In an exclusive conversation with Deccan Chronicle, As hybrid work becomes the new norm, Sameer Raje, General Manager and Head, India & SAARC at Zoom, shares insights on how the company is leveraging AI to enhance collaboration, the trends shaping remote work, and Zoom’s commitment to data privacy and security in India.What are Zoom’s strategic plans for the Indian market and how do you see the company growing in the region?Zoom is set to equip businesses of all sizes with the necessary tools for success in modern work by driving impactful intelligence, making teamwork more engaging, and elevating experiences and relationships with customers., Zoom not only contributes to the digital transformation of businesses but also supports broader innovation, paving the way for a future of work and customer engagement that is more connected, collaborative, and personalized.Zoom is focused on the growing enterprise sector and Small and Medium Business (SMB)segment across multiple industries including banking, healthcare, education, as well as government and citizen services.To further this, we are actively growing our partner ecosystem in India to increase our reach and better serve our customers by onboarding notable partners including Rahi Systems, Tata Teleservices, Savex Technologies, and TechUnited Solutions and Inflow Technologies for the SAARC region. Zoom is also committed to driving the growth of its channel business across the region and we have extended our enhanced partner programs to include market reach in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal through strategic partnerships.What trends are you seeing in terms of remote work and virtual communication?With the rise in hybrid work and distributed teams, business leaders are increasingly investing in technologies that consolidate business communications across employees, customers, and partners.As Millennials and Gen Zs are set to comprise 58% of the global workforce by 2030, their ambivalence towards traditional workplace structures underscores the need for flexible work arrangements. The focus is shifting from where employees work to enhancing their overall work experience. Collaboration technology serves as the backbone, enabling business leaders to offer a “total experience” that integrates employee and customer experiences. This approach aims to empower teams, improve satisfaction, drive brand loyalty, and foster business growth.AI-powered collaboration tools play a crucial role in transforming the workplace by enabling personalized and engaging experiences that cater to the diverse needs of a multigenerational workforce. A report suggests that 88% of Indian employees believe that AI and Gen AI will lead to a profound transformation in their jobs. These tools enhance teamwork and elevate customer interactions to new levels of engagement, addressing the varied preferences and expectations of different generations working together. By facilitating seamless workflows through integrations, AI-powered tools empower companies across industries to enhance employee engagement, foster more effective collaboration, and deliver superior customer experiences.Looking ahead, the convergence of AI and collaboration tools promises a future where internal engagement and customer experiences are deeply personalized and interconnected.What are some of the unique challenges and opportunities that Zoom faces in the Indian market, and how are you addressing them?The number one challenge CEOs face today is keeping employees engaged, motivated and emotionally connected to their company’s culture, values and goals, wherever they work from. Zoom addresses this challenge by integrating solutions like Workvivo, an employee engagement platform that facilitates recognition, community building, and real-time company updates, fostering a strong sense of belonging and alignment with organizational goals.Additionally, the technology gap poses another hurdle as employees navigate multiple communication channels and applications. Zoom mitigates this by introducing features like Zoom Mail and Calendar, which streamline access to email and calendar events directly within the Zoom application, reducing workflow disruptions.Zoom’s platform solutions encompass voice, video, chat, and more, offering flexibility to meet the evolving customer expectations. Our omnichannel cloud contact center platform, Zoom Contact Center,enhances customer interactions with capabilities like Zoom Virtual Agent, leveraging AI to deliver personalized self-service experiences and improve agent productivity.What are your thoughts on the future of work and virtual communication and how does Zoom plan to stay ahead of the curve in terms of technology and innovation?Zoom sees AI as pivotal in reshaping how we work and collaborate, enhancing productivity, simplifying tasks, and fostering engagement. But much collaboration involves time-consuming tasks like sending meeting summaries and updates or organising information, which can inadvertently take a toll on productivity. To address the collaboration paradox, where time-consuming tasks like organizing information can hinder productivity, businesses need innovative solutions. In March and April alone, Zoom introduced over 50 innovations, including features like multi-speaker view, Team Chat thread summaries, and immersive wallpapers for Meetings.When it comes to collaboration and communication, we intend to lead the way with AI. AI Companion hit 700k accounts enabled as of the end of last quarter. Many leading companies, including 90% of Fortune World’s Most Admired Companies, choose Zoom for its comprehensive solutions. Zoom Contact Center has seen significant growth, with a nearly 3x year-over-year increase in license counts and the addition of 700 new features to our contact center platform.How does Zoom ensure data privacy and security for its users in India and what measures are in place to address concerns around data localization and compliance with local regulations?Zoom keeps privacy and security top of mind for all end users. As regulations continue to evolve, Zoom will continue to address the changing regulatory landscape by updating our standards and practices to keep data secure and develop ethical and responsible AI. As we continue to invest in AI, Zoom remains committed to ethical and responsible AI development. We use a combination of public domain data, data we purchased, and data we created to train these models. Post-quantum end-to-end encryption (E2EE) is now globally available for Zoom Meetings and Zoom Phone as part of Zoom Workplace. The launch of the new security enhancement makes Zoom the first UCaaS company to offer a post-quantum E2EE solution for video conferencing.How does Zoom support digital inclusion and accessibility in India, particularly in terms of enabling remote access to education, healthcare and other essential services?Zoom continues to transform organisations across industries and geographies by empowering employees, teams, and customers to work better together and get more done. Our all-in-one intelligent collaboration platform with advanced new capabilities has already proven transformative for leading organizations in the India market, including Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Lenskart and Razorpay.
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