“Embracing change in an era of ‘business unusual’” #ITLA18

The 9th Annual IT Leaders Africa Summit was recently hosted at the brand new, green star-rated CTICC East Wing in Cape Town on 9 & 10 May 2018. Over the past decade of existence, the event has quickly established itself as the premier gathering of CIO’s and business IT professionals on the continent. Attendees from across Africa congregated in Africa’s tech hub to share best practices, and discuss the strategic roadmap to managing the evolving challenges, opportunities and risks associated with the IT departments’ ever-increasing scope of technology implementation and its related oversight.

Brett St Clair, CEO of Siatik and renown international speaker – delivered a powerful warning to the audience; “disruption is happening incredibly quickly; especially in the IT space – there are so many technologies that are hitting IT, wave after wave – and each technology generates another wave of technology, which can be very scary as the rest of the world feels like it is doubling efficiency and leap-frogging ahead whilst we continue to lag behind in Africa – constantly having to catch up.”

A common thread shared by the audience and speakers alike was that digital transformation is turning the industry on its head, and the CIO of the future needs to be well ahead of the curve to be able to deal and effectively counter the effects of prospective disruption to organisations. Transformation was also discussed on a higher level and resulted in a robust and thought-provoking debate regarding the duty of leading IT professionals to not only upskill existing staff as opposed to looking outside for talent; attendees also challenged the IT industry as a whole to work towards the development, mentoring and nurturing of millennials and more importantly women in the IT field.

Nithen Naidoo, Managing Director of Snode, who participated in the newly introduced sponsor hot seat panel discussion, encouraged the IT industry to invest in the development of future IT practitioners as this will set organisations on a sustainable path to success, “Millennials are looking for purpose – they want what they do to mean something; they want to add to something greater than themselves - and if you give them that, your organisation will be able to attract the right kind of talent…desire and [corporate] cultural fit is really important”.

This was a sentiment shared by Jamie Whittaker, Deputy CIO at Discovery, who encouraged organisations that want to succeed where others have failed, to take an ‘out-of-the-box’ approach, “In order for organisations to be successful, they need to understand that they should embrace change – It’s not business as usual but rather business as unusual”. Whittaker further elaborated that “IT is not about technology; it’s not about apps, databases or mainframes, nor the cloud – what it’s about, is People – they are the most valuable resource – they should be mentored and nourished, when you find these individuals; they should be treated correctly from the very first interaction with your organisation. Make sure that we invest in developing our people, so that they can leave at any stage, but treat them well so that they choose to stay.” The overarching message was that, change may be scary, but it should be embraced and seen as an opportunity as opposed to a threat.

The array of IT experts present at the event discussed other critical themes which are affecting the IT profession, including improving organisational cyber resilience in a world of evolving and increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks through continuous collaboration between big companies and SME’s in order to create a sense of community around the issue of cyber security. Naidoo cautioned organisations to stop viewing cyber security protection as a grudge purchase “cyber security wins battles in boardrooms, it’s a competitive advantage”.

Harnessing the true potential of data was also on the top of everyone’s minds with Collin Mamdoo, Principal IoT Specialist at Vodacom calling for “data democratisation”, with many others echoing this sentiment and encouraging both anonymous and visible sharing of data between companies. Overall, everyone acknowledged that data analytics is a key part to business success; the question rather centers on how you put that data together; which is contextual to your environment, industry, company and maturity according to Peter du Plooy, CIO of Engen, futurist and former Visionary CIO of the Year Award recipient.“Organisations that are winning; are organisations that are doing immense amounts of data analytics – they’re understanding their broader ecosystem…their customers, understanding their business inefficiencies and they are improving all of these things”.

This was a sentiment shared by Greg Groenmeyer, Head of IT Strategy & Architecture at Sanlam, “it is important for IT to be aligned to the business agenda and the overall business strategy; IT departments must always evaluate whether anything that is introduced has a business narrative – activities must be centred around mitigating the risks or improving the bottom line”

The IT Leaders Africa Summit has been providing IT executives with practical knowledge from industry experts and thought leaders since its inception 9 years ago.  With the assistance of an advisory panel of experience C-level IT executives, the summit covered the most current trends translating business strategies into IT functions, as well as many controversial and interesting debates on the future of IT in business.

