If you followed my coverage of the recently concluded Interactions 13, Interactive Intelligence’s annual industry event, you know that numerous people at the event commented on how much it has grown. Well, Interactive Intelligence is out with its review of the proceedings, and it really did establish a number of records.
It is interesting to see the summary of what transpired, and I also want to draw your attention to an interview I conducted with Interactive’s CEO Dr. Don Brown. We discussed what it was like to manage a growth company, which, almost since inception, has been multi-national in scope, along with industry trends.
A Big and Growing Event
First, let’s take a look at how Indianapolis in May is not just a draw for Indy car enthusiasts. Under the theme, “Deliver the Experience,” Interactions 13 smashed its previous records by attracting 1,800-plus attendees from 35 countries.
“This year’s conference theme really struck a chord with attendees,” said Interactive Intelligence founder and CEO, Dr. Donald E. Brown. “And it’s no wonder. Companies are seeing the value and opportunity to differentiate themselves through the delivery of great customer service. We designed Interactions 2013 to convey practical, thought-leading information by providing more than 120 sessions focused on everything from effectively personalizing customer service and soliciting customer feedback, to developing a mobile customer service strategy and identifying customer service issues before they escalate.”
As noted in previous articles, Interactions 2013 featured an inspirational opening keynote from NASA Apollo 13 legends, Jim Lovell and Gene Kranz, along with a service-focused presentation by Angie’s List founder, Angie Hicks. The conference closed with a product futures presentation by Dr. Brown.
“Our 12 to 24-month product roadmap includes continued heavy investment in research and development, exciting cloud-based service enhancements, and significant improvements in scalability and security,” Dr. Brown said. “Of course, we’ll continue to focus on providing all the tools and applications necessary to turn customer service into a competitive weapon.”
Other Interactions 2013 highlights included:
Also featured at Interactions 2013 was an Interactive T.V. booth where Interactive Intelligence customers were interviewed about their communications technology deployments. Among these were:
Also interviewed were industry experts COMMfusion President and Principal Analyst, Blair Pleasant; Communication Initiatives President, Elizabeth Herrell; IDC Research Analyst for Worldwide Contact Center Services, Melissa O’Brien; Limebridge Australia Associate Director, Lyn Trewenack; and UniComm Consulting Principal, Don Van Doren. For links to the event videos click here.
In addition, as part of the company’s philanthropic efforts, the nonprofit arm of Interactive Intelligence Group, Interactive Intelligence Foundation, sponsored a book drive during the conference that raised more than $5,000, all of which was donated to inner-city schools around the country.
Dr. Brown Shares Insights on Managing a Growth Company and Industry Trends
I trust you’ll find my interview with Dr. Brown as enjoyable and insightful as I did. Rather than try to summarize what was a broad-ranging discussion, I offer you a watch and a listen.
What I will say is that between all of the interesting people I got to share views with, the new and exciting products whose tires I got to kick, and the incredible hospitality extended, I have already marked my calendar for Interactions 14, June 2-5, 2014, once again back in Indianapolis.