Nextiva, an innovative tech company dedicated to simplifying business communications, team collaboration, and customer engagement, recently announced that they have partnered with the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres to be the team’s official communications partner, setting up all of the communications throughout Buffalo’s KeyBank Center.
While Nextiva plans to present “something special” to give everyone a look at what goes on during game day with the service they provide to the team, I was able to ask a few questions that I, as a Bored Hockey Fan, was curious about when it comes to this partnership.
How do official team partnerships work?
In our case, we were selected as the official communications provider for the Buffalo Sabres thanks to a generous introduction by its channel partner PremCom, who recommended us to them. The Sabres went on to choose Nextiva, and we were definitely excited by the opportunity to support the Sabres, and grateful for the opportunity PremCom had provided.
What other teams throughout the world of sports has Nextiva partnered with?
The Sabres are our first partnership with an NHL or sports team.
What are the benefits of a team using Nextiva for their communications?
The biggest thing we wanted to do was to provide the Sabres organization with concrete solutions, to give confidence that their needs would be met on all levels — for fans, for patrons, and for the team—and that we could provide each and every solution on their list with something feature-rich and seamless from our Unified Communications platform. The suites at the Buffalo Sabres’ home arena, the KeyBank Center, are now outfitted with Nextiva phones and service, and features include voice communications, mobility and desktop sharing, along with the company’s trademarked Amazing Service.
Is the Nextiva partnership visible and accessible to fans aside from the logo on the ice?
The Nextiva logo is prominently featured on the ice, but it is also visible on posters around the KeyBank Center arena, wherever voice communications technology is featured around the arena, and within the private suites.
How many technicians, and how much time, does it take to install a communications suite like the one Nextiva now has at the KeyBank Center?
Joe, we’re working on something special over the next 2-3 months that will give everyone a visceral, immediate and inside look into what goes into staging game day, and into helping an NHL team maximize its communications across the board. We’ll share with you as soon as it’s completed!
If the NHL were to partner, as a whole, with Nextiva, what benefits would the league see as far as communication for on-ice officials to the replay official or the “war room” in Toronto?
Ultimately, we’re able provide system-wide unified communications at the highest level, so that all of their locations can be connected and managed on one single account. We may be able to create a custom solution for on-ice officials and other officials around the arena during game day, similar to what we’ve done for the Conan show.
We also ensure that all arena facilities and private suites are fully equipped with the best in first-class communications features. This means that guests will be using Nextiva communications to make their experiences as enjoyable as possible, using them to call for their food and beverage orders, make requests, and receive service or support as needed while enjoying their experiences in the suites.
I, for one, am looking forward to the special inside look Nextiva is preparing for us over the next 2-3 months. Very special thanks to Nextiva for sharing with us and taking the time to answer a few questions, and we wish them the best of luck for a successful partnership with the Sabres.