“It has been exciting to witness the growth of the event as the IT industry matures. Kinetic is committed to strengthening the IT industry across the African continent through our involvement as a key information provider and business facilitator. We are encouraged by the number of companies who have already expressed interest in anticipation of the next edition later in 2018 which will be co-hosted alongside the Afrisecure Cyber Security Summit in Johannesburg” says Terry Southam, Managing Director, of Kinetic – the conference organisers.

In closing, Whittaker cautioned attendees that “Companies need to be looking for a business strategy for the digital age; if there are companies that consider business and IT to be two separate elements; they’re ripe for disruption”. 

Follow @ITLeaders on Twitter and join the conversation using the #ITLA18 hashtag

For more information about IT Leaders Africa, visit: www.itleaders.co.za

About IT Leaders Africa
The IT Leaders Africa Summit has been providing IT executives with practical knowledge from industry experts and thought leaders since its inception 8 years ago. With the assistance of an advisory panel of experienced C-level IT executives, the summit encompasses the most current trends concerning translating business strategies into IT functions, as well as cyber security, governance, and disruptive technology. We have recruited the top IT executives in Africa to present on the issues concerning IT leaders in today’s rapidly evolving market to ensure that you are ahead of the curve. 

About Kinetic
Kinetic is an international conference and exhibition company established as a key strategic information provider to the IT and Telecoms sector, our mission is to equip senior management executives with knowledge, market intelligence and viable commercial opportunities.

Discerning, informed, and connected.

With a multitude of choices in the marketplace, multiple buying channels, and instant access to information, today’s customers have never been more empowered, or more demanding. They’ve come to expect the ability to deal with a company on their own terms, very often opting for the convenience of self-service. So, when they do take the time to call a company, it’s usually because they have an immediate need—an issue they want resolved right away, and to their complete satisfaction.

An effective customer service representative (CSR) plays a critical role in meeting those expectations. No detail—from the CSR’s speaking voice to the quality of the sound on the line—is too small. And, the CSR must possess a certain kind of temperament, professionalism, and skill—but these alone are not enough. Answering the phone is just the start. Today’s customer service representative (CSR) listens, understands, and acts upon a customer’s needs with skill, rigor and thoughtfulness. Every minute, every day, the CSR needs to demonstrate that they have the customer’s best interests in mind, while presenting the company in the best possible light.

In fact, for the customer, the CSR doesn’t just represent the company, they are the company. Their job is to completely engage with the customer to provide the most informed advice, support, and guidance.

Problem-solver, diplomat, expert, empathizer: a CSR needs to be all these, and more. How can you help equip them for success?

A headset is a vital tool to the CSR. When it’s performing as expected, it’s barely noticeable. But if a setting needs to be adjusted or updated, it’s immediately noticed—and IT needs to handle it, right away. For companies with hundreds or even thousands of CSRs, it has meant a lot of effort for IT to manage their needs efficiently—until now.

Plantronics has a solution that helps IT monitor, manage, and maintain headsets. Plantronics Manager Pro is a cloud-based management tool that results in effortless management for IT, helping ensure users always have well-maintained headsets that enable them to confidently engage with customers, and ultimately improve the customer experience.

Now available in South Africa, find out how Plantronics Manager Pro can help make headset management effortless. Learn more here.

About Plantronics Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From Unified Communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information visit www.plantronics.com.za 

Music lovers will enjoy dual EQ modes, exceptional comfort and hands-free convenience.

Johannesburg, South Africa – 1 May 2018 – Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), an audio pioneer and communications technology leader, recently announced its Plantronics BackBeat GO 600 Series: wireless, over-the-ear immersive headphones featuring unique capabilities for people who put music first, at an economical price point.

