I view conferences such as the NRF LP show as a great opportunity to connect with four distinct groups within the MVaaS ecosystem.  These gatherings give me the opportunity to talk with potential customers, active and potential channel partners, competitors, and other ecosystem participants.

The most obvious of these groups are the potential customers.  The National Retail Federation LP show brings a wide spectrum of retailers, from big box retailers to specialty retailers to restaurants to convenience stores.  We had some significant interest from several national restaurant chains, an office supply superstore concept (brought to us by one of the new potential channel partners I met), several convenience stores, and a host of others.

Several common themes resonated with the potential customers we met.  First, the power of tying other business systems (mainly POS in this context) to video was extremely appealing.  Several video vendors at the show were displaying some form of this integration.  Second, the ease of use and the ease of management by IT were big differentiators - in today’s market both the LP and IT groups are under cost pressure that limits their ability to grow their teams so anything that helps that is attractive.  The last major theme that resonated was one that even last year the customers weren’t tuned in to.

The final theme is one that both Rob Hagens and I have talked about extensively in prior posts - PCI compliance.  All of the customer prospects that we spoke with were very aware of PCI compliance and the efforts that their company had or was still putting into their own PCI compliance.  The idea of a PCI compliant video solution was a tremendous hit amongst the crowd.  I believe by next year’s show it will be absolute table stakes for any customer of any size that their video service be PCI compliant.

Fortunately, MVaaS providers are leading the way and will be there well ahead of traditional providers that will face both procedural and technical challenges in ensuring their network solutions don’t expose their customers to unwanted risks and jeopardize their customers’ own PCI compliance.