Preparing For The Future Of Work: Vonage’s Savinay Berry On The Top Five Trends To Watch In The Future Of Work
An Interview with Phil La Duke
Video Will Play a Major Role in the Future of Work — There is no doubt that Video will play a major role in the future of work.
The pandemic created a “new normal” when it came to how we conduct much of our daily lives, from collaborating with colleagues to seeing the doctor. As we welcome the promise of a new year and take steps toward a “next normal,” our own research reveals that video will be an essential channel for engaging consumers and colleagues across multiple industries, from healthcare to education and beyond.
There have been major disruptions in recent years that promise to change the very nature of work. From the ongoing shifts caused by the COVID19 pandemic, the impacts caused by automation, and other possible disruptions to the status quo, many wonder what the future holds in terms of employment. For example, a report by the McKinsey Global Institute that estimated automation will eliminate 73 million jobs by 2030.
To address this open question, we reached out to successful leaders in business, government, and labor, as well as thought leaders about the future of work to glean their insights and predictions on the future of work and the workplace.
As a part of this interview series called “Preparing For The Future Of Work”, we had the pleasure to interview Savinay Berry.
As EVP, Product and Engineering, Savinay Berry is responsible for global leadership of Vonage’s engineering, product management, IT, and security teams, focused on driving the Company’s technology strategy and innovation of the Vonage Communications Platform (VCP) and its portfolio of solutions. Overseeing both product and engineering, Savinay is committed to driving growth at Vonage by delivering communications solutions that empower customers to advance their business objectives by changing the way they work, connect and engage.
A seasoned technology executive, Savinay has more than 20 years of experience in technology and software, with extensive cloud expertise, and a track record of developing highly innovative products and spearheading results-driven transformational change. Prior to joining Vonage, he was Senior Vice President, Cloud Services at OpenText, responsible for all cloud services and strategy, including infrastructure, service delivery, managed services, and developer services. Before that, he also served as OpenText Vice President, Engineering and Products, leading cloud applications, design, performance, and security.
Prior to OpenText, he was Vice President, Product Management at Dell EMC, where he was responsible for the content management product portfolio. He led all SaaS, mobile, web and on-premises products, including Documentum, Captiva, and other enterprise productivity applications. He also led partnerships and business development to drive organic growth, developing products to accelerate the digital enterprise journey.
Before Dell, Savinay served in product and engineering leadership roles at Intuit where he led the development of advanced products, such as wearables, mobile and intelligent systems. Earlier, he was Vice President of Product Management at Empowered Inc., acquired by Qualcomm, where he defined the vision and direction for the industry’s first mobile-only social learning platform on the iPad, through a partnership with UCLA.
Savinay holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and an M.B.A. from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers like to get an idea of who you are and where you came from. Can you tell us a bit about your background? Where do you come from? What are the life experiences that most shaped your current self?
My philosophy is to leave every interaction more positive than it was before. Helping as many people as possible to make their lives just a little better. And doing more with less. #grit.
What do you expect to be the major disruptions for employers in the next 10–15 years? How should employers pivot to adapt to these disruptions?
The key thing for them to keep in mind is that the only constant in the cloud communications, digital transformation industry, and general work environments… is change.
Technology and the ways in which we communicate — both at work and at home — are always changing and evolving. But I don’t think I’ve seen as much change in my entire career as we have this past 18 months, and now I believe, businesses are more prepared than ever before for anything that comes next. COVID-19 has changed the way we live and work, likely forever, and as employers adapt to their own unique versions of hybrid-work models, embedded with smart, forward-thinking technology, there won’t be a disruption that employers can’t handle.
We are seeing a secular change and a major shift in the way businesses operate, and it’s driving a communications revolution across all industries and modes of communications. But we’re just at the beginning of it and it’s going to transform every business, every industry and every customer interaction.
Consumers today expect to get the information and the services they want, in the channel that they choose, when they want it from anywhere on the planet, in the palm of their hands. Think of the shift that happened during the early days of the pandemic as more and more online and remote delivery of services gained adoption — shopping online, ordering takeout online, even online fitness. These events have rewired our brains — likely forever.
Similarly, employees in the new modern workplace expect the same, digitally-driven, personalized experience from their employers when it comes to connecting internally with colleagues and externally with their own customers.
That being said, businesses should be keeping in mind seamless collaboration and engagement — no matter where or how people choose to work, everyone wants the same access to the contacts, tools and business applications they rely on, from anywhere.
Technological advances and pandemic restrictions hastened the move to working from home. Do you see this trend continuing? Why or why not?
Absolutely. The global shift to digital-first this past year has really re-emphasized the importance of communications and technology. And it has allowed for greater, more wide-spread adoption of innovation. Through cloud communications technology, businesses were able to provide uninterrupted remote delivery of services seamlessly, employees remained connected, from anywhere, and consumers across the globe were able to check-in with their families, friends, doctors, schools, across the channel of their choice — voice, video, messaging, social chat, etc.
The pandemic also drove businesses to adapt to new ways of doing things, building new technologies (with APIs) that helped them to thrive and even disrupt their industries, specifically in telemedicine, virtual events and education.