To ensure music lovers can create the listening experience they prefer, BackBeat GO 600 comes equipped with dual equalization (EQ) modes, to allow the listener to easily alternate between ‘Bass Boost’ and ‘Balanced’ EQ. Balanced EQ mode is Plantronics’ signature sound, which is tuned to be the most accurate possible representation of the source audio across all genres of music. Listeners can move between modes with a single push of a button – a feature not typically found on headphones in this price range. BackBeat GO 600 is slim and lightweight with an over-ear design and soft memory foam ear cushions that provide the ideal balance of comfort and isolation resulting in deep, rich sound with minimal distraction.

“Our core expertise in headphones, wireless and premium experiences make Plantronics uniquely qualified to give music lovers the best possible immersive stereo experience at an affordable price point,” said Greg Miller, director of portfolio business management, Personal Solutions, Plantronics. “Plantronics’ baseline standard in all of our products is to provide superior audio, consistent with that found in our premium products.” 

Additional BackBeat GO 600 Series features and benefits include:

• A rechargeable battery that delivers up to 18 hours of wireless listening time on a single charge.
• Remaining connected at up to 33 ft/10 m from Bluetooth® compatible smartphones and tablets.
• Ear cups that fold flat for easy storage and transport; ensuring comfort when worn around the neck.
• A carrying pouch, a USB cable for charging and an audio cable for direct connection for listening to music anytime, even if the battery is dead.
• Dedicated on-ear controls that make pause/play, skipping tracks, adjusting volume and taking calls easy.
• A wide band-enabled microphone that ensures voice clarity; answers calls or accesses Siri, Google Now, and Cortana hands-free via voice command. 

Pricing and Availability:

The BackBeat GO 600 Series will be available in South Africa soon through local distributors and partners. To find out more visit www.plantronics.com/za 

About Plantronics

Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From Unified Communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information visit www.plantronics.com.za  

Plantronics and BackBeat are trademarks or registered trademarks of Plantronics, Inc. Plantronics, Inc. registered in the US and other countries. The Bluetooth trademark is owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of the mark by Plantronics, Inc. is under license. Siri is a trademark of Apple Inc. registered in the US and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Smart devices are a massive part of our children’s lives. They spend much of their time devoted to communicating with their friends and peers through cell phones and social networking sites like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter.

Sadly, the lack of boundaries combined with too much freedom and a dash of ignorance has resulted in children becoming more vulnerable to cyber bullying and cybercrime than ever before. In fact, a study by the World Economic Forum puts South Africa in the list of top 10 countries that are at risk when it comes to children and cybercrime.  It comes as no surprise then that some schools and parents have taken to ban these devices altogether.

On the other hand, there is no denying that smart devices provide a powerful learning platform with a wealth of information available at your fingertips. And then of course there is the comfort that comes with knowing that you can contact (and keep track) of your child, where ever, whenever. “Because it’s not only the cyber criminals that you need to be protecting your child from, it’s the real-life ones too!” says Erika Truscott, Owner and Founder of PingMe.

“Just last month, two incidents of intended abduction of children by strangers from shopping centres in Pretoria East went viral,” she adds.So, what do parents do? Is there a way to protect our children from the dangers that lurk in cyber space whist still reaping the advantages that come with these devices in the real world? Erika believes there is. She offers the following smart device advice to parents:

1. Add social media accounts to your phone: As a rule of thumb, children younger than 13 shouldn’t have social media profiles – they simply don’t possess the skills to discern potential threats. If your older child is on social media, insist that you have their account on your phone so that you have instant access to chats and posts.

2. Check privacy settings: Automatically set all your child’s social media profiles to private, non-negotiable.

3. Download filtering, blocking and information security software: Control unwanted content and apps by investing in software that allows you to selectively filter what your children are exposed to.

4. Watch WhatsApp: Much of the cyber bullying that takes place, happens on WhatsApp. You can use the WhatsApp web/desktop application to track your child’s history and messages.  

