Aurus
Driving Cisco Solutions Value

Communication and collaboration have emerged as the lifeblood of every business today. For many years, Cisco has been forging enterprise connectivity between a company’s employees as well as customers and partners. That said, many companies have specific requirements that are unique to their industry, geographical location, or customer demography for which Cisco might not have a ready solution. For instance, a call center might need an additional application in the form of an attendant console to dispatch incoming calls to internal employees, or it can be a call recording solution for logging customer interactions for enhanced customer satisfaction.

Founded in 2005, independent software vendor Aurus fills the gaps in the Cisco solutions space with its unique offerings. “Unlike other players in the market who integrate their apps with different brands, we work only with Cisco,” says Alexander Anoshin, CEO of Aurus. The firm develops applications that extend the functionality of the networking giant’s portfolio of enterprise collaboration and contact center solutions. “Specialized in IP telephony, video conferencing, and contact center solutions, we align our strategy with Cisco’s portfolio. We work closely with our clients to cater to the unique needs of the end users of Cisco products,” adds Anoshin. This synergistic relationship creates a “win-win-win” situation for everyone. “As we step up to address the challenges of our clients through tailored solutions, Cisco can extend its reach to new locations,” Anoshin adds.

Perhaps what differentiates Aurus is its in-depth technical knowledge of Cisco’s set of products for collaboration. To enhance its value proposition, the company operates an R&D center in Siberia. Besides, the firm’s small size and agile strategy allow it to serve different industries with customized applications quickly and cost-effectively.

Aurus offers a portfolio of bundled applications designed for enterprise collaboration platforms from Cisco. Each bundle consists of several applications which the client can choose from based on their needs, be it for customer service, security, or other. For example, Aurus provides applications with a locking mechanism to enhance the security of Cisco collaboration endpoints.

At the outset of the engagement, Aurus brainstorms with clients’ teams, understands their requirements, and provides demos and proof of concepts on-demand. In addition, the firm provides third- and fourth-level support to clients located worldwide.

Unlike other players in the market who integrate their apps with different brands, we work only with Cisco

Aurus reaches out to its clients through its channel partners, who are Cisco resellers. Depending on clients’ location, the firm collaborates with the local Cisco IT systems integrator or services provider in that country to deliver its services. Besides, Aurus also offers free NFR bundles to its partners for internal use. The company has gradually expanded into foreign locations with local offices in India, UAE, and the US.

A case in point, one of Aurus’ clients had several dozens of self-service kiosks nationwide catering to its customers. The client decided to use kiosks as an additional communication channel with its customers to provide information on its products and services and resolve kiosk-related issues. Aurus installed a video call feature on top of the existing Cisco products in the client environment. A one-touch live support option allowed kiosk users to make video calls to the company’s contact center. Another UK-based retailer wanted to equip its 2000+ Cisco IP phones with advanced enterprise directory app to provide specific Caller ID feature and a customized call history option. Aurus quickly modelled a prototype and customized its applications based on the client request.

Being the major Cisco Solution Partner in Russia, Aurus has deep penetration in the nation’s collaboration and communication solutions market. The firm looks to continue its partnership with the Cisco Collaboration business unit and have its applications listed in the Cisco Global Price List.