The Bridgecast with Scott Kinka

Latest Episodes:

Optimizing VMware Cloud Foundations With Rackspace’s Hannah Duce and Kevin Carter May 02, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by two of our partners from Rackspace: Hannah Duce, Director of Strategic Alliances and Kevin Carter, Product Director. We’re discussing the current state of affairs with the VMware evolution, optimizing VMWare cloud foundations, and much more.

Rackspace is the multicloud solutions expert. They know what you're up against because they've helped global companies across industries through it—and you can bet they're ready to help. Their team delivers results by listening to their customers’ challenges and building custom cloud services and solutions that support their business to perform better now and in the future.

During our conversation, we discussed the challenges and opportunities arising from the changing landscape and how Rackspace navigates through it. They also discussed the role of partnerships and alliances and the decision-making process for customers considering alternative platforms as it all relates to the VMware cloud foundation.

Topics covered in this episode:

● How the VMware-Broadcom deal has created challenges and opportunities for Rackspace and its customers.

● Rackspace’s long-standing partnership with VMware and how they’re working closely to navigate the changes.

● How Rackspace is a trusted advisor for customers who ask questions and consider alternative platforms.

● Critical strategies for mitigating the impact of the changes.

● Why Rackspace is focused on providing a simplified and comprehensive solution for customers in the multi-cloud hybrid world.

● What critical factors—like VMware's maturity level and the presence of mission-critical workloads—should be considered when making decisions about how to proceed?

● How optimizing VMware Cloud Foundation and leveraging its bundled elements can lead to increased value and speed up modernization efforts.

● Why tech stack displacement and rationalization may be necessary when transitioning to VMware Cloud Foundation.

● Why KVM is a mature and viable alternative to VMware, especially for organizations running Windows virtual machines.

ABOUT HANNAH DUCE

Passionate about providing solutions to bring benefit to others, applying concepts in new ways to improve efficiency, and creating meaningful connections between people or ideas. I've leveraged these strengths across multiple industries including IT, Retail, Consumer Products, and Foodservice.
My areas of expertise include identifying needs, developing go to market strategies, product and process development. I bring a personable approach to helping client’s solve problems by offering unique solutions that increase sales, innovation and customer satisfaction. One of my simple joys is teaching and cheering on others to success.

CONTACT HANNAH

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/hzduce/

Web. https://www.rackspace.com/

ABOUT KEVIN CARTER

I'm Kevin Carter, a developer and leader with an insatiable appetite for learning, a penchant for tinkering, and a knack for solving the most perplexing problems. Throughout my career, I've honed my expertise in data center operations, gaining hands-on experience in everything from bare metal to networking, virtualization, and containers. I've also had the pleasure of leading successful teams developing innovative solutions for critical infrastructure applications within private clouds.
Now, I'm embarking on an exciting new adventure as a Product Director in open cloud computing, leveraging the power of OpenStack. While I may be new to this role, I'm no stranger to the world of cloud technology. As a leader, I will leverage my extensive background in cloud and systems engineering, and I'm eager to make a substantial impact in shaping the future of open cloud computing.
I've steadfastly advocated for open-source collaboration throughout my journey, contributing to many high-profile projects. My Git archives are a testament to my unyielding drive to innovate and learn from my endeavors. From creating OpenStack-ansible and Turbolift to simplifying TripleO and building Directord, I've consistently tackled the seemingly impossible, rallying like-minded individuals to accomplish ambitious objectives.
If you're interested in delving further into my work and achievements, I invite you to explore my website at https://cloudnull.io or peruse my GitHub repositories at https://github.com/cloudnull and https://github.com/oshied. You can also see my extensive contributions to the open-dev community at http://stackalytics.com/?user_id=kevin-carter. And now, as a Product Director, I look forward to spearheading even more exciting endeavors and (re)shaping the future of open cloud computing.