5. Get them safety savvy: Teach your child that the ‘Stranger Danger’ rule applies for cyberspace as much as it does for ‘real life’ and remind them not to give out any personal information like phone numbers, home address etc. (even to friends) over social platforms. “It may seem intrusive to have your child’s social media profiles on your phone or to watch their WhatsApp, but as moms and dads, our number one responsibility is to protect and nurture our children. It is integral that all these interventions are not done in isolation of an open and loving conversation with your child. Trust is the basis of every relationship and this is no different,” says Erika.She adds that for parents who are still erring on the side of caution in terms of smart devices that perhaps they should consider a Smart Watch. “That way, the internet is completely restricted BUT you can still contact your child (and they can contact you!) plus you have the added benefit of being able to know where your child is at any given moment.

Take control of your own data! 

Not too long ago many hotels had a communication problem – it wasn’t the guests and staff that spoke different languages, it was the computer systems.  To solve the incumbent problems hotel software developers had to create and build customised interface systems which were costly, time-consuming and had limited functionality.   

A group of hoteliers and hospitality consultants decided they needed to get together to create a system of standards that worked together and had new functionality that would be adopted by the industry – ‘next generation solutions’ they call it . Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG), a global not-for-profit trade association was created to cultivate, through collaboration and partnership among hospitality professionals and technology providers, the development of next-generation solutions.  Their objective is to promote inter-operability of the many technology systems used in the hotel industry, such as property management systems, point-of-sale systems, telephone systems, building automation systems, guest room entertainment systems such as video on-demand, mobile, cloud software, security, access control systems and many others.

Eben Marais, Managing Director at Ankerdata, a hospitality solutions business provider, says that hotels have renewed their focus on technology to improve the guest experience and hotel operations.  He thinks that one of today’s biggest hospitality tech industry challenges is that of delivering open and performant data integration – a robust framework that is able to move data in any format through any number of destinations.  “In this day and age the hotel industry needs to start focusing and acting on the data that has been collected by hotels because if they are going through the process of collecting data, then they should be using it in every beneficial way they can.

”Big data is all over the place but what happens when all your data cannot be easily merged?  When this is the case you will always be serving your IT systems so it would make sense to connect your entire hotel infrastructure, combining all your data from all applications reliably, quickly and centrally, and in doing so enable yourself to immediately use and distribute all customer- and business related information anywhere within the hotel, and in real time – these frameworks and solutions are available in the marketplace. 

Marais adds, “With the hotel industry becoming more and more technological all guest movements are being recorded by various systems like Point-of-Sale, Spa management and CRM.  This data belongs to the establishment and should be easily accessible to the hotel operator to utilise and provide a more personalised guest experience and to attract the guests to book direct with the hotel in the future.” 

The benefits are numerous, says Ian Lumsden, Director at Ankerdata. “Having this infrastructure lays the foundation for analytical recommendation engines that provide your guests with precise, exclusive offers in real time.”   He adds that you can also retrieve direct business from OTA’s and reduce immediate operation costs. 

Emerging technologies and trends present opportunities to those who are paying attention and anticipate the prospects they might create. Together with like-minded people, organisations like HTNG, hoteliers and hospitality professionals the possibilities are endless - the products, systems and solutions are out there begging to be installed and implemented.

What's all of this that we have been hearing about Active Noise Cancelling? It is not new, but more business owners are connecting the dots about the terminology that aligns to the technology already being used every single day in business centers across the globe. Below is excerpt from a simple, informative article written by one of our global directors, Frank Timmermans, and it certainly applies to technology readily available in the South African region. 

"Silence sometimes feels like a warm bath. Spending time alone works wonders for your concentration, productivity and the quality of your conversations. But finding peace and quiet in the hectic environment of a busy open-plan office space seems to be extremely difficult because there’s always some form of background noise. Luckily many headset suppliers have found a solution for this: noise cancelling.

What is noise cancelling?

To start off: by noise we mean external sounds that don't come from the headset. Just think of buzzing appliances at the office, talking colleagues, traffic noise, ringing telephones and noises from incoming app messages and reminders for meetings. Noise cancelling technology is the method for reducing these undesired sounds. There are two forms: active and passive. Passive noise cancelling actually means nothing more than a good seal. You’re probably familiar with the malleable foam earplugs and hearing protection that road workers use. These are examples of passive noise cancelling. Headsets with this function work in the same way, they make sure that the ear is well sealed.

