PRAGUE, Czech Republic – Oct. 21, 2010 – Cisco today announced the opening of its Prague Center of Excellence, which uses the latest technology in providing sales and and partner coverage to 27 countries in Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The center is one of five global hubs; the others are in Lisbon, Portugal; Cairo, Egypt; Raleigh, North Carolina (USA); and Toronto, Canada.
Key Facts / Highlights:
- The Prague Center of Excellence is equipped with the latest communication and collaboration technologies, including Cisco TelePresenceTM. Thus, specialists based in Prague are able to have face-to-face virtual meetings with customers and partners, advising them on technology projects.
- The center is operated by outsourced-business teleservices specialist On Line and will initially employ 40 people. The number of employees is expected to grow to approximately 80 over the next 12 months.
- Employees hold higher-education degrees and are expected to have an information technology background. They have a strong command of English and additionally speak at least one of the languages of the 27 countries supported by the center. Specialists working at the center must be able to discuss the technical and business aspects of highly sophisticated IT and communications projects and recommend solutions based on the specific requirements of customers.
- The center is serving some 350 partners and 2,500 customers in 27 countries, including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Latvia, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Turkey, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
- The Center of Excellence structure facilitates building a community of specialists, offers continuous training, and drives operational excellence as well as productivity.
Supporting Quotes:
- Andrew Shannon, director, Inside Sales, Cisco
- Alexander Winkler, general manager, Cisco Czech Republic
"The Prague Center of Excellence is an important part of our strategy in the way we serve our customers and partners. The centers of excellence we operate help us provide a global reach through the use of technology. We lead in the way of adopting Web 2.0 tools that allow us to work virtually and do business anytime, anywhere, with high levels of operational efficiency."
"Cisco is investing in the Czech Republic as part of our long-term commitment to the country. We have been present in the Czech market since 1995, and over the past 15 years have established several regional functions in Prague. We have chosen the Czech Republic, and in particular Prague, for the Center of Excellence activity due to the availability of educated talent, excellent communications infrastructure, and the fact that it is an attractive location for team members, both local and international."
Tags, Keywords:
Czech Republic, Cisco TelePresence
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