This week the Plantronics team will be in D.C. to unveil some exciting new additions to our UC portfolio at Microsoft’s premier partner event. Recently rebranded as Microsoft Inspire, the show remains one of our most important events of the year, where partners, Microsoft employees and industry experts connect to accelerate the digital transformation of our shared customers. This year, Plantronics’ participation is particularly exciting as we recently achieved a significant milestone with Skype for Business: over $1B in UC device sales, with over 10M Microsoft Certified units sold. This milestone is the result of a decade of double-digit, year-over-year growth and a reflection on the importance of effective partnerships in the Unified Communications ecosystem.
Like the Plantronics UC portfolio, Skype for Business has been successful in the UC ecosystem by building solutions that support that work isn’t any one place anymore. An increasingly mobile and flexible workforce should be able to communicate with practically anyone, anytime, anywhere. This is where collaboration solutions built to support a mobile collaboration strategy becomes key – mapping a mobile ecosystem to make everyone more connected than ever before.
Plantronics is an expert on mobile work styles and has built up a vast knowledge base of user needs and collaboration pain points. Poor connectivity, disruptive noises, being poorly prepared for a call, not having the right apps – the thing is, our mobile world, connected as it is, can be a very disconnected place. That’s why Plantronics is so committed to Microsoft’s Skype for Business certification program. This designation means Plantronics UC products meet the rigorous standards outlined in the program.
Together, Plantronics and Microsoft understand the communication challenges today’s workforce faces and provide the tools needed for them to work effectively, wherever focus is needed. This partnership provides simple, integrated audio solutions which help redefine what it means for workers to collaborate – whether it’s inside or outside of the office. Day-to-day business no longer needs to be conducted within the walls of a traditional office, and with trusted audio solutions and seamless integration with the Skype for Business platform, workers can confidently take calls without compromising on sound quality.
As the workforce and office culture continue to evolve, we look forward to continuing to reach new milestones with Microsoft as we both work to keep people connected.