26, 2023

Ivanti: Everyone Should be Concerned About ChatGPT and Cybersecurity

January 25, 2023

Industry Perspectives

View all

Make the Most of the Gift of Time in 2023

January 25, 2023

Strong Partnerships Ease Challenging UPS Upgrade

January 24, 2023

The Advantages of Managed Networking and Security During Economic Uncertainty

January 5, 2023

Webinars

View all

Next-Generation MSP Platform: The Building Blocks for Your Business

February 15, 2023

Security Secrets of the MSP 501: How to Be a Cyber Leader in 2023

December 15, 2022
  • 1

Cybersecurity Certifications: Their Evolving Role in the Fight Against Increasing Attacks

December 13, 2022

White Papers

View all

Overcoming Your Endpoint Security Limitations with a Skeleton Crew

October 25, 2022

Embracing the Zero Trust Mindset For Endpoints

October 24, 2022

Endpoints are the Destination

October 24, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

Coffee with Craig and James Episode 117: Cato Networks, Video Killed the Podcast Stars

Retired Astronaut Capt. Scott Kelly Previews His CP Expo Keynote

December 21, 2022

Fusion Connect Eyes Future with Intrado UC, Managed Network Customers

September 23, 2022

RingCentral Focused on Hybrid Work, Microsoft Teams, Other Integrations

September 23, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

The CEO of @Mitel discusses the likely outcomes of buying @Atos Unify. Note: @RingCentral will play a role post acq… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

.@msftsecurity surpasses $20 billion in annual revenue, analysts say it's a formidable #cybersecurity market conten… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

The adoption of cloud-based services ☁️ has spiked in the last few years and is among the top growth segments. See… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

[email protected], @NICECXone, @lumencpp, @CiscoPartners joined @IntelisysCorp and partners for a day of marketing worksho… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

.@IBM and @SAP announce #layoffs of thousands of employees dlvr.it/ShV2VY https://t.co/7QK1YqVpwa

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

#MSPs can boost #Channel business if they personalize the #DigitalExperience for partners, says @AvePoint.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

Consider mental health in the context of DE&I. Create safe spaces where employees can feel comfortable being who th… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

January 26, 2023
ChannelFutures

.@GoIvanti's CSO says #ChatGPT poses numerous cybersecurity concerns. dlvr.it/ShRmdt https://t.co/n22RZ4PZaO

January 25, 2023

MSP 501

The industry's largest and most comprehensive partner awards program.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X