What could an AI coffee app, a hard hat, and SD-Wan possibly have in common? As a first-timer at Cisco Live Europe, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and I definitely didn’t expect to encounter those three in the same place.
To be honest, I found the sheer number of booths teeming with enthusiastic Cisco employees, customers, and partners awe-inspiring. At times, it felt as if the venue, Fira Grand Via,was literally buzzing with excitement. That said, the following five experiences really stood out to me at Cisco Live Europe.
1. Learning directly from the source: Whether talking to engineers or other marketing staffers, it was really amazing to hear about Cisco products, architectures, and innovations from the people who built them. It’s said to understand something fully, you must be able to explain it in the simplest of terms. This was the very best part of #CLEUR for me… learning from the best made learning simple. 
2. Connecting with customers at the Financial Services booth: While working the booth, I had the opportunity to talk with customers about the challenges they are facing. I heard a lot about wanting to provide meaningful customer experiences through enhanced mobile and digital experiences, but how regulatory and security constraints are getting in the way. Sharing how Cisco technology has the ability to not only alleviate security concerns, maintain regulatory compliance, and mitigate risk while simultaneously allowing customers to embrace new technology was really exciting. When the right tech meets the right customer, in the right place, at the right time, everyone wins.
3. Experiencing cutting edge tech: My personal favorite tech demo was the RealWear®HMT-1, a wearable AndroidTMcomputer that brings hands-free technology to industrial workers. Seriously, this was so cool. It almost made me want to become an industrial engineer. Almost.
4. Stepping into the future of caffeination: The Cisco Smart Coffee experience provided an interactive workshop where an AI app determined users’ fatigue level based on a number of questions, and produced a cup of coffee appropriate for his/her fatigue factor. Clearly, this experience resonated with both customers and Cisco staffers alike, because there was a substantial line every time I walked by… a sure sign of success
5. Experiencing the Domino’s Pizza® transformation.Cisco worked with Domino’s pizza to create a better pizza ordering experience using a scalable and secure IT backbone to connect data center to stores and ensure a consistent and intuitive experience. Their booth told the story of the digital transformation and included a switchboard-style game with a cute little pizza USB prize. I especially loved the way the two brands achieved that perfect balance where the overall experience felt both “Cisco” and “Domino’s” at the same time, without losing either in the mix.
That’s a wrap for Cisco Live Europe 2019, but stay tuned for video footage of our booth live from Consumer Industries!
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