A passion for technology and learning fuels a career helping businesses meet their biggest IT challenges

Growing up, Benjamin Scott didn’t have a computer. But his friend did, and one day that friend introduced him to video games. That moment sparked a lifelong passion for technology. He saved money to buy his own computer, and eventually went on to study IT, which led to a career in the telecom industry. 

Scott also has a strong passion for learning, and is continually pursuing new opportunities to expand his knowledge. Recently, he became one of the first 200 Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) SD-WAN Certified Professionals worldwide. Scott brings his expertise and passion to his role as a Managed Services Specialist with Spectrum Business for enterprise, where he works with account teams to design managed network solutions that address client business challenges.

We sat down with Scott to discuss what drives him, how he’s helping businesses tackle their IT and security challenges, and current technology trends.
 

What drives you every day, and where does your passion come from?

My passion comes from my love of learning, specifically learning about technology. I get a lot of satisfaction out of taking what I learn and applying it to provide companies with solutions that help them move to the next level by becoming more agile in the market, more productive and more efficient. I like seeing how technology revolutionizes how businesses operate.
 

What technology trends are you seeing?

The way businesses use applications is rapidly transforming; they’re increasingly moving from desktop to cloud-based SaaS applications, which is driving up bandwidth requirements. And hardware networking models are shifting to software-defined networking (SDN) models like SD-WAN that allow companies to centralize network visibility and control. They also allow companies to connect locations more quickly.

These changes were all occurring before COVID-19; the pandemic just accelerated them. For example, having employees working from home offices is like having multiple branch locations. With SDN technologies, creating networks that can support them is easier than ever before.

This shift to remote, centralized control has also impacted voice communications. Companies are increasingly moving from on-premises solutions to cloud-based solutions that let them remotely check utilization, and make real-time changes to change call routing and phone features.
 

What challenges do you see companies grappling with the most?

The most obvious challenge is having enough bandwidth to support the sudden increase in employees working from home. Since the pandemic hit we’ve had numerous requests to rapidly implement bandwidth upgrades. To handle all the requests, we implemented a new, expedited process that enables us to complete most of them in under 48 hours.

Also, the pandemic has put network security under a magnifying glass. With a lot more employees working from home, companies have to secure both their premises and what can be hundreds or even thousands of end points. To help, we offer a Managed Security Service that protects against threats while securing site-to-site and remote connections.

Another challenge is collaboration. Tools that allow remote employees to easily communicate are needed now more than ever. Our fully managed, cloud-based Unified Communications solution allows clients to choose from different service tiers and features so they get a solution that meets their unique needs — we don’t do one size fits all.
 

Can you tell us about a particularly challenging client request and how you were able to help?

There was a leasing company that had a hodgepodge of voice solutions from different carriers across their 15 locations. They told us they had no idea what they were paying for and they wanted one simple solution from one technology partner. They literally handed us a stack of invoices and said, “Can you help us?” The challenging part was they needed certain unique features related to call dispositioning. I collaborated with our product and engineering teams to figure out how we could incorporate those features into our Unified Communications solution, and set up a demo so we could show the client how it would work. They loved it. The solution saved them money, and eliminated the headaches of dealing with multiple carriers and services.
 

Read more about how Spectrum Business for enterprise is helping companies tackle their biggest and most unexpected technology challenges.