Avaya executives highlight customer interest in AI-powered innovation, customer experience solutions, and Avaya’s role in delivering Next-Generation 9-1-1 emergency services
Avaya’s momentum supported by a robust partner ecosystem and key public and private sector accounts
Avaya Strengthens Canadian Footprint with New Ottawa Office and Enhanced Cloud Capabilities
OTTAWA, ON & MORRISTOWN, NJ, USA – September 21, 2023 – Avaya, a global leader in customer experience solutions, discussed market momentum in one of its most important markets – Canada. Galib Karim, GVP of America’s International Sales and David Robertson, President of Sales and Managing Director for Avaya’s Canada business, outlined Avaya’s vision for customer experience (CX) solutions, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, cloud migration, and Canada’s continuing role as a growing business for the company in remarks at an event attended by analysts, consultants, customers, partners, and company officials in Toronto.
The business update briefing preceded a planned ribbon-cutting event last Thursday where Robertson, officially opened a new Avaya office in Ottawa that brings together employees in sales, services, support, research and development, and product management roles. The office opening demonstrates Avaya’s continued investment in Canada, the company’s third largest market and in which Avaya is a leading provider of contact centre solutions based upon market share among competitors. During the event, Robertson highlighted the company’s work in Canada across key industries such as public sector, finance, insurance, retail, education, and healthcare. Avaya’s communications service providers and reseller partners also play an integral role with customers. Leading Canadian brands count on Avaya solutions with a growing list of customers including Bruyère, CAA (Canadian Automotive Association) Club Group, Hydro Ottawa, McMaster University, and Michael Garron Hospital.
“Canadian businesses and government agencies continue to rely on Avaya as a trusted partner to help them modernize, deliver differentiating customer experiences, and enable them on their journeys whether migrating to the cloud or remaining on premise and adding value over-the-top,” said Galib Karim, GVP of America's International Sales, Avaya. “Canada remains an integral part of Avaya’s global business foundation and the company’s leading efforts in contact centre solutions, which are built on top of a strong network of partners and service providers. Customers in Canada continue to tell me that Avaya’s approach of delivering ‘innovation without disruption’ by enabling customers to migrate to the cloud at their pace, sets us apart and is an engine of our growth and relevance in this key global market.”
Innovation and Cloud are Driving Demand
At the event, Karim said that enabling cloud-based innovation deployed on top of existing communications investments is powering interest for Avaya in Canada, as many companies are migrating their on-premises solutions to cloud. Progress in cloud comes alongside momentum in Avaya Experience Platform™, which offers an AI-powered, contact centre-as-a-service collaboration platform. Avaya recently introduced a suite of hybrid Avaya Experience Platform services, Avaya Experience Platform Connect, which empowers organizations to leverage their existing on-premises infrastructure for voice routing, call handling, and more, while accessing omnichannel voice and digital channels from the cloud. Call Center Elite voice agents can now leverage advanced functionalities such as WebRTC voice, AI Noise Removal, and personalized unified agent desktops through Avaya Experience Platform Workspaces.
Karim underscored Avaya’s momentum in Canada by identifying some Canadian customers who were recent new wins and renewals, including: Acadia University, Brandon Clinics (Manitoba), select Canadian Tire stores, Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance, Shared Health Manitoba, and Steele Auto Group. Key work is also being done with partners to modernize and work toward the strategic vision of the Canadian federal government and Shared Services Canada.
Innovation Drives Avaya’s Role in Next-Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) Services for Canada
As Canadian Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) transition 9-1-1 emergency systems to more modern technology that can process text, pictures, voice, and video, they are increasingly trusting Avaya and its partners to help them make this move prior to the March of 2025 deadline per the Canadian Radio-television and Communications Commission (CRTC) timeline to become Next-Generation 9-1-1 systems. Karim lauded Avaya’s work with partners like; Komutel, a multi-sided and industry leading PSAP organization for ambulance dispatch communications; Netagen, an Avaya systems integrator providing a fully managed, all-in-one NG9-1-1 solution; and communications service providers like Bell, as the company continues to play a leading role moving Canada’s NG9-1-1 efforts forward. He outlined groundbreaking work done processing the first NG9-1-1 test calls with a large provincial healthcare provider, where Avaya is assisting in the transition of more than 20 central ambulance communications centres, over 1,000 telephone lines, and more than 200 operator positions. Ottawa Police Service is also upgrading their Avaya solution to prepare for Next-Generation 9-1-1. Avaya was also recently named a provider for a new project within the Province of British Columbia and processed the first tests of NG9-1-1 at the Toronto Fire Services Dispatch Communications Centre.