Active noise cancelling (ANC) on the other hand, is much more advanced. It works by adding sound to the sound coming from your headset. Contrary to what you might expect, this ends disturbing background noise.

How does it work?

Sound is vibrating air and it moves in waves. These waves of sound have an amplitude (which determines the volume) and a frequency (which determines the pitch). Think for example of the constant buzzing noise that comes from a plane engine which moves like the blue line.If you run precisely the opposite sound wave (anti-noise – the orange line) through an existing sound wave, you’re left with silence. This physical process is known as destructive interference. And this is exactly what headphones with ANC use. They are fitted with both a microphone that records ambient noise and the technology that ‘turns around’ these sound waves. These reversed waves are then added to the sound that comes out of the speakers in your headphones, and voilà: ambient noise disappears for the user. 

Noise cancelling in the microphone

The ANC technology not only ensures that you can work in your own bubble of silence. The person you’re talking to can also take advantage of it, by implementing the technology in the microphone of a headset. For the best sound, several omni-directional microphones are built into our newest products. Each microphone calculates where the sound of your voice comes from and focuses on that point in space. In this way the headset can already ‘ignore’ a lot of irrelevant background noise. In addition, the headset also lays several digital filters over the sound: one algorithm detects non-stationary sound like speaking colleagues, and another algorithm checks whether there are stationary sounds like buzzing printers or the air-conditioning. All of this combined means that it feels just like you’re alone in the office, wherever you are!

Why is ANC so great in a headset?

Noise in the workplace is not only the biggest enemy of efficiency, it’s also really bad for your health. So it’s no surprise that headsets with noise cancelling functionalities are popular in the workplace. We now have four different ANC products in our portfolio. This is our way of contributing to the whole world’s productivity!" You can view a demonstration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpgOVTtn0eQ 

Noise and managing it in the workplace is a popular topic which we will discuss across the South African region over the coming months. Including technology options within business strategies for helping workers have clear conversations is certainly something to consider, amongst other ideas for adapting to modern work styles. To read more about products available in South Africa which are strong ANC contenders for helping office workers, visit https://www.plantronics.com/za/en/category/office-worker 

About Plantronics

Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From unified communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information or to find authorized distributors in South Africa, visit https://www.plantronics.com/za/ 

Plantronics (NYSE: PLT) an audio pioneer and communications technology leader, today announced it has extended the management and reporting aspects of its cloud software solution, Plantronics Manager Pro v3.11, to include Plantronics unified communications (UC) headsets connected to mobile devices running iOS and Android. This extended reach is enabled through the Plantronics Hub mobile application. By deploying Plantronics Manager Pro v3.11 and Plantronics Hub, IT managers can now see, manage and gather valuable insights from the entire line of Plantronics enterprise communications devices that are on the desktop and attach to tablets and mobile phones.

“More than 53% of organizations have interest in ear-to-ear diagnostics that would enable IT leaders to manage voice performance from the user perspective, and more than 35% of companies are increasing deployment of mobile UC clients,” said Irwin Lazar, vice president and research director at Nemertes Research. “These realities make it more important than ever to ensure IT and line-of-business managers are equipped with solutions that can help them obtain analytics and actionable insights from across their company’s entire communications ecosystem."

Plantronics Manager Pro is Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) designed to manage Plantronics communications devices. With its easy-to-use tools, IT professionals and their managed-services partners are able to proactively manage the performance of every supported Plantronics headset across the enterprise, ensuring best user experience by accessing actionable insights. Plantronics Manager Pro is available through authorized resellers in most countries around the world. 

New offerings in Plantronics Manager Pro v3.11 include: 

• The ability to see, manage and gain actionable insights from the complete line of supported Plantronics business communications devices, including all Plantronics UC headsets attached to Mac OS and Windows desktops as well Android and iOS mobile devices.
  
  
• Northbound API access to the Plantronics Manager Pro dataset. This means it is easier than ever for customers, developers and partners to embed this data into pre-existing enterprise applications or create new service offerings.
  
  
• Streamlined reports. Asset Management and Adoption now includes all the reports IT professionals need to successfully deploy and drive UC and soft phone adoption.  

