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MarTech Edge Interview with Cyril De Queral, Co-Founder & CEO, Powell Software
Welcome, Cyril! Tell us about your experiences and motivations that led you to establish Powell Software.
In 2015, I was the CEO of Expertime, a French system integrator specializing in deploying enterprise intranets on SharePoint/Microsoft. With the move to the cloud, we created a SaaS platform to onboard all our customers in the same environment but with a specific configuration and design for each of them. It was a massive opportunity for us to go international since the cloud architecture made it available worldwide. We immediately created a global partner network to deploy our solution locally and reached international success within a few months.
How does Powell Teams catalyze the collaboration capabilities of Microsoft Teams to boost the overall user experience?
Powell Teams enhances Microsoft Teams' collaboration capabilities by offering several key features. It provides users with an intuitive dashboard to streamline navigation through their Teams and organize their collaboration efforts, including unique tagging and filtering options. Ready-to-use templates, validated by both IT and business criteria, facilitate employees in creating impactful Teams, like specific templates for HR onboarding or vendor project management. Life cycle management capabilities help archive inactive or expired Teams, ensuring sustainable use and information protection. The list goes on.
Besides these features, Powell Teams allows employees to leverage the best of Microsoft 365, offering a unified workspace where all documents, tasks, and conversations can be accessed from one place, further improving the user experience.
How decisive a role does employee engagement & experience play in slashing down employee turnover rates?
Employee engagement and experience play a pivotal role in reducing employee turnover rates, especially in the context of hybrid work and post-COVID scenarios. Considering the "Great Resignation" and challenges in talent acquisition, focusing on employee attraction and retention has become a strategic necessity for organizations. By providing an optimal employee experience, companies can enhance productivity, foster happiness at work, and cultivate an inclusive culture, ensuring social links between employees across departments are maintained.
A well-structured digital workplace like Powell Software can significantly enhance employee engagement by offering seamless communication, collaboration tools, and personalized content, which can help reduce turnover rates.
In what innovative ways has Powell Intranet revolutionized internal communications?
Powell Intranet transforms internal communications by converging multiple features into one unified portal. For employees, it combines news from the company—targeted per role and with employee-set preferences—with productivity tools from Microsoft and engagement techniques for employee connection. This integration of communication, engagement, and Microsoft 365 productivity in one portal is unique. For content contributors, Powell Intranet simplifies the process of creating impactful content like news, job offers, and ideas by offering ready-to-use templates and user-friendly forms. Furthermore, it's the only solution that bridges communication in the Intranet with collaboration in Microsoft Teams.
This innovative approach results in a user-centric digital workspace that is responsive, intuitive, and designed to adapt to individual needs, making Powell Intranet a communication platform and a tool for fostering a more robust, more inclusive corporate culture.
How much employee contribution goes into the product development process of Powell Software?
Employee contribution is a significant aspect of Powell Software's product development process. Our 'User Voice' approach prioritizes user feedback and is crucial in roadmap development and feature requests. Our product team is continuously attuned to customer feedback, whether sourced from our online community space or shared by our Customer Success Managers who regularly interact with customers. In addition, our partners serve as vital listeners in the market, providing insights about evolving needs.
One example: During the pandemic, our customers asked for a desk booking tool to match the constraints of COVID. We created Flexdesk, a micro app in the Intranet that allows organizations to organize better the physical space allocation, which has become a top-used feature of our solution.
This process ensures our solutions stay relevant, user-centric, and innovative, aligning with the changing requirements of the digital workplace and market trends. This 'feedback loop' is integral to Powell Software's commitment to continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.
Where do you see digital workplace technology heading, and how would it transform workplace experiences?
We envision digital workplace technology moving towards an era of the 'Augmented Digital Workplace.' This concept will enhance the capabilities of employees, contributors, and IT administrators in their daily tasks, from producing impactful content to searching for documents, people, or knowledge within the company. Generative AI is a critical enabler in this augmentation. Moreover, we foresee changes in how employees interact with their Intranet and Teams space. Some employees seek more visual interaction, so we're launching a Virtual Building—where employees can meet, access content, and collaborate visually and innovatively, enriching their everyday digital workspace experience.
As digital workplaces become more 'augmented,' the boundary between physical and virtual workspaces will blur. As a result, businesses must prioritize creating seamless, intuitive, and engaging digital experiences to attract and retain talent in an increasingly competitive market.
Which groundbreaking solution is Powell Software working on right now, and when can we expect it to go live?
Powell Software is currently working on augmenting our solutions Powell Intranet and Powell Teams, involving the new Generative AI capabilities, which is a significant accelerator in our roadmap: delivering our vision from a five-year timeline to an estimated 12-24 months. As always, our focus will remain on simplicity for employees and prioritizing security and privacy for organizations in all our solutions development.
Another area we're focusing on is further strengthening our mobile capabilities. Recognizing the growing trend of remote and flexible work, we're investing in making our solutions even more accessible and efficient on mobile devices, enabling seamless collaboration regardless of location.
If you could have a chance to start your career afresh, what would you do differently?
For sure, I would create my own company faster. Nothing is more exciting than creating and developing an innovative company and working with ambitious and talented people like we do at Powell Software. Additionally, if I could go back to the beginning of my career, I would go international directly. The international experience provides you with a better outlook and strong agility.
Cyril De Queral, a distinguished business leader and technology innovator, has carved out an impressive career in the tech industry. Now aged 52, his academic credentials include a Master's degree in IT Engineering and an MBA from ESSEC Business School in Paris, laying a solid foundation for his ventures.
His professional trajectory took off in Paris, where he dedicated eight years as the Managing Director for a System Integrator. His experiences there sharpened his management skills and strategic insights, which would serve him well in future endeavors.
In 2003, Cyril and his esteemed colleague, Jean Pierre Vimard, embarked on a new venture, founding the Expertime Group. Assuming the role of CEO, Cyril spearheaded vital departments, including engineering, finance, and HR, thereby crafting a niche for Expertime as a specialist in Microsoft technologies.
The year 2016 marked a significant milestone in Cyril's career. He joined hands with the same trusted team from Expertime to establish Powell Software. As a Software as a Service (SAAS) Independent Software Vendor (ISV), the company focuses on providing an augmented digital workplace for its users.
Under the effective leadership of Cyril and Jean Pierre, Powell Software has not only achieved profitability but also made significant financial strides, securing $16 million in funding in 2020. Cyril's journey is a testament to his entrepreneurial spirit, unwavering commitment to innovation, and visionary leadership.
More about Cyril De Queral: 
Powell Software is a global technology company specializing in digital workplace solutions that enhance collaboration, productivity, and employee engagement. By offering a suite of customizable and scalable products, such as Powell Intranet and Powell Teams, Powell Software empowers organizations to create intuitive and modern digital workspaces that meet their unique needs. With a focus on user experience, adaptability, and seamless integration with Microsoft 365, Powell Software aims to transform how organizations work and communicate in a digital-first world.
Learn more at: www.powell-software.com