CONTACT KEVIN

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cloudnull/

Web. https://www.rackspace.com/article-author/kevin-carter

Web. https://www.rackspace.com/

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Is It Time for a VMware Breakup? With Enzu’s Dustin Young Apr 16, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by Dustin Young, EVP of Global Sales and Marketing at Enzu. We’re discussing whether it’s time for a VMware breakup and much more.
Enzu is built on their TruCloud® Private Cloud Platform. Enzu solutions fuel growth and innovation for small, medium, and large enterprises by delivering expert capabilities in Global Bare Metal, Private Cloud, Migrations off VMware, Networking, Cloud, and Security. Combining decades of unmatched customer focus and passion for excellence, they deliver premium and affordable infrastructure-as-a-service solutions. Enzu also offers other services, including Disaster Recovery, Managed Services, and Cloud Optimization services.

During our conversation, we get into what to do if you’re still trying to sort out your VMware problem — whether it’s time for organizations to break their reliance on VMware, what comes next, determining if it’s the UI that you’ve come to know and be comfortable with that and keeps you locked in, other burning questions that may lead you to a VMware breakup.

Topics covered in this episode:

● Dustin’s career journey and how he landed at Enzu

● Why the Broadcom acquisition of VMware will likely transform the company into a hyperscaler.

● Why customers may face challenges and cost increases due to the acquisition.

● The importance for customers to understand the risks and explore alternative options.

● How VMware’s licensing changes and services bundling significantly impact customers.

● Considerations for transitioning to alternative platforms.

● How Enzu’s platform offers an abstraction layer and easy migration of VMs from VMware.

Links for this episode:

Trust Based Leadership by Mark Given

About Dustin Young

Savvy business leader, proud Autism advocate and parent, and proud United States Marine Corps Veteran with over 15+ years generating maximum financial results in the telecommunications and technology sales industry. Creative talent recruiter and relationship builder, exemplified by the ability to lead teams and execute complex initiatives that benefit both the company and the client. Strong ability to develop sales channels, go-to-market strategies, and program structures that can be implemented worldwide to drive incremental revenue, reduce operating costs, and optimize scalability. Extensive experience in enterprise mobility, big data, network design, and analytics. Proven skills in the development of strong revenue producing programs from green field to production in a start-up environment. High level of initiative and motivation that enables me to work well in an office or from home using video communications and collaborative efforts to succeed.

While the VP of Sales, I have grown overall revenue by 232%, signed 12 Master Agents, added 2 wholesale companies as clients, and partnered with Global Telecommunications Carriers

Oversaw all Channel Sales for a Tier 1, facilities based, business-grade IP service provider with a robust private IP network.

Built a program from scratch which later earned 47% of the company’s $34MM annual revenue stream

Served in a short term contract position developing the legal language and contracts needed to launch a channel program for a VAR, which is still currently in use

Gained remarkable revenue increases throughout my tenure: 318% in 2005, 263% in 2006, 245% in 2007, and 102% in 2008

Built an award winning SaaS Platform with my Engineering Team at O1 Communications

Earned the Top Sales Representative Award in the San Jose/Sacramento branch 23 of the 38 months

Contact Dustin

Web. https://enzu.com/about/

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinyoung/

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Role of Strategy in IT Leadership with Comcast Business’ Chris MacFarland Apr 09, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by Chris MacFarland, CEO and Chairman of Comcast Business. We’re talking about the importance of strategy in IT leadership, the upcoming advancements in AI and AGI and more.

As a pioneer in software-defined networking, Masergy is a leading secure cloud networking platform for global businesses. Acquired by Comcast Business in 2021, Masergy leverages artificial intelligence to enable superior application performance, offering SD-WAN, Security, UCaaS, and CCaaS solutions.

During our conversation, we get into the recent changes and updates within Comcast Business, the shift from being a cost center to a strategic business, and the future of AI and AGI.

Topics covered in this episode:

● The integration of Masergy with Comcast Business.

● Masergy’s focus on enhancing the cyber posture and resiliency of businesses of all sizes.

● Why Comcast Business aims to be the leader in global secure networking and invests in solutions beyond connectivity.

● Why IT leadership should be focusing on strategy and balancing offense and defense to drive innovation and success.