“For an IT professional to be able to gain valuable data from our full line of enterprise devices, even mobile ones attached to Plantronics UC headsets, is game-changing,” said Tom Wesselman, vice president and general manager, Software, Plantronics. “Now, IT can really have a complete view of all the information available to them, which will arm them with the knowledge to make much more informed decisions based on this data.” 

About Plantronics Manager Pro

Modern communications and collaboration systems are built on open operating systems and soft phone platforms that are frequently updated. In order to deliver high-quality experiences, these updates often necessitate settings and firmware updates for associated devices. With hundreds and sometimes thousands of headsets to manage, keeping the headset estate up-to-date is a daunting task. But failing to do so leads to poor user experience and declines in adoption. Plantronics Manager Pro is a subscription SaaS that allows IT or a managed service provider to configure settings, update audio device software and firmware, analyze call quality and ensure policy compliance. The cloud-based architecture utilizes agent software on the device, Plantronics Hub, as a relay to the cloud tenant. The cloud tenant is accessed through a web browser and offers IT Managers and their partners a single interface through which to manage the headset installed base. Plantronics Manager Pro offers predictive reporting tools as part of three analysis suites, including: 

-Asset Management and Adoption: To manage headset inventory, push firmware updates, plan and deploy UC and Collaboration (UCC) and drive UCC adoption

-Call Quality and Analytics: To improve conversation quality and troubleshoot issues

-Health and Safety: To ensure acoustic levels are within acceptable range and monitor compliance

Pricing and Availability: Plantronics Manager Pro is currently available in 143 countries, including South Africa, as an annual or three-year subscription service, from Plantronics Authorized Distributors. For a list of Plantronics Manager Pro authorized distributors in South Africa, visit http://www.plantronics.com/za/

About Plantronics

Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments.  Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From unified communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information visit https://www.plantronics.com/za/

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

With easiPoint from RubiBlue, customers can pay for services from anywhere in Africa Johannesburg, South Africa 22 March 2018: easiPoint, an inventive solution to a uniquely African problem, allows businesses to collect, record and receive customer payments from any location on the continent.

Using the easiPoint device developed by RubiBlue, a leading intelligent business solutions organisation, companies can capture data and transact with clients even if they are based in difficult to reach and remote areas.

“With easiPoint, you can build your brand with your clients anywhere in Africa,” says Chris Ogden, Managing Director, RubiBlue. “Thanks to its ubiquity, intelligent design and remote connectivity capabilities, it allows for organisations to gain traction in new market sectors, source payments from clients in remote areas and even create new outlets in spaces that were previously considered too far or out of range.

The easPoint device is designed for the demanding African climate – it consumes minimal data, has a full two-day battery life, includes solar and car chargers to ensure easy access to recharging facilities, can print anywhere in the world with a built-in thermal printer, and comes at a superb price point. With easiPoint, the business can manage and reconcile all payment methods while enjoying the flexibility of mobility, capture and collect information in real time, and launch the solution seamlessly across the business in days.

“We created easiPoint to provide for organisations that needed greater reach into the South African market and richer access to its client base,” says Ogden.

“We realised that one of the biggest challenges facing many organisations was the inability to handle financial transactions or manage payments when a significant portion of their clients were located in rural or out of reach locations. Using easiPoint, any business of any size can now transact, capture data, and sell products and services to customers across the country.” easiPoint has a track record that spans more than ten years, each year introducing new refinements and capabilities to the technology and the devices. To find out more about easiPoint visit http://www.easipoint.co.za, call 0861 48 48 99, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About RubiBlue
RubiBlue provides a range of solutions and services that are ideally suited to subscriber-based companies in Africa. Our comprehensive portfolio of services and our extensive technology-driven expertise help companies streamline their business processes and create customised, simplified and secure backend administration solutions. RubiBlue is committed to providing solutions that make your business operations more cost-effective and efficient. To find out more about RubiBlue and how it can work with your business to create intelligent technology, visit www.rubiblue.com, call 27 (0) 861 48 48 99, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

In the era of communication and collaboration, noise reaches everywhere, including your bottom line.

