Behind-the-Scenes with OpenExchange's Alex Kieft

Alex Kieft is a seasoned product leader with experience developing digital products and guiding them to maturity. He joined OpenExchange through its merger with KnowledgeVision in 2019 and heads up our Product Management. Through close collaboration with our internal account and delivery teams as well as our clients’ IT and InfoSec teams, Alex oversees the roadmap and enhancement development of the OE Platform.

Can you provide an overview of OpenExchange's technological journey and the evolution of the OE platform's development?

Absolutely. Since the inception of OpenExchange , our focus has been on leveraging cutting-edge technology to meet the evolving needs of our clients. Initially, we utilized off-the-shelf solutions to facilitate video calls and manage meetings. However, in recent years, we've significantly expanded our capabilities through strategic acquisitions and in-house development. This comprehensive approach has resulted in a robust platform supporting a wide range of features, including event management, video streaming, microsite reporting, and API integrations.

As a technology-enabled service provider, how does OpenExchange approach improving the quality of client events and meetings?

OpenExchange's commitment to excellence remains consistent from our foundation. We continually strive to enhance the quality of the user experience for all participants, whether they're presenters, moderators, or attendees.

Regardless of the diverse nature of communications, meetings and events are fundamentally about creating a positive and elevated experience for everyone involved. So, our focus extends beyond providing a service to our clients; we aim to create a meaningful experience for their clients as well. It's crucial that our events not only run smoothly but also offer a superior user experience for the corporate presenters and attending investors, for example. Essentially, our client's clients.

How does OpenExchange balance the goal of enhancing user experience for clients' end-users with the need to streamline logistics for event planners?

Striking a balance between enhancing user experience for our clients' end-users and streamlining logistics for event planners is paramount. Our clients host diverse events, each requiring meticulous preparation. Simultaneously, we are committed to leveraging technology to make the experience seamless and efficient for the event planners orchestrating these events behind the scenes.

Over the past few years, we've developed a suite of integration capabilities to streamline logistics for event planners. This ensures smooth data flow between our platforms and our clients' technology systems. These efforts contribute to the efficiency and effectiveness of event planning, especially considering the variety of events hosted by our clients.

How does OpenExchange's technology assist clients in managing their budgets, and what is the core strategy when it comes to budget considerations?

OpenExchange prioritizes quality when addressing budget considerations. Our strategy revolves around close collaboration between account managers, delivery staff, and clients to ensure flawless service delivery. Behind the scenes, our product and engineering teams learn from these experiences, leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, consistency, and cost-effectiveness for our clients.

Unlike generic video conferencing platforms that start with a general-purpose technology and adapt it to specific use cases, OpenExchange begins with a deep understanding of the financial industry's unique needs. This approach involves building technology tailored to the specific requirements of corporate access teams, research teams, IROs, and more. We constantly adapt and adjust our roadmap based on client feedback, industry trends, and the established relationships with our clients.

Here's an example for the financial industry. Running a virtual meeting is more than just the visible part; it involves layers below the surface that are crucial for success. Beyond the meeting itself, we focus on aspects like security, compliance, integrations, data feeds, reporting, and event planning workflows. These elements collectively contribute to our ability to deliver a flawless experience at scale and at price points that align with our clients' budgets.

Looking ahead, our team has noticed a trend towards enhancing audio-only experiences in events and meetings. Has there been any product enhancements to meet this client preference?

Yes, there’s a noticeable trend among clients to elevate traditional audio-only experiences, such as conference calls, into more engaging events. Presenters now seek to incorporate video or at least audio along with visual materials like slides, aiming for a more polished and engaging experience than a typical dial-in telephone call. In response to this trend, we took OE Passport? , our event microsite platform, and optimized it for single webcast events. What might have been a standard conference call or meeting is now an elevated experience with added features like written or verbal Q&A and various engaging capabilities. We’re offering presenters the opportunity to deliver a slicker and more dynamic presentation.

Contact OpenExchange to learn how the OE Platform is helping #meetingplanners elevate virtual meetings and events.