As we continue to see the need for connected experiences with customers and employees across the globe, there will continue to be an increased demand for integrated, embedded and programmable capabilities as hybrid working trends emerge and the focus on customer experience across channels continues to grow, specifically through video, verification and messaging.
This trend of communications technology innovation allowing for the adoption of hybrid-working models is not going away any time soon — this is just the beginning. Continuous innovation and digital transformation is here to stay as the unpredictable continues to be our reality.
What societal changes do you foresee as necessary to support the fundamental changes to work?
If this past year has proven anything, it is that no challenge, in terms of staying connected — both internally among employees and externally with customers — can’t be solved with the right technology in place. But businesses will still need to adapt and be agile — to new technologies, new employee demands and unforeseen events.
To connect with consumers today, businesses should turn to less traditional channels and employ technology, such as APIs, that allow them the flexibility to embed personalized, programmable capabilities — voice, video, messaging and verification — directly into existing applications and workflows. Businesses that are agile enough to meet their consumers and employees on their communications channel of choice will be those who enter the future of work on the right foot. These same businesses will also need to lean on their digital transformation plans and employ solutions like unified communications and cloud-based contact centers to ensure their employees and agents have access to the same tools they rely on every day to serve their own customers and create life balance for themselves — from anywhere.
We’re at the forefront of a huge market-wide communications revolution and the time for businesses to digitally transform is now.
What changes do you think will be the most difficult for employers to accept?
While the past 18 months presented numerous, unpredictable challenges for global teams and businesses, there were equally as many opportunities, innovations and chances to approach problems with a brand new, fresh lens. Challenges truly evolved into opportunities, especially in communications technology. I am amazed by how our customers embraced these opportunities, integrating integral communications capabilities, to continue making an impact in the marketplace and with their employees. There is not a change I have seen, in this digital transformation era, that has not been embraced.
Our customers are relying on the flexibility of cloud communications now more than ever before. With this flexibility, businesses have the tools to create better connections with customers and employees to create once-unimaginable efficiencies within their organizations. Because of the challenges presented, the world is going through one of the most incredible digital transformations filled with innovative and revolutionary technology that will forever change how we, as a world, stay connected.
We continue to see increased demand across our Vonage portfolio for integrated, embedded and programmable capabilities as hybrid working trends emerge in a few key areas as the focus on employee and customer experience across channels continues to grow and businesses tackle challenges presented by a new way of working:
VIDEO — As more and more industries realize the value of providing remote delivery of services in the workplace and for customers via video — healthcare, financial services, educations, even fitness — embedded, personalized, programmable video capabilities delivered via APIs that can be embedded within existing platforms will continue to grow in popularity.
VERIFICATION — Security, as well, is becoming an important consideration of digital transformation, particularly when it comes to video and online transactions.
Whether it be about ensuring real humans and not bots are downloading and signing your apps, or securing online transactions or even ensuring privacy of data in the workplace, we’re seeing security become even more top of mind as more businesses and consumers come online.
MESSAGING — Consumers today also expect to connect with businesses on the channels of their choice, making messaging — particularly messaging and chat on social media platforms and apps like WhatsApp — critical to an organization’s tech toolbox when it comes to engaging with employees or customers in an informative, meaningful and personalized way.
Despite all that we have said earlier, what is your greatest source of optimism about the future of work?
I am constantly amazed by the communications revolution that stemmed from one of the most challenging events of our lifetime. Joining Vonage at a time when the types of services and technology we offer is needed now more than ever has been one of the most transformative experiences of my career. In my role, I have uncovered and found a new appreciation for meeting challenges with innovation and creating connections despite so much physical distance.
I believe we’re just getting started In terms of cloud communications empowering the evolution of how we as a society work. The continuous evolution of technology and the communications revolution underway will continue to keep us connected, regardless of the challenges presented and into a future of work that will be continually flexible and hybrid.
Businesses all over the world, in every industry are looking to ensure they can continue to meet customer needs in the post-pandemic era.
With the Vonage Communications Platform (VCP) — UC, CC and APIs — our customers are armed with the tools they need to stay connected with each other and their own customers — from anywhere.
But as we shift to a hybrid environment in a post-COVID world, businesses are challenged to compete on customer experience in the new modern workplace — supporting a hybrid employee base while continuing to deliver intuitive, flexible customer journeys.
With the VCP, our mission is to enable next generation communications that are more flexible, intelligent and personal, enabling businesses, their employees and agents to enhance collaboration and engagement with customers — from anywhere…and empowering them to do what is next now and to stay ahead.
Okay, wonderful. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “Top 5 Trends To Watch In the Future of Work?” (Please share a story or example for each.)
1. Trend #1: Video Will Play a Major Role in the Future of Work
There is no doubt that Video will play a major role in the future of work.
The pandemic created a “new normal” when it came to how we conduct much of our daily lives, from collaborating with colleagues to seeing the doctor. As we welcome the promise of a new year and take steps toward a “next normal,” our own research reveals that video will be an essential channel for engaging consumers and colleagues across multiple industries, from healthcare to education and beyond.
