Vertiv launches its African Headquarters in Johannesburg
Vertiv, a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, has officially opened its African head office and Customer Experience Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Their establishment of these facilities reflects Vertiv's commitment to investing in the region and its "Africa for Africa" initiative. Wojtek Piorko, the managing director for Vertiv Africa, highlights the company's focus on Africa, including expanding its network of authorized partners and service providers.
According to Piokro, "Vertiv is placing a strong business focus on Africa, as well as expanding our local network of authorized partners and service providers. Our ‘Africa for Africa’ project also emphasizes the importance of meeting our local clients’ needs, of which the opening of the African head office and local Customer Experience Centre play a key role."
Enhancing Customer Engagement
The Customer Experience Centre in Johannesburg serves as a platform for customers to explore Vertiv's wide range of critical infrastructure solutions. These solutions cater to various applications from edge to cloud, including the Vertiv SmartCabinet, a comprehensive cabinet solution suitable for various environments, offering intelligent and integrated IT infrastructure.
Additionally, the center features the Vertiv Liebert EXS, a compact and flexible three-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS) known for its high-efficiency operation. Another solution on display is the Vertiv Liebert EXM2, a highly reliable monolithic UPS designed for midsize critical applications, delivering industry-leading performance and efficiency of up to 98.8%.
Virtual Reality Takes Center Stage
Vertiv also incorporated the use of virtual reality (VR) technology to enhance the customer experience. The Vertiv Virtual Showroom offers African customers a unique way to explore and understand Vertiv's large-scale modular data centers, power, and thermal management solutions.
By wearing a VR headset and using hand controllers, users can navigate the virtual environment, interact with equipment, and watch animations that demonstrate product features and value.
“Using our VR offering, the Vertiv Virtual Showroom, clients can embark on a unique virtual trip to experience Vertiv’s capabilities, giving both novices and seasoned experts of Vertiv products a way to fully understand the entire layout of the critical digital infrastructure,” Piorko explains.
“This experience gives decision-makers a deeper understanding of the entire infrastructure at work,” Piorko adds. “In addition, our new Customer Experience Center will provide presales, sales, and product training, as well as full-service certification courses for Vertiv’s authorized service partner network.”
The VR experience allows users to visualize the spatial layout of Vertiv's rack and row solutions as if they were physically present on-site. They can even customize a Vertiv VR rack by placing servers, power, thermal, and storage devices into the virtual unit. This immersive experience aims to provide decision-makers with a deeper understanding of Vertiv's entire infrastructure and its functionalities.
The Customer Experience Centre not only offers the VR experience but also provides various services such as presales, sales, and product training. It serves as a hub for delivering full-service certification courses for Vertiv's authorized service partner network.
Senior Vertiv Leaders
The presence of senior Vertiv leaders at the African head office roof-wetting celebration signifies the organization's commitment and investment in the African region. It demonstrates the importance Vertiv places on expanding its business focus in Africa and meeting the specific needs of local clients.
The leaders include Karsten Winther, president of the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region; Peter Lambrecht, VP of sales for EMEA; Vicente Chiralt, VP of marketing for EMEA; Viktor Petik, VP and global leader for Vertiv’s Integrated Modular Solutions business; Kjell Lovqvist, VP for DC power and outdoor enclosures for EMEA; Andrea Ferro, VP for Technology Application and Market Development; and Juraj Sekera, transformation director EMEA.