A New Chapter for Polycom, and the Collaboration Industry, Unveiled in New York

[Andy Cuneo (Andy_Cuneo)]

Fleeting moments a human may experience, moments in time that can determine a life path. Left takes you one way, right takes you another. We initially don’t know which direction is the right one. Nor do we know if the path not traveled was the best choice after all. That’s a frustratingly beautiful part of life.

There are also moments when certain signals provide you with an answer that you’re on the precipice of greatness. That you’ve taken the correct path and have not only made your personal journey more successful, but improved the lives of others as well.

We’ve always had a reputation of being an innovative company. And so often, we’ve been viewed as a company that is taking the right path to success.  After 25 years, our Co-Founder Jeff Rodman is living proof that some just have “it” to make the right choices over and over.

But at no point, in the 12 years of being a media relations professional, have I ever seen a company with more impactful, impressive and thorough technology products and solutions as what I’ve seen over the last couple of months. Folks, we’ve made the right choices.

Last Tuesday in New York, for the first time outside our walls, external audiences got a taste of what we’ve been dreaming as a company. Media and analysts got the preview. Some traveled across the country – as far as Florida in some cases – to get a look.

We’ve talked about the workplace of the future. And we’ve delivered solutions that are impactful and allow us to take the highway to that future work environment. But as the silk cloth was removed from RealPresence Trio, then RealPresence Debut, then RealPresence Centro, the eyes got bigger and bigger. Following every unveiling, there was applause. There was head nodding. There was smiling. There was note taking like I’ve not seen in a long time.

I asked one of our guests: “was it worth the trip from Florida?”

His response, “Trio alone was worth the trip from Florida,” he said. “Everything I’ve always wanted to do on your SoundStation, I can do on Trio. You’re going to sell {a lot} of those.”

What did he think of Centro?

“What you’ve done there is so incredibly impressive. You guys have thought of everything – from eye levels, to charging your devices in a call. That’s the most innovative product I’ve seen. It’s so cool.”

Those sentiments were reflected casually over the next two days. Several media – not in attendance but who watched over our webcast on Wednesday - offered congratulations via email.

“Congrats. This is all really great stuff,” said one.

Another said, “The technology was incredible. Incredible.”

"I think [Centro] could be one of the best hardware solutions to enter the market in quite some time. I think Polycom really hit on all cylinders with this launch and blazed a path - watch out Cisco..." was yet another reporter's via email.

A participant in Wednesday’s live event in New York was overheard saying, “Well that turns the page on collaboration. That’s revolutionary right there.”

Folks, our engineering teams have spent countless hours developing these products. Its years of painstaking energy, prototypes that just don’t quite meet our customers asks.  Our customers have played an enormous role in building the foundation of how these products must work.

But there’s one man to whom we all owe a great deal of gratitude. Wednesday afternoon and evening, this man was seen smiling from ear to ear. He sat there watching the audience applaud and cheer as each individual new solution was unveiled. After the webcast was over, this man helped move furniture to set up for the cocktail hour that followed.

Jeff Rodman has taken the correct life path many times in his career. (Watch the video 'Reflection of 25 years: Jeff Rodman - Co-founder of Polycom.) So too have the engineering teams which are driven to keep Polycom at the forefront of the industry. And this week, the solutions we unveiled are further proof of his – and their - impact.

Congratulations to the entire Polycom family. There is a tremendous amount of pride flowing through the halls in each office. You can feel it. From San Jose to Herndon and across the globe, today begins a new chapter in the evolution of this company  - something Jeff Rodman and our incredible engineering team has been working on for many, many years.