By Laura Drummond, General Manager, Collaboration at Cisco Canada 

It’s no question that COVID-19 has profoundly changed the way we work and communicate. Nearly a year ago, we were in need of innovative ways to work efficiently in a remote setting, collaborate from afar, and stay connected during a time where we need to stay apart.

As we get closer to that one year mark of the ‘new normal’, we need to begin thinking about what the next normal has in store. That’s why during Cisco’s WebexOne event held in December, we announced over 50 new updates to ensure an accessible, innovative, and efficient hybrid workplace of the future.

Check out some of the highlights from the event below, and watch the recap here.

Customized for customers

The all-new Webex Contact Center is fully customizable and AI-powered to optimize the end-to-end customer experience. Now, customers can get all the answers they need by connecting through their preferred channel, whether that be by text, social, chat, email, or voice, making their experience seamless and flexible.

All-in-one, all in one place 

There is no doubt that remote work is here to stay. While we continue to adapt and transition our workplaces, Cisco is delivering a more efficient, inclusive, and effective remote work experience through Webex. The new Webex app has consolidated all collaboration needs in just one place, providing more inclusive experiences through new features, including transcription, noise cancelation, immersive sharing, gestures, and real-time translations. 

Workplace of the future 

The future of work will include a hybrid workplace, with many working from home and others returning to the office. Cisco has developed new devices designed to ensure an improved collaboration experience while work-teams continue to work apart.

• Webex Desk Camera
  • With 4K ultra-high-definition resolution and 15x digital zoom, the Webex desk camera is changing the virtual meeting landscape. It’s vibrant colour reproduction and low-light performance is accompanied by built-in infra-red sensors, allowing you to securely login to Windows Hello™ with facial recognition. The secure boot and image authentication prevent device hacking, and a physical privacy shutter gives you extra peace of mind.

• Webex Desk
  • The Webex Desk’s 27-inch 4K display, 71-degree HD camera, a superior sound system, and advanced noise-canceling microphone brings virtual meetings to the next level. Putting collaboration at the forefront, the Webex Desk offers seamless integration with Webex Meetings and a digital whiteboard to brainstorm, co-create and be with your team, while staying apart. The device features a USB-C connection, allowing it to become your primary monitor with touch-redirect capabilities, while Webex Assistant and facial recognition bring the power of AI to collaboration. 

Setting the standard for security

Cisco continues to set the standard for keeping all data safe and secure across the Webex portfolio. Here are some of the ways Webex is keeping data secure:

• End-to-end encryption: With more confidential meetings taking place in Webex, we’re augmenting a deep end-to-end encryption model where users have complete control of encryption keys.

• Comprehensive data loss prevention (DLP): This new feature allows administrators to prevent prohibited content from being spoken, shared or shown.

• Ethical Walls: With Ethical Walls, Webex administrators can restrict teams from collaborating when required, protecting interactions between groups and ensuring that teams always comply with regulatory policy requirements when sharing information.

Our commitment to enabling an inclusive future is more important than ever. We know it can be challenging to collaborate when your team is dispersed, but no matter how your team is working now and in the future, your technology needs to follow suit. The all-new Webex will drive virtual experiences that are inclusive, collaboration-centered, and10 times better than the normal we once knew.

Make sure to read about these updates and more by watching the full event here.