● Why advancements in AI and AGI significantly impact various industries and society.

● How the shift from Western medicine to personalized medicine and the focus on health span and longevity revolutionize healthcare.

Links for this episode:

Previous Episode with Chris MacFarland

https://bridgepointetechnologies.com/sd-wan-deployment-with-comcast-business-masergy-chris-macfarland/

ABOUT CHRIS MACFARLAND

In today's episode, we have the pleasure of hosting Chris MacFarland, the CEO of Comcast Business, a leading global private cloud networking and cybersecurity company. With an impressive career spanning notable organizations like BroadSoft and Allegiance Telecom, Chris is widely respected for his exceptional leadership skills, earning prestigious recognition such as Glassdoor Employees' Choice Top CEO. Beyond his professional achievements, Chris is actively involved in community service, serves on the boards of Compass Data Centers, Linear Labs, International Student Foundation and Tech Titans. Tune in as Chris shares his insights and experiences. And without further ado, let's dive into our conversation with this remarkable industry leader.

CONTACT CHRIS

Web. https://corporate.comcast.com/press/releases/comcast-business-closes-masergy-acquisition

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cmacfarland/

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Collaboration Technology Evolution with Graeme Geddes of Zoom Mar 26, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by Graeme Geddes, Chief Sales Officer at Zoom. We’re talking about the collaboration technology evolution, the role of Zoom as a communications platform and so much more.

Zoom is an all-in-one collaboration platform that makes connecting easier, more immersive, and more dynamic for people and businesses. Their team chat, phone, meetings, omnichannel contact center, whiteboard, workspace, and AI solutions help hybrid teams collaborate and get more done.

During our conversation, we explored the integration of productivity apps with Zoom, the company’s focus on innovation and AI, and how the collaboration technology evolution is playing out today in our post-pandemic world.

Topics covered in this episode:

● Graeme’s background and career path.

● The collaboration technology evolution.

● The adoption of video as a baseline for collaboration and the acceleration during the pandemic.

● The role of video in collaboration.

● Zoom’s focus on connecting disparate communication methods and enabling businesses to get work done more efficiently.

● The integration of productivity apps with Zoom.

● Why Zoom is investing in AI to augment and enhance user experiences.

● Why the role of the CIO has become crucial in driving digital transformation.

● Shameless predictions for the next 12 to 18 months.

Links for this episode:

LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:

Earn Your Employee’s Commute with Zoom’s Gary Sorrentino: https://bridgepointetechnologies.com/collaboration-and-productivity/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=show-notes&utm_campaign=the-bridgecast-with-scott-kinka-ep50

Books that Graeme mentions.

Simon Sinek: https://simonsinek.com/

ABOUT GRAEME GEDDES

Graeme Geddes is Chief Sales Officer at Zoom, responsible for leading Zoom’s enterprise sales, solution engineering, sales operations, enablement, and channel teams across the globe. A 20-year collaboration industry veteran, Graeme joined Zoom in 2019 to lead Zoom’s Phone business, taking it from a nascent product to more than 5.5 million seats sold in less than four years. He has also spearheaded the successful go-to-market strategies of many of Zoom’s recent platform innovations including Zoom Contact Center, Zoom Rooms, and Zoom IQ for Sales. Before joining Zoom, Graeme spent nearly 16 years at Cisco in a variety of leadership roles, finishing his tenure there as Americas Director for Collaboration Sales of Webex Meetings, Video Devices, and Team Messaging. He also spent nearly four years as a firefighter with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. He holds a BS in Business Administration and Applied Social Psychology from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo and a certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

CONTACT GRAEME

Web. http://zoom.us

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ggeddes/

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Cybersecurity Fundamentals with Mark Houpt of DataBank Mar 19, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by Mark Houpt, the Chief Information Security Officer at DataBank. We’re talking about cybersecurity fundamentals—current challenges, the global landscape, why relationships and communication are critical to cybersecurity success, and so much more.