“We are proud of our joint successes thus far with Avaya and have shared many key milestones,” said David Patterson, President, Netagen. “Most recently, we assisted our customers with the rollout of NG9-1-1 solutions across Canada.”
Customer Experience (CX) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Top Customer Interests
As a leader in contact centre solutions in Canada, Robertson outlined how customers are increasingly seeing their contact centres at the “tip of the spear” for driving differentiating experiences for their customers. With AI innovation super-charging CX solutions, customers are turning to Avaya to help them bring massive innovation into their contact centres. As more customers are looking to ChatGPT and other generative AI technologies, they are seeking an integrator to bring it all together, and Avaya is well-positioned to play that role often as the contact centre incumbent. Robertson pointed out that this was indeed the case at ENGAGE, Avaya’s global customer conference held in June in Orlando, Florida, where many Canadian customers learned about how to integrate new cloud-based AI capabilities on top of their installed investments.
Partner Ecosystem is Driving Momentum for Avaya in Canada
Avaya works with more than 200 partners across Canada, connecting the company’s products, services, and innovations with customers by geography and industry. In addition, Canadian communications service providers that sell Avaya solutions and are among the top five distributors globally. Those partner relationships are strong, strategic, and growing.
“Avaya continues to be a strong strategic ally for Network Telecom as we support public and private sector customers including multiple school boards. We prioritize service at the center of our operations, with a deep understanding of hybrid solutions and how they benefit our customers and allow us to support their transition to the cloud at their pace,” said Cathy Waddle of Network Telecom. “Together we deliver innovative solutions to our loyal customer base.”
Avaya Continues to Invest in its Operations in Canada
Last week, Robertson officially opened a new Avaya company office in the nation’s capital of Ottawa. In particular, employees who support product development and product management for cloud and on-premises products like the Avaya Experience Platform and Avaya Cloud Office® will occupy the new Ottawa office, along with their colleagues from sales, sales engineering, solution consulting, solution architects, services, and support.
Robertson also highlighted investments in cloud data centres, reinforcing the company’s capabilities to meet the high expectations of Canadian companies and government entities for data sovereignty and resilience, especially as demand increases for cloud-delivered innovation within an AI-powered contact centre.
Avaya's Notable Presence at the CCTC Networking Event in Toronto
Avaya's leadership and influence in the Canadian market continues to grow. Kirk Jones, Senior Director of Product Management, presented at the recent Canadian Communications and Technology Consultants (CCTC), a premier professional organization, event in Toronto. Jones led discussions as part of a panel of industry experts surrounding the need for both cloud and on-premise solutions, and how advancements like AI will aid in real time translations. Jones emphasized Avaya’s commitment to Canadian customers by understanding and fulfilling their evolving needs.
“Avaya’s footprint across the Canadian market reflects its unmatched pedigree from telephony, but today, the story is more about leveraging the cloud with AI-driven innovation to make employees more productive and businesses more agile,” said Jon Arnold, Principal, J Arnold and Associates. “Many companies across Canada use Avaya solutions whether they know it or not, including many businesses and campuses where you can see Avaya’s phones. It’s a great reminder of how extensive Avaya’s presence is in Canada, and based on their recent performance, that presence is clearly growing.”
Additional Resources:
- Read our blog, How Are You Protecting Your Customer Data? Unlock Trust and Compliance by Ensuring Data Sovereignty.
- Learn How Well-Established Enterprises Can Achieve Innovation without Disruption.
- Read about how McMaster University Improves Collaboration and Communication Between Students and Faculty.
- Choose your journey to experiences that drive business momentum with Avaya today.
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