Cisco’s advocacy group, Cisco Insider Advocates, brings our prospects collectively and offers a means for them to make highly effective connections, increase their skilled and private networks, and be taught from prime specialists of their subject. One in all our objectives with our advocacy group is to deepen {our relationships} with our prospects. Our Q&A collection permits us to shine a highlight on a few of our most passionate buyer advocates as we be taught extra about their tales and backgrounds.
Immediately, we’ve got one of many friendliest faces in the neighborhood becoming a member of us for a chat. I’m excited to welcome Damian Erni from Swisscom.
Welcome, Damian! Let’s kick issues off by speaking about what you wished to be if you had been 16 years outdated?
That’s an fascinating query. In Switzerland, you normally begin your apprenticeship or your research if you flip 16. At the moment, I used to be very focused on mechanical engineering or constructing building.
An apprenticeship is a really hands-on method to mix training and profession. Talking of careers, the place did you begin yours? And what skilled choice or alternative helped lead you to your present position?
That’s an extended story. I began my skilled profession within the printing and promoting enterprise as a typesetter and graphic designer. Throughout all these years, I all the time maintained and supported the IT infrastructure of the businesses I used to be working for. It was sort of a interest on prime of my common job, which was nice enjoyable with a variety of studying. In 1999, throughout a go to to an IT honest, I met somebody from Cisco, who was recruiting for a networking boot camp. I signed up for that chance and shortly began my IT profession as a challenge engineer, constructing massive MPLS networks globally.
Wow! You and Cisco have had a connection for fairly a while. How has partnering with Cisco helped you in your profession and your present position?
All of it started with the very fact that Cisco made it potential for me to begin my profession in IT, a few years in the past. I’m nonetheless grateful for that chance. Immediately, a few years later, I proceed to be linked to Cisco as an advocate and ambassador of Cisco Insider Advocacy packages, that are unbelievable. For the each day enterprise, I can depend on the native Cisco staff right here in Switzerland.
What’s been your greatest problem in your organization lately, and the way did you overcome it?
My job is all the time evolving and that’s what makes it nice. In fact, there are many challenges on this fast-turning trade, however one of many greater challenges we face is the scarcity of expert IT employees. At Swisscom, we’ve got a number of packages to draw younger expertise, together with our “junior program,” which exposes contributors to profession alternatives in a spread of fields. For instance, these in this system for system engineers can change into licensed engineers for Cisco, Dell, or Microsoft with specializations in areas like knowledge heart engineering or community engineering.
Let’s transfer on to our buyer advocacy group! How would you describe Cisco Insider Advocates to those that aren’t accustomed to it?
The Cisco Insider Advocates group is a gaggle of individuals which can be captivated with what they do. They all have an intrinsic motivation to be taught and discover know-how and are obsessed with Cisco. I met a few of them at Cisco Dwell, and it felt as if we had recognized one another for a very long time. All of us had a good time through the occasion and are nonetheless involved since then.
You’re one in all our group “Rockstars,” Damian. What made you wish to be part of, and the way has being a part of this group impacted you each professionally and personally?
I joined about 4 years in the past after I was on the native Cisco workplace for an occasion. They promoted Cisco Insider Advocates, and I used to be curious and signed-up. At the moment, I didn’t know what to anticipate. Throughout my time in the neighborhood, I received an increasing number of concerned in several actions, from being a part of a problem to participation at a panel dialogue at Cisco Dwell. I feel for each, the non-public {and professional} aspect, I get extra visibility for my work, and I can depend on the assist and data of an enormous and extremely expert group.
Cisco Dwell 2024 is just some months away! We’d like to know extra about your expertise at Cisco Dwell 2023 Amsterdam this previous February. When you might describe your expertise in a single phrase, what wouldn’t it be? How did it examine to earlier Cisco Dwell conferences you’ve attended?
Inspiring can be one of the best phrase to summarize my expertise. If I examine it to different Cisco Dwell occasions, my favourite continues to be the one in Barcelona in 2019. However each Cisco Dwell has its personal highlights, which I don’t wish to miss.
Through the convention, you spoke at one in all our buyer panel sessions. How was your expertise, and what did you talk about on the panel?
It was an ideal expertise, getting out of my consolation zone and being within the highlight. We had been a gaggle of 5 advocates. We spoke concerning the intersection of buyer expertise and buyer advocacy and the way we see that occuring in apply by means of the Cisco Buyer Expertise and buyer advocacy packages and initiatives.
You additionally had an opportunity to satisfy for the primary time or reconnect with friends from the Cisco Insider Advocates group, in addition to a few of my colleagues from Cisco’s International Buyer Advertising staff! How did you get pleasure from that reconnection?
As I discussed earlier, it felt like we’ve recognized one another for a very long time though we’d by no means met in individual. The day we met felt like seeing outdated mates. You’re feeling that all of them share the identical ardour. We had nice enjoyable. I’m trying ahead to seeing all of them once more in 2024 in Amsterdam.
We are able to’t wait to host you once more, Damian! We’re virtually on the finish of the interview and we’d love to complete with three issues you’ll be able to’t dwell with out?
- My household and mates
- Having a job the place I can be taught one thing new on daily basis
- A humorousness
Nice listing! It’s been a pleasure and thanks once more for becoming a member of us, Damian!
Learn extra advocate interviews
You would possibly get pleasure from this interview with Jyrki Halonen.
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For our prospects who’ve already joined our Cisco Insider Advocates group, say whats up to Damian if you happen to haven’t met but. And if you happen to’re a Cisco buyer however aren’t a group member, contemplate becoming a member of. You’ll be capable to:
- Join with friends in a gamified, on-line group
- Have a chance to satisfy with Cisco’s executives
- Share your suggestions, questions, and finest practices
- Get entry to ‘insider’ content material and assets
- Develop your skilled and private model
- Amplify your organization’s success story with Cisco know-how
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