In today’s open offices, noise is the biggest distraction to getting work done. Modern work spaces promote collaboration but in increasingly crowded spaces, the sounds created by hard surfaces and fewer walls can make it hard to focus. Plantronics brings immersive headsets along with an intelligent multisensory experience that uses natural sounds and complementary visuals to dynamically adapt to distracting speech and ever-changing noise to keep an office in tune.

Hero Solutions: Voyager 6200 UC, Voyager Focus UC, Blackwire 5200, Savi 700 

For on-the-go workers, which we’re seeing more and more of, even in South Africa, noise in mobile environments makes it difficult for them, and their teammates back in the office, to hear, be heard and connect to what matters most. For this type of work style, Plantronics has solutions that easily connect to multiple devices and cancel out noise on both sides of the conversation.

Hero Solutions: Voyager 8200 UC, Voyager 5200 UC, Voyager 6200 UC  

In contact centers, noise is a huge problem. With so many conversations happening at once, focus can sometimes falter, employee comfort can drop, and the security of sensitive customer information could potentially be compromised. Plantronics has purpose-built headsets designed for the Contact Center, but with hundreds – even thousands of headsets to manage, dealing with individual needs can be labor-intensive. Through SaaS, Plantronics delivers insights, simplifies headset adoption and lets IT respond to needs without interruption to the CX, all from one place.

Hero Solutions: Encore Pro 500/700, Manager Pro

Wherever work happens, noise stands in the way. With Plantronics’ portfolio of collaboration solutions it doesn’t have to. For more information or sales questions, contact one of our authorized local South African distributors which are listed on www.plantronics.com/za

Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike, and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From Unified Communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information visit www.plantronics.com/za

©2018 Plantronics, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

We’ve all been there: you’ve stretched, your running shoes are on, you’ve lined up the playlist that will help you more fully enjoy your workout, then…your headphones are nowhere to be found.

A wave of disappointment washes over you. You’re left with two frustrating choices: the poorly sized set that came free with your phone and you’re pretty sure you stuffed in the junk drawer (your rhythm disrupted as you push one tinny-sounding headphone back in your sweaty ear), or the simple sound of your breathing in your ears and your footfalls on the road.

Purists might love the latter. Sometimes you need more.

As more and more South Africans focus on fitness, it does not matter whether you’re a hip-hop fan or a classical music buff, a custom soundtrack is your own secret weapon when it comes to running. Whether your poison is Raekwon or Rachmaninoff, science knows: music makes you run faster and for longer.

A 2015 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that “music was able to activate the pre-frontal cortex area, minimize perceptions, improve performance and accelerate recovery during 5 km of running.”

Runners averaged 27:33 when running in silence; 26:00 when listening to slow motivational music; and 26:06 when listening to music with a fast beat. They all got out of the gates faster with music playing, with the first 800 meters particularly impacted.

As Dr. Costas Karageorghis of Brunel University in London, a leading expert on the psychology of exercise music, has written, music can be thought of as an “a type of legal performance-enhancing drug.” However good your playlist though, it’s only as good as the headphones you play it through. Tiny sounding and poorly fitted headphones can impact your performance as badly as the wrong running shoes.

At Plantronics, we think we’ve nailed it with Plantronics BackBeat FIT and our BackBeat FIT 300 Series and BackBeat FIT 500 Series. Plantronics BackBeat FIT is specifically designed for a high-motion outdoor workout, such as running, while BackBeat FIT 300 and 500 are more indoor gym companions. Sweat-proof and with a battery life of up to eight hours, these are a perfect companion to your training, whether you’re braving the elements digging in for that ultra-marathon or lifting and working your core at the gym.

They’re all very comfortable, completely wireless and lightweight and durable owing to their nano-coat. The added functionality of easy to access on-ear controls means no more interruptions to dig out your phone when that playlist goes awry.

If you’re looking for the perfect workout companion, check our local authorized South African distributors and partners for more information www.plantronics.com/za

Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike, and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From Unified Communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information visit www.plantronics.com/za

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