Benefits of HD video communication driving global adoption: Travel savings, productivity gains, and carbon footprint reduction cited as drivers
Lifesize Communications, the global leader in high definition video communications, continues to win customers and industry acclaim, as reflected by a greater than 150% growth rate for the first half of 2008. The company’s sales growth was strong in all regions and across all product lines.
“We are excited that customers are embracing the Lifesize value proposition to address their HD video communication needs,” said Craig Malloy, CEO and founder, Lifesize Communications. “By delivering a superior quality of experience, unique flexibility and unparalleled price performance, Lifesize offers companies ideal, customized HD video solutions.”
“All of the factors that create ‘the perfect storm’ for HD video communication have intensified: business is more global than ever, the cost and hassle of air travel has increased, and the desire to support corporate green initiatives has never been greater,” said Malloy. “Companies are looking for solutions and finding them with Lifesize.”
Lifesize video conferencing systems won widespread industry acclaim in the first half of 2008. Awards included INTERNET TELEPHONY Magazine’s 10th Annual Product of the Year Award, the Videoconferencing Company of the Year award from Videoconferencing Insight, VON Magazine’s Inaugural Innovator Award, Unified Communications® Magazine’s First Annual Product of the Year Award and was the only video communications company named a finalist in eWeek Magazine’s Excellence Awards.
Lifesize expanded the company’s range of true HD video communications solutions from individual communications to fully-immersive telepresence suites. In April 2008, Lifesize introduced Lifesize® Express™ with Focus™, the world’s first high definition video communication system with a retail price below $5000 (US MSRP). Lifesize Conference, showcased at the Telepresence Pavilion at the June InfoComm trade show in Las Vegas, earned wide acclaim for delivering an immersive telepresence experience at a fraction of competing industry offerings.
“From Express to Conference and across our range of products, companies are finding they can tailor their telepresence deployments based on their business requirements, budget and desired level of immersion,” said Malloy. “With Lifesize, they can bring telepresence to any room, from the showcase, high-end boardroom to the system installed in a remote field office.”
Both of Lifesize’s major employment locations were honored as well. In Austin, Texas, Lifesize’s headquarters was named as one of Austin’s “Best Places to Work” by the Austin Business Journal for the third consecutive year. Lifesize’s engineering development center in Bangalore, India, was named as one of the top 25 “Best Places to Work” in India by Smart Techie magazine.
“Our success as a company comes from our exceptional employees who have built an inspiring culture.” said Craig Malloy, CEO of Lifesize. “We have nearly doubled the number of employees globally, but our people have created a self-sustaining culture that attracts and retains A+ people. I couldn’t be more proud of their efforts and results.”
In addition to expanding the company’s workforce, Lifesize continued to thoughtfully expand its channel partner ecosystem, extending the company’s global market reach.
“Our growing number of partnerships is delivering incredible results,” said Adam Taylor, Executive Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Service for Lifesize. “This year alone, we expanded our distribution agreement with Tech Data to serve the Latin America and Canada market and we signed Founder Century, a multi billion dollar IT distribution company with end to end reach within China. We’ve grown internally too… establishing a dedicated Middle East sales and service organization based in Dubai and adding quality folks to every one of our field organizations around the world. We expect all of this to continue as we grow our presence in this exciting, high-growth market.”
“There has never been a more exciting time for the high definition video communications industry,” said Malloy. “Momentum is strong, and we expect to continue delivering the superior experience, unique flexibility and unmatched price performance that has been a winning combination for Lifesize, our channel partners and our customers.”
