Video Transcription

Chris Frey:
Lori's a newish member of the Converged team. Lori, thanks again for being here with us today. Just like I have asked everyone else, can you take a minute and tell us about yourself and your history?

Lori Campbell:
I can. I have been in the telecommunication industry for about 25 plus years. I, like Garry, started as a customer. I worked for a partner back in the day and numerous providers. The past 13 years I've been a senior project manager with ShoreTel and then the Mitel acquisition until I separated from them in July.

Chris Frey:
We heard Frank talk a bit about the future of Mitel Connect. I guess I'm looking for a little bit of your own perspective. At the time of your separation from Mitel, what did you witness as far as the personnel that were working on the heritage ShoreTel product line?

Lori Campbell:
Once that announcement was made with the cloud and RingCentral, a lot of people left. I was part of the last implementation team to leave, but with people leaving, a lot of that tribal ShoreTel heritage knowledge is gone. I know Frank had said that there's 7/10-year timeframe, but I think that that product's sunsetting and 7 to 10 years, it seems like a long time, but it's really not with the way this... They're not phone systems anymore. They're communication systems, and there's so much to it. 7 to 10 years, like I said, sounds like a long time, but it's really not that long.

Chris Frey:
With a successful background in UCaaS operations and UC, I'm sure there are multiple providers seeking out your services. I guess a little bit of maybe an obvious question, maybe not. Why did you choose to come work for a partner like Converged for the next chapter?

Lori Campbell:
It was a big decision on my part. I took a step back and looked at what I really liked to do. I was with a manufacturer for many years and it gave me that chance to really sit back and say, "Where do you feel like you're doing the most help?" Being in professional services for a manufacturer, it's a numbers game. It's all about book to bill. It's very transactional and scripted.

Chris Frey:
Do you feel like in your previous role working for the manufacturer, you were able to be as customer-centric as maybe you wanted to?

Lori Campbell:
No. It was a really tough line to walk for me. I sat on the fence of between doing what was right for the customer and what was doing right for the business. That's just the nature of the beast.

Chris Frey:
How about your relationships with customers now? Now that you're no longer with the manufacturer, you're with a partner? Has your perspective on your relationships changed at all with customers?

Lori Campbell:
Absolutely. Now I feel like I can use the years of experience that I have in this industry and coming at it from a customer and provider, now as a partner, I feel like I can truly consult and give that genuine and honest opinion, get to know their business better, be able to define their goals and their long-term vision for their communications. I have that time with the customer. I can really dive into a day in the life of them.

(45:35)
Once we're able to have those conversations and learn what their goals are and we get those defined, then I get to be the voice of the customer and cut through all of that noise, fill in those gaps for the customer and make sure that everything is done to meet their goals.