DataBank is a leading provider of enterprise-class data center, cloud, and interconnection services, offering customers 100% uptime availability of data, applications, and infrastructure. DataBank’s managed data center services are anchored in world-class facilities. Their customized technology solutions are designed to help customers effectively manage risk, improve their technology performance and allow them to focus on their core business objectives.

During our conversation, we got into overall cybersecurity fundamentals, like why transparency and customer service are key values for Mark and Data Bank and how the biggest challenge in cybersecurity is not the technical aspects but the apathy and ignorance towards cybersecurity. And that was just the tip of the iceberg!

Topics covered in this episode:

● Mark’s Role as CISO and the CISO Corner podcast.

● Data Bank’s growth and expansion and their focus on security as a top priority.

● The current threat landscape and evolving security concerns.

● What’s happening in the changing landscape of cybersecurity threats?

● The importance of immutable backups.

● Why the regulatory environment, including privacy

● regulations like GDPR and CCPA, is a significant driver for security concerns.

● Cyber warfare between nations and why threats haven’t diminished.

● The vulnerability of small and medium-sized businesses and some advice for small business IT directors.

● Creating a strategic plan and addressing risks.

● Why building relationships and collaboration is critical for success.

● Shameless predictions for the future.

Links for this episode:

Mark’s Podcast: https://www.databank.com/resources/?resource-search=ciso+corner&resource-type=&year-num=

ABOUT MARK HOUPT

Mark serves as DataBank’s Chief Information Security Officer and is responsible for developing and maintaining the company’s security program road map and data center compliance programs. He brings over 30 years of extensive information security and information technology experience in a wide range of industries and institutions. Mr. Houpt holds an MS-ISA (Masters Information Security and Assurance), numerous security and technical certifications (CISSP, CEH, CHFI, Security +, Network+) and qualified for DoD IAT Level III, IAM Level III, IASAE Level II, CND Analyst, CND Infrastructure Support, CND Incident Responder, and CND Auditor positions and responsibilities.

Mark is an expert in understanding and the interpretation of FedRAMP, HIPAA and PCI-DSS compliance requirements. He is an active member of ISC2, ASIS International, COMPTIA, IAPP, and ISACA, among other leading national and international security organizations. Mark drives DataBank’s information security and compliance initiatives to ensure that the company’s solutions continuously meet rigorous and changing compliance and cyber-security standards.

CONTACT MARK

Web. https://www.databank.com/about-databank/leadership-team/

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-houpt/

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Driving Better Business Outcomes with Lumen’s Umesh Lakshman Mar 12, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by Umesh Lakshman, Vice President of Solutions Architecture, National Mid-Markets and Channels at Lumen. We’re talking about how we’re moving head-first into a future that is decidedly up the stack and how that drives the expectation of better business outcomes.

Lumen connects the world. They digitally connect people, data, and applications – quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Everything they do at Lumen takes advantage of their network strength. From metro connectivity to long-haul data transport to their edge cloud, security, and managed service capabilities, they meet their customers’ needs today and as they build for tomorrow.

During our conversation, we discussed Umesh’s background and career trajectory, his role in leading a cultural reboot at Lumen to foster a culture of innovation and an opportunity-focused mindset, the evolution of managed services providers in showcasing value during the pandemic, and so much more.

Topics covered in this episode:

● An overview of Umesh's podcast, "Breaking Boundaries," which focuses on diversity, inclusion, and equity, particularly from the perspective of male allies.

● Lumen's evolving identity and purpose and transitioning from traditional telecom-focused assets to higher-order application-centric solutions.

● The challenges and opportunities faced by mid-market and larger companies in terms of technology adoption, integration with security, consumption mechanics, and achieving faster ROI.

● The impact of the pandemic on IT leadership and the need for rapid change

● Lumen's vision for network transformation and simplifying service consumption through a digital front-end

● The integration of network and security services and organizational challenges in adopting this approach.

● The evolving role of IT leaders in response to the pandemic.

● How proof of value, demonstrated through demos and proof of concepts (POCs), has become crucial in moving opportunities from discovery to closure.

● The organizational challenge of bridging the gap between network and security teams.

