“Government and healthcare are driving the hi-definition video conferencing market in India”

How was the company set up? What were the reasons or objectives for setting it up? Kindly brief us about the solution offerings.
Life Size was set up in 2003 and was acquired by Logitech in the year 2009.The reason behind setting up lifesize was to bring in ground-breaking Video solutions that would make video conferencing truly universal. The vision was to fundamentally change the way businesses deploy video infrastructure. Life size has always been devoted to universal video collaborations by offering video conferencing systems and software applications as well as a full line of video infrastructure, available in the cloud.

As far as, solution offerings are concerned, we have been the innovation leader in this industry and we were the first to launch high definition video communications, integrate new applications like one button streaming and recording into video as well as the products like UVC platform. We have recently launched LifeSize UVC Platform, which is industry's first fully integrated, virtualized software platform for HD video conferencing infrastructure. It integrates the capabilities of multiple single-purpose infrastructure products and makes them instantly available from one interface with one login account.

Unlike today's rigid systems with lengthy deployment periods and required fixed-capacity purchasing, the LifeSize UVC Platform makes buying and deploying video conferencing infrastructure more flexible and efficient, and the investment significantly more cost-effective. With one integrated platform and a deployment model to fit every IT environment, administrators can buy what they need now and scale up as the organization's needs grow.

To what extent have you managed to achieve those objectives?
Life size has been able to reach out to various verticals and provide them with the most innovative solutions. The company has addressed both employee and company needs, by offering multi-party video collaboration that is simple to use, manage, and scale with unmatched in price performance. LifeSize has played a major role in bringing in video streaming to android phones and tablets.

Explain about the channel model ecosystem in place for your solutions to grow your business.
Life size has always focused on having leading industry resellers and distributors who have extensive experience and knowledge in the video conferencing and communication market. For ensuring that customers get the most inclusive products and solutions they need for conducting an efficient day-to-day video communications, we have partnered with some renowned distributors namely Redington which was appointed as National Value Added Distributor for India. With this partnership, Redington has been distributing LifeSize's High Definition (HD) video collaboration products and solutions through its distribution network across the country. Ingram Micro is another partner that has been appointed as National Technology Distributor for India. Ingram Micro is responsible to distribute LifeSize's High Definition (HD) video collaboration products and solutions through its distribution network across the region. To differentiate our business and drive expansion and profitability for the company we have strategically partnered with these resellers.

What is the role of a channel partner in the company's business ecosystem?
In any business ecosystem, the role of partners becomes important for opening new markets, building new business, accessing new markets. It also gives an idea to create new products/ solution offerings according to the demand from the new market hence leading to innovations. A channel partner provides the business more quantitative prospects. Channel partners helps influence a significant percentage of the business growth.

Since, the focus of any business is reaching out to a mass and usually there is a transaction involved, consequently Channels become important as they improve supply chains and also because they are more transaction oriented. In a nutshell, channels help increase efficiency in a business ecosystem.

What were the business strategies and marketing strategies employed in the initial as well as in the current phase?
As individuals deeply immersed in video conferencing technology, we at LifeSize keep a close watch on what's ahead, sorting through a host of promising technologies that will simplify our lives and improve the way we communicate. Moving toward a simpler way to live and work, we have been focused on a number of key initiatives that help businesses do more with fewer resources. Our leadership in virtualization and mobility has set the tone for the year ahead, but there is still much that has yet to unfold.

The video conferencing market is expanding across sectors making businesses more interoperable and mobile. It is now an integral part of the communication strategy of most enterprises, especially educational institutions owing to its cost effectiveness and ubiquity in collaborating and sharing information. LifeSize recently announced the LifeSize Icon Series, and we believe this product exemplifies the smart video experience perfectly. Smart video simply means that video conferencing systems are as user-friendly and intuitive as smartphones.

We are the only video communication company that is trying to make this simpler and easier for companies to adopt and for users to use. LifeSize has been the innovation engine and most of the new initiatives into the marketplace come from Lifesize and we will continue to drive that.

