CV_Directory_22

Markee is a lot like that pirate. With a communication and collaboration interface that offers many of the same features as its wellknown competitors, the software strives to go beyond the video centric. Sure, it includes videoconferencing, chat and file sharing. Markee also strives, however, to focus on the channel and its own unique demands, and to do so in a special way. “There was a need in the market, especially with COVID hitting, for simple and effective collaboration tools,” said Greg Plum, an industry veteran and Markee’s senior vice president of strategic alliances. “We wanted to create something for the small- and mid-market customer. Most other collaboration tools are designed with the larger enterprise in mind, bundling in unnecessary and potentially confusing features.” For Plum, it comes down to perspective. While popular offerings such as Slack and Microsoft Teams still serve a very important purpose for a lot of companies, they do not always address the needs of smaller organizations. “It’s like having a Sherman tank when you need a handgun,” the exec noted. “Markee is the handgun.” With the pandemic looming, Markee eschewed its origins as a digital signage company to more directly address the collaboration needs of those smaller groups. In particular, it added options to increase usability, data privacy, customized branding and cost efficiency. “There was a gap,” explained Plum, “where Markee’s founders wanted something simple to use, brandable and private.” Soon thereafter, the company also added other practical elements, including presence, real-time direct or group interactions, pinned links and archived recordings, all from virtually any device or browser. Of all these treasures, however, security has been one of Markee’s most prized. “There’s no capturing of data, whatsoever,” Plum added. “Privacy isn’t only a buzz word. It’s the core of our entire business. And that’s where Markee really got started.” Plum and his colleagues also believe that every organization – whether a small mom-and-pop store or massive, multi-national enterprise – can benefit from personalizing the software. The option to add custom logos, color schemes, elements and verbiage to the tool is one previously not available. And this type of forethought gives Markee tremendous upside potential in the competitive landscape. “It’s like a living, breathing application, whereas other products out there haven’t changed much,” Plum noted. “Some even look strikingly similar to what they did 15 years ago. That’s crazy to me because customer needs are so radically different now. Markee is here to meet those needs.” Especially within the channel. With Markee, “the channel has an option,” said the executive. “I’ve been in the channel for more than 20 years, and I’ve worked with several collaboration platforms. I’ve also probably sold just about every one of them, working in verticals with products where there were hundreds, if not thousands, of competitors. Here, we can count our competition on one hand. Sure, they’re formidable, but none of them are doing it the same way as we are. We have the smaller business in mind, and we understand what is important to them.” Markee is a small business that created a customizable solution for other small businesses, Plum continued. “We know the pains they go through. We’ve lived them.” And in that respect, Markee is hardly entering into uncharted waters. o For more information on Markee, as well as to gain access to a free account, visit www.markee.io. You can reach Greg Plum directly at greg@markee.io or by calling (302) 530-5654. Markee: A New Collaboration Interface Charts its Course PROFILE 2022 Directory | CHANNELV ISION 59 By Brady Hicks Greg Plum, Markee senior vice president of strategic alliances “It’s more fun to be a pirate than to join the navy.” Steve Jobs, former chairman, CEO and co-founder of Apple.

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