● Predictions about AI advancements in the next 12 to 18 months.

Links for this episode:

Breaking Boundaries Podcast: https://breakingboundariesbyumesh.buzzsprout.com/

The Bridge Podcast with Scott Kinka – Terry Barbounis Lumen: https://bridgepointetechnologies.com/edge-computing/

ABOUT UMESH LAKSHMAN

Umesh Lakshman, as the National Vice President of Solutions Architecture for Mid-Markets and Channels, shapes technical strategy and business outcomes through innovative technology and talented teams. He transitioned to this role after leading sales engineering for Lumen Technologies' West Area and media / entertainment verticals.

Previously at Cisco, he spent over two decades in a plethora of roles bookending his time there in senior sales engineering, supporting the world's leading cloud providers. Umesh couples his professional acumen with a commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion, inspired by his upbringing and the lack of diversity he observed in the tech world.

With a Master's degree in hand, his personal goal is to harmonize the tech industry's diversity with societal representation.

At Cisco, he was integral to 'Men for Inclusion', striving for a future where such initiatives are obsolete. A prolific voice on diversity, Umesh also created "Breaking Boundaries", a platform celebrating DEI champions. The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, spotlighting those who challenge norms and forge an inclusive future.

Umesh loves the arts, namely being on stage in some format, be it dancing salsa ( retired ) , be in a band, or talking shop about technology and diversity, inclusion and belonging.

CONTACT UMESH

Podcast. https://breakingboundariesbyumesh.buzzsprout.com/

Web. http://www.lumen.com/

LinkedIn. http://www.linkedin.com/in/umeshlakshman

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/company/lumentechnologies/

Insta. https://www.instagram.com/umeshonig/

Insta. https://www.instagram.com/lumentechnologies/

Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/umeshlakshman

Twitter. http://www.twitter.com/lumentechco

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Future of VMware with AJ Kuftic of Expedient Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by AJ Kuftic, Product Manager at Expedient. We’re talking about the future of VMware and so much more.

Expedient is a data center and cloud services provider offering infrastructure as a service (IaaS) with local operations in Pittsburgh, PA, Baltimore, MD, Boston, MA, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Denver, CO, Indianapolis, IN, Memphis, TN, Milwaukee, WI, and Phoenix, AZ. Ranked as one of the Top 3 managed services providers worldwide on Channel Futures' MSP 501 list, Expedient’s converged solutions enable clients to focus on strategic business innovation, while the Expedient team handles operation of the information technology needed to support it. Expedient data centers are compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) as well as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). Service Organization Control (SOC) reports are published annually for all locations.

During our conversation, we discussed what’s happening with the VMware Broadcom situation and broke down the implications, including the background, impacts on service providers and customers, and the anticipated timeline for adjustment and optimization efforts.

Topics covered in this episode:

● AJ’s background and career experiences.

● An overview of the Expedient brand and its evolution of services to meet current market demands.

● The importance of understanding client pain points.

● Adaptation strategies for services providers and how the shift from per-gigabyte RAM to per-core licensing facilitates "bring your own licensing" capability.

● Changes in the private cloud model.

● The investment in service providers by Broadcom.

● How VMware's shift towards bundling products under Broadcom's ownership contrasts with its previous approach of avoiding shelfware and the impacts of this approach.

● The impacts of the transition from perpetual to subscription licensing.

● The general trend towards subscription models.

● Factors of consideration for alternative platforms.

● Predictions for the next 12 to 18 months.

Links for this episode:

Productivity AI with Expedient’s Brad Reynolds

ABOUT AJ KUFTIC

AJ Kuftic is Product Manager for Expedient. AJ has over 15 years of experience as a customer and partner helping end users build solutions that are sustainable and easy to manage. Having knowledge across various silos of IT infrastructure gives AJ a unique perspective of the pain points and what customers are looking to improve.

When AJ isn’t thinking about the next big thing, he spends his time with his wife and 2 children trying to bake the perfect loaf of bread.

