December 2013 VCI-Group President’s Message

December 2013 VCI-Group President’s Message

As we enter the last month of 2013 it is a time to reflect on what we have accomplished and to consider what the New Year holds for us. 

Nearly every month this past year, my messages have focused on the changes that we have been making to the VCI-Group and what those changes mean for you.   We have completed many of our goals for 2013; but we know that we still have much to do and that is why there is a New Year.

We are bringing in 2014 with a “BANG” as we conduct our first VC-DireXions Summit http://vci-group.org/events/direxions.aspx.

.  For the first time, End Users like you will have the opportunity to present your business requirements related to interoperability to manufacturers, vendors and the Open Visual Communications Consortium (OVCC),   and to explain what you need these companies to do for your organization to be more productive and successful.    Our lives, both personal and professional will continue to become more dependent on visual collaborative technology.  Through this technology, we will conduct business, be educated, receive our health care and interact for such things as shopping, cooking, etc.

The time is NOW for us to request that the technology we use for our organizations be as simple and intuitive as the iPad or the Surface.  If our children and grandchildren can use these technologies then why can’t our colleagues or Executives use our visual collaboration technology?

Each year brings new technology and changes to the industry – let 2014 be the year that YOU as a strategist, implementer, and supporter of visual technology help shape the changes in the industry.  We need your support and attendance at the VC DireXions Summit (January 28^th – 31^st in Miami Florida) to make this change happen.

On behalf of the Board of Directors and me, we wish you and your families a Happy Holiday Season and a Happy New Year.

Toni Alonso

VCI-Group President

November 2013 VCI-Group President’s Message

November 2013 VCI-Group President’s Message

Living in the 21^st century we have seen great strides made in technology.  Our ability to implement new technology within months is amazing – look at how Apple provides new iPads, iPhones every six months.

Having said that, why is it that those of us in video collaboration still “harp” on interoperability issues?  I recently had my Vice President say to me that video conferencing does not work – have you heard that lately?  We know that isn’t true; but, the perception persists that, if I cannot dial into a video meeting like I can dial from New York to China on my phone – then the technology does not work.

Someone recently likened this to the movie, Network, “I am mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore”.  Well, it is OUR time – we can ensure that we no longer have to listen to our Executive Management state that visual collaboration does not work.  The VCI-Group is excited to provide you with a unique opportunity to bring your interoperability business case to the manufacturers, vendors and the Open Visual Communications Consortium (OVCC) and have your case selected to be resolved.

Does your organization: 

• Use more than one vendor for visual collaboration and communications?
• Wish more of your conferencing systems would work together in a seamless manner?
• Need features to work across multiple platforms?
• Want better integration of visual collaboration with other applications?
• Expect every video system or smart device to be able to call any other video system the way telephones can? 

If you answered YES to any of these questions, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 

VCI-Group invites all members to respond with their TOP TWO interoperability-related requests of VC vendors.  You will be contacted to review your submission and provided with a template to document additional details about your requests and expected benefits.   The most impactful requests will be selected for presentation at the VC DireXions Summit, voted on and prioritized for inclusion in vendors’ offerings.

Stand up and be counted, raise your voice and scream, “I am mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore”.  Realize that we are many and in numbers we can impact decisions being made and we have the ability to change the industry to ensure that products and services being developed work seamlessly.

Never before has there been an opportunity of this kind – YOU have the ability to make history!  Join us in this history record breaking adventure.

Toni Alonso

VCI-Group President