Key Insights
Embracing Bold Transformation
Matthew Collins discusses Calix’s shift from hardware to cloud services, highlighting the strategic vision that drove this significant change. This move not only transformed Calix’s offerings but also its position in the broadband and cloud services industry.
Customer-Centric Innovation
Matthew shares insights on the importance of understanding and anticipating customer needs. He emphasizes how Calix’s focus on providing value beyond mere connectivity has enabled its customers to achieve remarkable operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Future-Proofing Through Technology
Looking ahead, Collins touches on the integration of AI and machine learning across Calix’s services. This forward-looking approach is aimed at continuously improving service delivery and customer experience, setting a foundation for sustained growth and innovation in an ever-evolving industry landscape.
Episode Highlights
Transformation from Hardware to Software
Matthew Collins discusses the complex journey of transitioning Calix from a hardware-focused company to a leader in software and cloud solutions. This transformation required a strategic shift in vision, extensive customer education, and support for legacy products during the transition. Collins emphasizes the importance of bringing customers along for the ride and the challenges of changing product development processes.
“Going from a company like we did which is hard and transforming that into a new company is actually harder than doing a startup. And the key, the first thing you have to do is bring your customers along.”
Leadership and Culture for Innovation
Collins shares insights into the leadership dynamics at Calix, focusing on the necessity of reskilling, hiring for new capabilities, and fostering a culture of collaboration and transparency. The discussion covers the critical role of executive alignment in navigating the company’s transformation and the unique collaborative culture that drives Calix’s success.
“So, the first thing is we had to reskill the company in terms of keeping the people who are here who see the vision and want to do it. But then we have to go out and quite frankly, hire a lot of people.”
Embracing Remote Work and Collaboration
This section explores how Calix adopted remote work and virtual collaboration even before the pandemic, focusing on creating a supportive environment for remote employees. Collins elaborates on technological and cultural practices that enable effective remote working and the advantages it brings to the company’s operations and talent acquisition.
“So first, I’ll say from my own experience. When I was at IBM, back in the early 2000s. It was one of the first well-known companies that started to enable working from home.”
Future Vision and Emerging Trends
Looking ahead, Collins discusses Calix’s roadmap with a focus on leveraging AI and machine learning to further enhance service offerings and operational efficiencies. He also touches on the impact of industry consolidation, the importance of differentiating through managed services, and the company’s commitment to addressing the digital divide.
“Sure, so I’ll start with technology and I think is a key one. We look at everything we’re doing today with our customers. And there’s a role for machine learning and AI. We’ve already got machine learning in the systems and when I talked about the ability to do all those fixes in the home with connected devices, that will happen automatically thanks to machine learning.”