CONTACT AJ

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajkuftic/

Web. https://expedient.com/knowledgebase/blog/authors/aj-kuftic/

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Using AI at Scale with Adam Weiner of Granite Feb 27, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by Adam Weiner, Vice President of Technology at Granite. We’re talking about using AI at scale and so much more.

Granite is one of the premier telecommunications solutions providers for businesses across the United States and Canada. With unparalleled North American coverage, Granite is the leading corporate phone service provider to multi-location companies through our scalable solutions, customized to manage their clients’ local, regional, and national locations. Through long-term commercial wholesale contracts, Granite offers dial-tone, infrastructure solutions, advanced data services, broadband, and security services to their customers at significant savings.

During our conversation, we get into why we need to solve little issues so they don’t become big ones, what Granite's Edge Boot device is all about, how the company's Granite 360 platform aims to provide transparency and flexibility for customers, and what using AI to scale really looks like.

Topics covered in this episode:

● How Granite's commitment to quality service and customer experience contrasts with larger companies that may struggle with scalability and product portfolio management.

● Granite's role in access aggregation and service provision in comparison to incumbent providers.

● What Granite’s differentiation in approach looks like in practice.

● An overview of Granite's portfolio expansion from traditional services like POTS and circuit aggregation to a full suite of managed services.

● The importance of integration in modern technology solutions and Granite's role in providing end-to-end support for customers.

● The introduction of Granite's Edge Boot device: what it is, how it works, and the multiple functionalities.

● Why Granite emphasizes providing solutions that offer resiliency, scalability, and diversity across carriers for competitive prices.

● Why the integration of various technologies from different vendors is a crucial aspect of Granite's service.

● Why international connectivity presents unique challenges.

● Predictions for the coming months.

Links for this episode:

Past episode: Mark Palmer of Granite

ABOUT ADAM WEINER

Information Technology professional with an unmitigable desire to be challenged. Adam has a proven track record of delivering unparalleled results while operating at the bleeding edge of what is possible, given a set of resources/requirements. A constant desire for technical and interpersonal self-improvement drives a ceaseless engine of growth and motivation. Gaining experience in varied and complex situations to complement theoretical and practical knowledge is his current focus.

CONTACT ADAM

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-weiner-3a888886/

Web. https://www.granitenet.com

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Customer Experience Optimization with Bridgepointe’s Scott Prater Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by Scott Prater, Vice President of Customer Experience Technology at Bridgepointe. We’re discussing customer experience optimization and the ongoing race to meet customer expectations.

The Bridgepointe Customer Experience team enables organizations to deliver unrivaled results across every aspect of their CX programs, including technology implementation and business process outsourcing. The team’s deep industry experience gives clients a strategic approach to optimizing business outcomes while delivering best-in-class customer experience.

During our conversation, we got into how Scott addressed some of the most challenging customer experience problems at some of the world’s most well-known brands, the importance of customer experience (CX) optimization and why it’s in the news today, the impact of CX on a brand, and so much more.

Topics covered in this episode:

How CX has evolved due to changes in communication channels, including social media.
Social media’s role in customer experience (CX) and its historical association with marketing departments.
The evolution of social media from brand protection to a channel for customer care.
The shift in approach by CX and CRM players towards incorporating various channels.
Why having a single repository for customer journey data to improve data analytics and customer experience is important.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on customer experience.
The transformation of contact centers to accommodate digital channels and cater to younger generations’ preferences for non-voice communication.
The changes in the audience for customer experience technology selection.
The importance of collaboration between IT and business stakeholders in technology decisions.
Common mistakes made by companies when implementing customer experience technology.
The importance of measuring the impact of technology changes on key performance indicators (KPIs) to demonstrate the value of the investment.
The trend of generative AI and its growing popularity in customer experience discussions.
The importance of well-informed AI implementation.
The challenges of navigating a cluttered AI landscape with numerous companies vying for attention and making ambitious claims.
Scott Prater’s predictions for the next 18 months.

