While the press coverage of Zoom’s new touchscreen device (the first device certified as Zoom for Home), the DTEN ME is not the big story.
$599 DTEN ME is a 27-inch touchscreen device with three smart webcams and eight noise-reducing microphones--and it comes pre-loaded with the Zoom software. But Zoom isn’t building the hardware; San Jose-based DTEN makes this videoconferencing appliance.
While interesting, already last year Zoom Video Communications had introduced Zoom Rooms Appliances, their first purpose-built, turnkey appliance endpoints designed to make it easier to build a full solution around Zoom Rooms.
Making hardware, or rather partnering on hardware, is already de facto at Zoom.
The bigger news: Zoom is launching a Hardware-as-a-Service [HaaS] model with Zoom Hardware. With Zoom's size in the market, a successful HaaS execution holds BIG implications for the industry.
This program was started in the USA but it’s on trial for global expansion—and may also inspire competitors to try their equivalent actions.
Nuvias Group's Konekt, for one, has Master Agent status in Europe.
Jeff Smith, Head of Zoom Rooms at Zoom Video Communications, told Channel Buzz.ca that “It enables customers to deploy Zoom Rooms and hardware easier than ever, and both gets around upfront costs and concerns about being locked in with a specific hardware vendor.”
Zoom HaaS bundles the Zoom software and the hardware (from DTEN, Neat, Poly, Yealink and, no doubt, more to come) into a single invoice.
In addition to participating in Zoom’s Hardware as a Service (HaaS) program available in USA, Neat of Norway will launch Neat as a Service (NaaS), its global hardware subscription program that provides customers with innovative hardware solutions for a low monthly price.
Zoom provides all the support, as well as any required professional or managed services.
Big IT resellers and proAV integrators will see little opportunity here because Zoom Rooms Appliances aims at the SME audience, especially the smallest.
It’s a turnkey offering and not likely to appeal to margin-conscious value-added partners.
But Master Agents are a different story…
In March of this year, Zoom quietly added “Master Agents” to their channel program—and quickly signed up three American UCaaS players.
The Program offers Master Agents a number of rich Partner Benefits and operational efficiencies including:
- Access to represent Zoom’s entire industry-leading product suite
- Ongoing commission on Zoom’s products for the life of the customer
- Simplified and streamlined sales engagement, and
- No-cost tools and resources to ensure Partner success
In the HaaS program, Zoom directly handles the financing (not the hardware vendor or another partner), but Smith says Zoom Rooms Appliances isn’t just a financing program.
“In addition to the financing, there is a lot of integration,” he told Channel Buzz.ca. “The shipment status is now updated in the Zoom web portal. In addition, when you go to install the device, the device is now uniquely identified in your account so it can be installed in minutes.
“At the end of the 3-year commitment you ship them back without needing to depreciate them, and can either just return them or elect to get a new device.”
“For those kinds of channel partners who engage with us, there’s a lot of space in larger rooms that isn’t covered by our HaaS portfolio,” Smith adds. “We go to market directly with this or through our master agent program because it is aimed directly at small and medium spaces.”
But Smith indicated Zoom may well come up with as-a-Service offerings more suited to integrators and Pro/AV resellers.
“We are getting our feet wet with this,” he said in the interview.
But while Zoom gets its feet wet, others worry the same waters may swamp their business.
Go Zoom Tries Out Hardware-as-a-Service in USA
Go Channel Buzz.ca Interview with Jeff Smith, Head of Zoom Rooms
