@PolycomEurope will open its doors once again on Twitter. The next #PolycomChat session will take place on 11 August at 12:00-13:00 BST, where we will be discussing the technology that instigates collaboration in workplaces and its place in the office of the future.

Why should you join us for #PolycomChat?

If you are interested in how companies, both large and small, can future-proof their business processes through collaboration solutions, then the next #PolycomChat is for you.

The open forum welcomes all discussions on how IT can increase their business potential, drive innovation and optimise budgets. IT is the business hero that can help shape and ultimately make the future workplace a reality today.

Who are our panel?

Industry experts Ray McGroarty, Global Director for Enterprise UC Solutions at Polycom, and Matthew Ball, Principal Analyst at Canalys, are our panellists for this session. Both our experts will provide differing insights on how to get the best from your collaboration solutions.

Here is how you can join the discussion and also invite others who wish to participate.

Hashtag: #PolycomChat

Date: Tuesday 11 August

Time: 12:00 – 13:00 BST

Event page: http://www.polycom.co.uk/go/TwitterChat-IT

How you or your contacts can join the event or ask questions is explained below:

• On Twitter: Participants can join the Q&A on the day by tweeting their questions including #PolycomChat  in all conversations
• Not on Twitter: Questions can be submitted in advance by:
  • Posting the questions on Facebook page
  • Emailing the questions to pressoffice@polycom.com
  • Submitting the questions on the event page
• We endeavour to respond to all questions on Twitter or otherwise be in touch directly to provide a response.

Often certifications requirements and vendor training courses are seen as a chore or a tick in the box to achieve a certain program level or certification. But hopefully, this blog will change your mind and help you to change your sales reps mind and embrace the opportunity to learn more and keep ahead of your customers.

According to Megan Heuer of Sirius Decisions “67% of the buyers journey is now done digitally”1. This means that executives and buyers have access to far more information, and the opportunity to research what they need, so they are considerably more informed when they have that discussion with their sales rep. This means that our sales teams need to be better equipped and more knowledgeable than ever.

Polycom continuously develops and updates our online training to keep the content fresh and up to date, including an overview of the latest products and solutions and the customer use cases for them. Selling successful business outcomes is the new buzz phrase and equipping our sales teams with right story and the ability to tell it is crucial.

Although online training is not sufficient on its own, it lays the foundational knowledge that gives the context for the sales person to build on. Online resources and case studies supplement the learning and enable sales reps to build their own stories.

Training is constantly evolving and it is important that sales reps refresh their skills to take advantage of new strategies, content and enablement tools that are added each time the training is refreshed. Examples of new content for 2015 include solutions and business outcome selling and story-telling, how to leverage the latest marketing campaigns and buying personas. As best practices and market opinions evolve, staying informed of the latest information and tools will enable sales reps to satisfy customer needs throughout the sales cycle.

It is a misconception to believe that completing a certification training course is just to tick a box, or that it is just about products. Partners should maximize the free resources a vendor supplies to take full advantage of the knowledge shared, resulting in the best trained and successful sales force out there, driving successful customer business outcomes.

Check out the courses available from Polycom University or the topics discussed in the Partner Expert webinar series. Look out for invitations to roundtables, webinars or local workshops, or topics that interest you from the Polycom Community. There are many opportunities to gain knowledge, add new skills and keep up to date.

Related Content:

Source: 1Three Myths of the “67 Percent” Statistic. July 3, 2013 | By Megan Heuer

Polycom Community: The View: Top 5 Ways Video impacts Learning. By Cara Daly

Polycom Community, The View: 3 reasons why the International Forum for women for e-Learning was spot on. By Marci Powell