Links for this episode:

Success is a Choice by Rick Pitino

ABOUT SCOTT PRATER

Scott Prater is the Senior Vice President of Technology Solutions at BridgepointeCX, a premier provider of Client-centric, performance-based Customer Experience and Business Optimization Solutions.
As a Global Information Technology Executive, Scott brings over 35 years of experience in various roles, including 22 years working with CX technologies. During this time, his focus has been leading successful initiatives in the contact center industry where he has held numerous leadership roles in Service Delivery, Sales and Client Account Management.
Scott began his career in the space and defense industry and has brought the same focus and precision required to launch a satellite with him to successive roles in Customer Experience and IT. He has a proven track record leading and supporting transformational change in both technology and business processes and been consistently ahead of the industry curve as an agent of change. His broad vertical background includes managing Avaya’s largest ever client service delivery program for Home Depot and managing customer service technology transformation initiatives for Comcast, Moneygram, and NRG. Scott’s wide-ranging experience also includes leading the industry’s first ever large-scale hosted contact center VoIP implementation of 10,000 seats in 2002. This experience, as well as his international experience in areas such as satellite/RF communications, telecommunications, customer service and analytics, has provided him with unique knowledge and insights to solve our Client’s complex business challenges.

CONTACT SCOTT

Web. https://bridgepointetechnologies.com/team/scottprater/

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-prater-bptcx/

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Evolution of IT Cost Management with Eric Russo of Bridgepointe Jan 22, 2024

Show notes

On this episode of The Bridge, I’m joined by Eric Russo, Senior Vice President of Lifecycle Services at Bridgepointe. We’re talking about IT cost management and why it’s become a top priority, second only to cybersecurity.

The Bridgepointe Lifecycle Services team advocates for their client's success during every step of the technology lifecycle, from sourcing through implementation and ongoing expense/mobility management to negotiating their renewal. Having completed thousands of client projects resulting in millions of dollars in savings for clients, working with Bridgepointe’s Lifecycle Management Services team helps clients drive greater efficiency while proactively managing their technology costs.

During our conversation, we got into how the post-pandemic budget run-up is over, but the demands on it to deploy next-gen tech, like AI, have never been higher. We also parse out why cost management is a more important priority than data analytics, cloud, automation, and AI, and the role procurement experts play in optimizing technology spending.

Topics covered in this episode:

● Eric’s background and experience.

● Eric’s business superpower.

● The importance of cost management, optimization, and containment in the IT industry.

● Why many companies are focusing on reallocating budgets for digital transformation projects and AI initiatives.

● Why ROI is an essential factor in justifying technology investments.

● The importance of finding cost savings and optimization opportunities in technology spending and how it impacts business cases for technology investments.

● The impact of COVID-19 on the mobile landscape and how it varies for different customers.

● The challenges businesses face in rationalizing their communication investments and the role of Bridgepointe in helping businesses make informed decisions about which solutions to keep and transition to.

● The importance of understanding users' requirements and leveraging Bridgepointe's expertise in technical requirements gathering to make informed decisions.

● Bridgepointe's involvement in managing digital transformation, including the transition process and managing organizational changes.

● The increasing use of RFPs (Request for Proposals) by businesses to validate their technology decisions and how Bridgepointe helps customers navigate the RFP process.

● A shameless prediction for the next 18 to 24 months.

ABOUT ERIC RUSSO

At many large enterprises, IT departments are limited by their tech budget, headcount, and legacy systems that turn new initiatives into huge headaches. We’ve been helping the heads of these departments overcome these limitations for over 25 years.

We take a deep look at your tech stack, your operations, and what it all costs in order to find opportunities to improve. But we don’t stop there. Like other companies, we’ll analyze where you can improve and give you detailed, accurate reports and recommendations.

Unlike other companies, however, we’ll actually take some of that work off your plate. So that your headcount isn’t tied up managing thousands of invoices or wrangling the service and support for every desk phone or mobile device in your company. And you can finally see beyond the daily wave of “break/fix” projects and start on that digital transformation you’ve been planning.

CONTACT ERIC

Web. https://bridgepointetechnologies.com/team/ericrusso/

LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/erusso/

The Bridgecast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so