Networking News
Verizon Business CRO On Meeting The Needs Of SMBs And Why Partners Must ‘Push The Envelope’
Gina Narcisi
‘Small-medium businesses are needing to tap into their reserves and are tightening their belts a lot more than the enterprise … they’ve got to not just keep up with the Joneses but differentiate. They’ve got to work to make sure that the customers are getting what they need and staying ahead of the macroeconomic environment. That calls out for the need the partners like Verizon, but also channel partners who are trusted to be bringing in those pieces,’ Verizon Business CRO Aparna Khurjekar tells CRN.
Enterprises aren’t the only ones seeking out bespoke technology solutions to help solve their unique challenges. Small and midsize businesses have spent the past three-plus years rapidly evolving and adopting new technology to help them connect, collaborate and stay secure, said Aparna Khurjekar, CRO of business markets and SaaS for Verizon Business.
Khurjekar, a longtime telecom leader and Verizon trailblazer for a decade, is very comfortable helping channel partners and end customers grow their business strategies and revenue. She, along with her team of more than 3,000 sales professionals, supports midmarket wireless and wireline sales while helping to guide customers through their digital transformation journeys with the help of Verizon’s partners. While SMBs have different needs than enterprises, they also require increasingly sophisticated technology solutions and channel partners can help fill the gaps, Khurjekar said.
A big proponent of the channel, CRN sat down with Khurjekar to discuss how SMBs are being disproportionately impacted by the skills gap, how emerging technologies such as AI and automation can assist them, and how they can adopt new technologies securely with the help of trusted Verizon partners specializing in managed services.
What follows are excerpts from the conversation.
