Stack8 Helps Cisco Customers Improve Productivity and Trim Costs (Part 2)

In part one, Doug Green publisher of TelecomReseller and Steven Karachinsky CEO of Stack8 discussed the role Stack8 plays in providing UC managed services. In part 2 they discuss alternatives to Cloud and hosted services, as well as what to expect from Stack8 in 2017.

DG: We touched a little before the podcast about Cloud. You mentioned the idea of offering an alternative path to folks that are considering Cloud.

SK: We think that Cloud is great, and we understand the benefits of the Cloud. However, we believe that there is an opportunity to do better, particularly in the UC space and we do believe that our managed services offer an alternative to Cloud as well as other traditionally hosted solutions currently available on the market.

When we ask our customers and partners what are you looking for in a Cloud or hosted solution?  We typically get the following answer. “We are looking for simplicity, and looking for cost savings.” Cloud and hosted offerings, as well as managed services,  address these needs effectively.

However, what our customers and partners tell us that is even more important to them are Control and Utilization. That is where we come in with our UC managed services, and where Cloud and hosted services fall short.

We believe that your team should always maintain 100% control over its entire UC environment.

You should control the timing and type of upgrades performed on your system. Also, you should have the ability to make and execute decisions promptly, which is vital for a sustainable competitive advantage.

Control provides flexibility. We believe that flexibility means that you’re ready for whatever happens in the market and you’re able to turn change into opportunity by adjusting to the new reality almost immediately.

In the unified communications world, this means being able to take full advantage of all UC applications and functionalities without worrying that something won’t be supported. It means being able to integrate your communications with other critical business applications like Salesforce, ServiceNow, etc.

I’ll even take a step back in what I am saying. We have been in business for almost seven years here at Stack8; I also had the pleasure of working at Cisco for close to 7 years as well. When IP telephony and the whole notion of UC and collaboration was coming into play, we were always talking to clients about how UC was a strategic application on their network and that there was a lot to get out of it.

The risk we see with Cloud and hosted services is that they have the potential effect of commoditizing UC applications, and thus make the way you interact with clients as vanilla, and indistinguishable as that of your competitors.

We want to help you keep communications strategic. We want to offer our customers the control and flexibility to use their UC solutions whichever way they see fit. Whether it is to get answers to customers quicker or to give your team more creative ways to interact both internally and externally. We believe that our UC managed services offerings can make that happen compared to the Cloud or hosted offerings of today.

DG: Steven, as we finish off 2016 how has your approach been and how about what you expect in 2017?

SK: I am very pleased and proud to say that 2016 has been an excellent year. I think customers are responding to our message; we are filling a void that exists in the marketplace where customers do not want to be sold technology. They want partners to help them with their business, and to help them solve problems and to work more efficiently.

The advantage that we bring as a UC managed service company is that we are not tied to a box or piece of technology. We are focused on delivering what is relevant to the customer – helping them solve their problems, helping them fulfill opportunities and gaps to their business. I think customers appreciate our straightforwardness and the teamwork and they see us as being a real extension to their team.

In 2016 we received many significant referrals across Canada and the US, and are delighted that we received such positive word of mouth.

I think our mission of trying to do things better and smarter from the customers perspective is working.  The reason I am saying this is not that I think we are great, it’s that when the customers are choosing us with their dollars and paying for our services, they are the ones who validate that our objectives are the right ones for them.

It’s been a very fulfilling year, and we look forward to an even better year in 2017.

DG: Well thank you for giving us an overview of Stack8 and all of the things you guys are doing especially in the Cisco market, where can we learn more?

SK: So, of course, you can check us out online at www.stack8.com is the best place to go, it is easy to get in touch with us. I appreciate your time Doug, thank you so much for today.

DG: Well, we look forward to the next one

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To read part 1, please visit

The team at Stack8 are experts in Unified Communications Managed Services. For more information on Stack8 UC Managed Services, please visit

Download the E-book “Make Unified Communications Strategic for your Business Success” Learn what is involved in selecting a Unified Communications Managed Services Provider, what to look for, and what to avoid.

To listen to the original podcast from TelecomReseller, please visit