In this Podcast, Chris Aaker, Vice President of Engineering for netsapiens, outlines how netsapiens works with SkySwitch and their white label service. Aaker discusses some new developments in call and contact center, netsapiens SNAPsolution, and gives us a glimpse at new products coming in the new year.
Doug: This is Doug Green, and I’m the publisher of Telecom Reseller. And I’m with Chris Aaker, who is the vice president of engineering for netsapiens. Chris, thank you for joining me today.
Chris: Happy to be here. Glad we could sit down.
Doug: So, this is exciting, you are here, and we’re at Vectors 2019 – and we’re going to talk about that relationship in just a second – but, what is netsapiens?
Chris: netsapiens is a leading provider of UCaaS solutions for Service Providers. We really help enable the Service Provider to turn around and sell services to their clients of all different areas of the market. And really help them sell UCaaS services, voice services, whatever it might be that the Service Provider is looking to do.
netsapiens and SkySwitch
Doug: What’s your relationship with SkySwitch?
Chris: SkySwitch has been a long-time client of ours – partner of ours. They are a white label provider. Providing netsapiens services to their end resellers. Obviously, here at Vectors 2019, I just got off the stage presenting some upcoming features that netsapiens is going to be rolling out, making them available to SkySwitch resellers in the coming year.
Doug: So, how does this all work? If I’m an MSP and I’m a partner with SkySwitch, and I’ve just made a sale, how does netsapiens, sort of, fit into all of that?
Chris: Well, you know, netsapiens is really the core of SkySwitch. It’s their voice infrastructure, their UC infrastructure.
Doug: You’re kind of the engine?
Chris: We are the engine, yeah. So, we have no direct relationship with the resellers themselves. But, we work with SkySwitch very closely to make sure that we’re providing SkySwitch with the things they need to grow their infrastructure. But, it’s also push features, and push development into the next generation of voice.
Doug: Now, it sounds like – and not that it’s hard to deal with you guys, I’m sure – but, it sounds like one of the big advantages of this arrangement is that it’s all done for you. That SkySwitch and netsapiens working together has kind of organized this.
Chris: Yeah, I mean, everybody is built a little different, have different market segments that they go after, different sizes, different backgrounds. So, we, obviously netsapiens, is here if you want to become your full service provider and you want to buy a license from us. But, there are lots of providers that are looking for the white label approach. And SkySwitch provides a great offering in that area. [That] allows much easier entry for providers and MSPs that are looking to add these services. But, maybe also focus in other areas as well.
New netsapiens Features
Doug: You just mentioned that you have some brand-new news, new features?
Chris: [Laughs] Well, I was giving a little – little tease of some of the stuff coming in 2020. But, we also showed some of our features [that] we released this year. Including some of our call center analytics tools and some of our SMS functionality in call center. Which really excited the crowd. Call center functionality, contact center functionalities are always something that excites people.
Doug: Was that the number one thing that they were really excited about?
Chris: I think yeah. That was definitely one that excited them, because it was available a little sooner. You know, that’s going to be available this year.
Doug: Now, how is that an improvement over what you have now?
Chris: Well, we really went after kind of a whole ground-up approach to the analytics tool. That’s really a dashboard application that allows a ton of customization. So, you can really pick and choose how you sell, how you present that contact center solution. And, it’s no longer the Service Provider dictating how that call center is run. That call center supervisor now gets to pick and choose what they see, when they see it, and how they see it. From an end user, a call center supervisor perspective, they really get to drive their user experience in that contact center environment.
More about SkySwitch
Doug: So, Chris, how long has this relationship been underway? Between you and SkySwitch?
Chris: Well, I think SkySwitch started about five years ago. I think was the year that I heard today. And, really, really been with them since, you know, as they started in relationships with all the management level. Even before then. So, we’ve been a partner really since the beginning.
Doug: Since the beginning. And, where do you stand now? How big has this thing become?
Chris: Well, you know, I think SkySwitch has 400 resellers that – 400 plus I think – are running off their platform. We’re really excited to see that growth. Both from SkySwitch and our growth from our other Service Provider offerings as well. This year we actually passed the one million seats across our subscriber base. Which is really an exciting achievement.
Doug: So, that’s your first– That’s a huge milestone.
Chris: Yeah! You know, a million anything is a lot. But, you know, whole seats is really a nice accomplishment for us. SkySwitch has obviously been a great partner, with one of our leading white label vendors out there to enable more netsapiens users. It’s really been a great partnership.
Looking Ahead
Doug: And, I understand there’s some exciting announcements coming up in the new year. We’ll probably report on that in a separate podcast?
Chris: Yeah, we’re always working on new stuff. We’re really excited for the 2020 year and we’re working on that now in our lab, and in my development team. It’s really exciting, all the stuff we have coming. I can’t wait to share that coming into the next year. If you’re a smaller provider, if you’re looking for a netsapiens switch, come talk to us. We’re definitely looking to enable Service Providers, MSPs, anybody that’s looking to provide UC services. We’re available.
Doug: Where can we learn more?
Chris: On our website, netsapiens.com.
Doug: Well, Chris, thank you for taking some time out of your busy Vectors show. And, I know we’ll be doing a Podcast soon about some of those newer developments.
Chris: Yeah, absolutely. Appreciate it. Thanks, Doug.
Link to: Telecom Reseller
