One of the most innovative communications companies around certainly has to be Interactive Intelligence. Consider the company saw the unification of communications happening in the mid-nineties and launched products to take advantage of what they saw as a huge opportunity. While the rest of the communications space was awash is individualized, siloed solutions, Interactive Intelligence was busy building solutions which minimized the traditional box overload most call centers had to contend with.
Specifically, they focused on eliminating the need for a separate PBX, ACD, IVR, ACD, etc. Sure, this makes sense today but in the nineties this was far from common thinking.
What I have learned in my career is having a good idea is only part of what makes a successful company. You also need to stick to your guns and be around when the market turns in your direction.
Let's just say that with all this talk of UC and more specifically UC in the contact center, Interactive Intelligence is in a great position. Ironically, as many others in the space are promoting the promise of UC, those of us in the know are aware Interactive Intelligence (commonly referred to as I3) may be the original UC innovator.
Interestingly, Joe Staples (pictured) , the company's Senior Vice President, Worldwide Marketing was in the unified messaging space back in the nineties. You might remember this as the precursor to the UC space. He has been with Interactive Intelligence for a number of years now and while there, the company has been doing quite well.
It is for this reason I thought an interview with Staples was in order and here is the podcast for your listening pleasure.
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Nice post.