What edge do your products offer to the customers?
In today's competitive environment, businesses deserve higher productivity, better engagement, reduced travel, more time to make decisions. Since its inception Lifesize has focused on simplifying and improving the face of video conferencing hence building a clearer solution for the users. LifeSize continues to revolutionize HD video communication with the most cutting edge technology, innovative and highest quality products in the industry. LifeSize products are also unparalleled in such important features as ease of use, flexibility, price performance, and security.

What are the key focus verticals? Any intention to expand your presence into other vertical if yes please mention.
Large Enterprises (Energy, Entertainment, Financial Services, Healthcare, Media, Utilities), LifeSize has been focusing on four macro target verticals in India, which includes:

a) Mid-Market Enterprises (Corporate Recruiting, HighTech, Legal Services, Manufacturing, Professional Services, Retail), Education (Primary, Secondary and Higher Education)

b) We are specifically focusing on Education and Healthcare Vertical. Both are equally important from opportunity point of view

c) Public Sector (Federal, State and Local Government)

Which companies do you consider as your competition in the Indian market? What is your go-to-market strategy including the strategy used to compete with the competitors?
Cisco and Polycom can be considered as a competition to Life size in the Indian Market. In order to accomplish extensive rich video collaboration offerings, Life size considers interoperability with third-party platforms as a very crucial strategy. We've made announcements certifying our products for both Skype and Microsoft. LifeSize HD video conferencing products integrate with Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 R2 and it is fully interoperable with Microsoft Lync. LifeSize Passport has also received official Avaya DevConnect Tested status, confirming that the solution offers comprehensive support for any and all Avaya Aura devices and infrastructure.

LifeSize has the lowest total cost of ownership in the market today, highest video quality, ease of use/simplicity that other VC players cannot provide to the market. Organizations of all sizes will be able to scale video collaboration capabilities cost-effectively to meet communication and productivity objectives.

What are the current activities? Which are the brands and products offered by the company?
LifeSize last week launched LifeSize Icon Series, its newly designed, highest quality video system. After years of culmination of innovation, the LifeSize Icon series delivers the smart video. The LifeSize Icon Series is tightly integrated with the LifeSize UVC Platform and its applications - including streaming and recording, firewall traversal, multiparty video calling and management - to make it easier for users to experience the full power of their platform. It facilitates video quality upto HD 1080p60 providing ultimate clarity and fluid motion.

Apart from this, ClearSea is the other product offered by Lifesize, which is fully interoperable and virtualized and is most inclusive solution for desktop and mobile video collaboration, with support for the highest number of devices in the market. LifeSize ClearSea Server is available as a hardware appliance or virtual machine software and includes a state-of-the-art HD desktop client for PC/Mac and Android/iOS smartphones and tablets. It enables professional HD video collaboration up to 1080p for an immersive, true-to-life experience. Powerful collaboration tools such as multiparty call escalation, presence and text chat, far-end camera control, data sharing, single number reach and a centralized contact list for easy directory dialing ensure that users can connect faster and easier than ever before in Full HD.

What are the future plans or roadmap of the company for this year?
The Government, both at the center and the state, is turning out to be the biggest spender in creating high-definition video conferencing facilities in various departments. For instance, departments such as jails, courts and schools are switching over to video conferencing facilities. This is in addition to connecting district and State headquarters. The next biggest spender is the healthcare sector followed by education. Lifesize video conferencing can be done through mobile devices (smartphones and tablets), video desktop software for PCs/Macs, room and conference HD video endpoints and solutions, cameras and accessories. The video conferencing market is expanding across sectors making businesses more interoperable and mobile. It is now an integral part of the communication strategy of most enterprises, especially educational institutions owing to its cost effectiveness and ubiquity in collaborating and sharing information.

Tie-ups in the pipeline to be announced in near future?
We recently announced the appointment of Ingram Micro as our technology distributor in India. LifeSize has been witnessing a rapid growth in the adoption of its high definition video collaboration solutions across markets in India. Ingram Micro will help us leverage its extensive reach and strong capabilities to strengthen our presence in India. With this partnership, Ingram Micro will create sales and profitability opportunities for LifeSize through its unique marketing programs

Do you have any plans to increase the no of employees or any expansion plans into other cities?
Surely, Lifesize will keep investing in employees in many other cities. We already have presence in number of cities across India, within this year we plan to grow our network stronger through our channel partners across various cities.