February Sales Engineering Braintrust

Dive into our new Sales Engineering Braintrust! The February edition includes:

• Win Wire: Discover how leveraging AVANT’s industry-leading sales tools and expert Engineering team empowered a Trusted Advisor to close a $7K+ opportunity with Genesys
• Engineering Spotlight: Meet our newest Engineer, Tom Croft
• Pathfinder Updates: Grow your knowledge of key solution providers with our latest on-demand training content and offer an elevated vendor selection process to customers using our new Dynamic Matrix
• AVANT Updates: 
  • Access elevated training experiences in 2024 with the AVANT Engineers
  • Listen into our podcast episode with Alex Danyluk and Sarah Arnstein, a review of the 2023 SASE Gartner Magic Quadrant

Win Wire with Amanda Bean

The Breakdown

• Technology Category: CCaaS
• Customer Type: Non-profit
• Industry: Helpline
• Size and Scope: 60-200 Agents
• MRC: $7,588
• Winning provider: Genesys
• Competitors: Dialpad, Vonage, Edify

The Details

What were the drivers for the client?
The client was focused on consolidating their technology stack in this opportunity. The main priority was to migrate the contact center away from cumbersome and expensive on-prem equipment. On the infrastructure side, they wanted a reliable, cost-effective solution to help maintain and improve uptime. They did not want a solution that required hiring additional resources for setup and support. Their existing provider was quoting nearly $500K in development and implementation costs to meet their requirements. This, alongside ongoing costs, would have exceeded their monthly budget, giving them reason to look elsewhere for a provider.

How did the Trusted Advisor close the deal?
The Trusted Advisor expertly led the deal from start to finish. They made smart decisions knowing when and how to best leverage some of AVANT’s key resources, including our Interactive Quick Assessments (IQAs) on Pathfinder and our Engineering team. They also created follow-up requirement documents and largely managed the vetting process to ensure their client could make a confident and educated buying decision.

How did AVANT support the win?
The Trusted Advisor pulled in multiple AVANT resources to access a superior level of support within their opportunity. Our IQAs helped start the project on the right foot by efficiently capturing key requirements. Sales Engineer Amanda Bean also served as a strong technical resource. She helped the client navigate and decipher complex information, clearing up uncertainty. This, along with industry-leading tools and a vast provider portfolio, allowed the TA to establish themselves as a trusted guide for their customer.

AVANT’s resources are always available to our entire community of Trusted Advisors. From support with discovery to solution training to agnostic vendor recommendations, our teams can help the Trusted Advisor lead their clients through any of their opportunities. Ready to see how easy it is to leverage AVANT’s support on your next deal? Fill out a solution IQA on Pathfinder to get started!

Engineering Spotlight

This month, we’re spotlighting our NEWEST ADDITION to the team! Meet Tom Croft, Director of Solution Engineering – EMEA.

Tom refers to himself as a passionate fan on a quest for digital excellence! With a background steeped in solution engineering, he has spent years navigating the intricate landscapes of the channel and evolving technologies. 

Tom’s journey to AVANT has been full of diverse experiences, from decoding complex customer problems to sculpting seamless user experiences. He thrives at the intersection of creativity and logic and enjoys crafting solutions that not only meet technical standards but also resonate with customers. Tom is a constant learner who is fueled by the excitement of keeping at the forefront of industry trends and embracing new challenges. He loves the exhilaration of the ever-evolving techscape, where each project is an opportunity to push boundaries and redefine what’s possible!

Outside of work, Tom lives just south of London with his “saintly patient wife” (his words!) and 3 amazing children. On the rare occasion that he has spare time, he loves to dust off the clubs for a round of frustrating golf or don the Cricket whites for a Sunday afternoon match.

Here’s a bit more about Tom, in his own words!

• Where are you located? Windlesham, Surrey (About 12 miles south of London)
• What is your favorite book? It’s more of a series of books. Peter James is a British author as well as accomplished playwright. He writes crime novels starring “Roy Grace”, a middle aged, slightly overweight but astute detective. They’re based in Brighton, a popular seaside town in the UK.
• What is an interesting fact about you? One of my neighbors is Brian May, lead guitarist and founder of Queen. As a side note, Brian Blessed also lives in my village!

You can connect with Tom on LinkedIn here!

 Pathfinder Updates

• NEW Talkdesk modules have been added to our Featured CCaaS Vendors course, located in the Trusted Advisor Academy! Along with content from 8×8, Vonage, NICE CXone, Five9, and Genesys, these new additions include a company overview, differentiators, products, and services available, AVANT wins, and how to engage Trusted Advisors! Log into Pathfinder 2.0* and navigate to ‘Education & Training’ on the Homepage to access the Academy.
• NEW SIP Dynamic Matrix! SIP trunking is a method of delivering voice over the Internet (VoIP), replacing legacy solutions such as analog lines (POTS) and digital PRIs. This refreshed matrix includes details on Voice Switch locations, so Trusted Advisors can select the optimal solution to meet clients’ performance needs. Select ‘Dynamic Matrices’ under ‘Tools’ on the main Pathfinder homepage to see the newest Matrix!

 AVANT Updates

• Elevate your training in 2024! This year, we’re introducing an enhanced version of our in-person Elevate trainings with a fresh new format and new content from your favorite Engineers! Attendees will leave each Elevate with tangible takeaways and proven strategies for implementing takeaways to achieve new levels of sales success. Check out some upcoming Elevates here and reach out to your dedicated Sales team for a full calendar of Elevate training opportunities!
• Dive into our new episode of AVANT Technology Insights and listen into a short and concise review of the 2023 SASE Gartner Magic Quadrant report, including new SASE updates and surprising takeaways. This episode is a companion to Sarah’s blog post featured on her site here! 

*You can check out all of these tools and resources in Pathfinder 2.0, via Homepage Navigation. If you forgot your company’s custom P2 URL, click here to have it sent straight to your inbox.