In fact, research shows that video calls make people feel the greatest sense of emotional connection, beaten only by in-person conversation. In healthcare, general practitioners can tend to patients, despite the miles between them, while surgeons even perform operations remotely.
In finance, tax advisors, bankers, and others could be located anywhere as they deliver their service by video call. And through online education, students have been able to navigate the last 18 months with a little bit of normalcy, staying connected through the most challenging of times without falling behind or sacrificing their studies.
Thanks to fast internet access and cloud communications technology like APIs, the cloud and AI, remote work — and the ability to connect with anyone across their channel of choice — is table stakes. Video, in particular, has helped to overcome the challenges of remote work, especially when it is seamlessly embedded via APIs right into the applications and workflows businesses and providers are already using. This is also introducing new possibilities for how we collaborate, meaning that remote work, supported by video collaboration, is firmly a part of the future of work.
2. Trend #2: Automation
Automation has been a consistent theme of the 300 years since the industrial revolution began, demonstrating that technology has the ability to free humans from smaller tasks to pursue more valuable work.
However, the kind of automation we’re likely to see in the immediate future will be of the “human plus” variety. In other words, it will be automation that augments the human touch rather than replacing it.
A great example of this is Vonage customer Open Universities Australia (OUA), a marketplace for students and universities to come together. The organization’s mission is to match students with the best possible university for what they want to study going forward, so communication is key.
With the Vonage Contact Center solution, OUA leverages intelligent automation — not to replace the human agents, but to allow them to actually spend the bulk of their time speaking with students and customers, solving problems, and not wasting hours on the little stuff.
The OUA team relies on VCC features to customize screens with the right tools and data, quickly and intuitively use insights to let the conversations flow and ultimately create efficient, exceptional customer experiences across every channel.
With the automation capabilities VCC enables, OUA has been able to double its conversion rates with the same number of agents. And more calls means more conversations with students in need.
This kind of capability will greatly impact the way we work and connect in the future.
3. Trend #3: Hybrid Work
The new hybrid work model is here to stay.
The events of the last year and a half have shown us that, given the right technology and tools, employees can be productive and make the same connections with customers as they would from the office — from anywhere. For companies, not only does this also mean that there’s a wider talent pool from which to hire but providing what businesses all over the world have learned this past year is that flexibility and preparedness are key and that the ability to enable employees to work remotely is not only effective, it will be table stakes in the new modern workplace.
However, creating a culture suitable for a distributed team is not simply a matter of sending everyone home with a laptop. At Vonage, we were fortunate in that we were already using the tools needed to transition to full-time remote work at the onset of the pandemic. We have more than 2,000 team members across the globe that have the tools, solutions and technology they need to work remotely effectively, productively and safely, ensuring they remain safe without missing a beat in serving our customers and partners.
This worldwide crisis came at a time when we’ve never been more sure about our business and our future. Because of the flexibility of our platform, and the nature of our services, we were best equipped to keep our own business running smoothly while we did the same for our customers.
Moving forward, regardless of the model a company will leverage in the short and long term, it’s clear that the need for flexibility in working is an employee expectation. As businesses return to the office or transition into a hybrid work environment, flexibility, connections, and engagement through business communications technology will be a foundational piece of business strategy.
4. Trend #4: The Convergence of Unified Communications and Contact Center Will Continue to Evolve
For businesses to be successful as we embark on the future of work, they must operate seamlessly, regardless of location. Through unified communications, employees can stay connected with each other and with customers regardless of location — this is imperative.
In fact, this trend is many years in the making. Over the last several years, we have seen tremendous value and benefit for our customers of all sizes when it comes to the convergence of our unified communications and contact center solutions. And without the infrastructure and product portfolio to support it, it can be a challenge to deliver.
More and more, businesses want — and need — the option of a unified communications solution, seamlessly integrated with contact center capabilities, including access to CRM and business apps all within a single dashboard, that also provide the kind of fully programmable applications that enable them to transform how they communicate and operate from the office or anywhere.
We’re not seeing this as a need for the future but a very real need right here and now. And this need has driven our strategy over the past several years to deliver this integration of solutions for our customers and we understand the depth of what is involved to help businesses create differentiated experiences for their customers and drive increased productivity within their organizations.
5. Trend #5: Integrated Communications for Every Industry, in Every Part of the World
The world has changed and we are in the midst of a communications revolution across all industries and modes of communications. The next generation technology happens in waves, and these waves build upon each other. What is happening now is the convergence of the internet, mobility, and the cloud that’s forming the digital transformation and intelligent communications wave.
We are just at the beginning of it and it’s going to transform every business, every industry, every customer interaction.
An integrated approach is needed to meet this change head on, to deliver a wide range of robust services and solutions to power global engagement solutions that enable businesses today to perform better, connect easier and enhance experiences.
Our readers often like to follow our interview subjects’ careers. How can they further follow your work online?
To learn more about Vonage’s role in the future of work and to read more on my perspective regarding the cloud communications and digital transformation industry, please visit: https://www.vonage.com/about-us/vonage-stories/. To connect with me personally, LinkedIn is best. See my page here.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this. We wish you continued success and good health.
