Bret England is an accomplished leader with over 25 years of experience as a senior financial and operational manager and investor. As President and CEO, Bret leads the CallTower team in delivering integrated best-of-breed communication solutions. Before CallTower, Bret worked in senior, domestic and international financial and operational roles at Symantec, Informix, Alta Vista, Portal Software, NetManage, and JDA Software. He has assisted several technology companies in various CXO and board positions and as an investor through England Consulting and Capital Group.
In the realm of inspiring business leaders, Bret’s wealth of experience in financial and operational management has been instrumental in shaping CallTower’s strategic direction, operational efficiency, and financial stability. Likewise, his expertise in mergers and acquisitions has not only allowed CallTower to expand its portfolio of communication solutions, tap into new markets and reach a broader audience but also provided the company with access to additional resources, including talented personnel, advanced technologies, and intellectual property. As President and CEO, Bret embodies visionary leadership and unwavering dedication, propelling CallTower to unparalleled success.
The Journey of a Successful Leader
Bret started as a Certified Public Accountant for KPMG and Deloitte & Touche. He joined Symantec shortly after its initial public offering and benefited from its excellent management training and career development opportunities. Bret had several different senior operational leadership opportunities with international responsibilities over an eight-year period. He could apply what he learned as a consultant at Deloitte to real-world operational experience at Symantec. He also deepened his appreciation for building global teams to challenge and motivate others at Symantec and post-graduate executive education.
“It was at Symantec and part of my executive education that helped me appreciate the richness of bringing together teams and technology to make the sum of the parts greater than individual, stand-alone organizations,” shares Bret. He also learned the dangers of poor integration post-acquisition and the destructive nature of ego-driven, selfish thinking – both dangerous to any thriving, growing organization.
The Inception Story of CallTower
CallTower has been Bret’s passion to bring together the best of what he had learned in the past decades of growing organizations. In its early days, CallTower required a bit of a restart. However, Bret could see the ability to deploy amazing technology with a common interface and identified some talented individuals wanting to grow CallTower professionally. Soon, Bret and his team started with what they had and committed to building an organization that would be healthy and provide clarity of purpose for their team members, customers, vendors, and shareholders. Collectively and consistently, they applied the principles of ‘The Advantage, Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business’ by Patrick Lencioni. Undoubtedly, the results turned out to be excellent.
“Today, we have grown about 10X; we have produced strong profits, many of our employees have been promoted, and CallTower is a great place to work,” shares Bret. “I am also grateful for the past experience of a great education, the chance to learn from some of the best organizations and leaders, and an opportunity to bring them all together at CallTower while being nurtured by excellent organizational health tools.”
CallTower: Connecting People Everywhere
Since its inception in 2002, CallTower has grown into a unified communications, collaboration and contact center solutions provider, changing how people communicate worldwide. The company combines the power of global voice enablement and key business integrations, enabling organizations worldwide with the most advanced unified communication and collaboration solutions. Empowered by 16 geo-redundant data centers, CallTower delivers connectivity to more than 6,000 cities and 60+ countries.
Regarding a diverse range of offerings, CallTower provides cutting-edge communication and collaboration solutions of over 25 different services designed to enhance business productivity and streamline communication processes. Some of its key solutions include Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), Microsoft 365 Integration, Contact Center Solutions, Audio and Video Conferencing, Collaboration Tools, Business VoIP Solutions, Secure Cloud Services, and Global Connectivity.
Tailoring Solutions to Client Needs
Whether a small business or a large enterprise, CallTower’s cloud-based Unified Communications and Contact Center solutions are tailored to specific needs and can grow with the client organizations. Therefore, its customers don’t have to worry about outgrowing its current communication system, as they can adapt to CallTower’s offerings. Additionally, CallTower’s global reach is backed by an expanding Global Channel Partnership team, allowing the company to provide support to its customers no matter where they are based, ensuring seamless communication and reliable service.
Moreover, Bret and his team constantly look for ways to improve and revolutionize the communications landscape so their customers can always access the latest and greatest solutions. As a result, CallTower’s commitment to innovation has been honored with awards like “Most Innovative Solutions Provider 2023”. CallTower has also been consecutively recognized as a Top Workplace in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, attributing its placement to a strong emphasis on company culture.
The Key Milestones
CallTower’s journey began by specializing in hosted Cisco CallManager and providing an early Voice-over-IP (VoIP) solution as an early entrant to Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). Around a decade ago, the company’s mission evolved from being exclusively Cisco-focused to embracing a “best of breed” philosophy. This transition marked a shift from offering singular solutions to delivering a comprehensive suite of options catering to the diverse needs of its customers.
As part of this evolution, Bret and his team expanded CallTower’s offerings beyond Cisco to include other industry giants like Microsoft and Zoom. This holistic approach extended to UCaaS and Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions. This diversification allowed CallTower to provide enterprises with broader choices, empowering them to select the communication technologies that best suited their individual requirements. Furthermore, at the heart of CallTower’s ability to deliver these top-notch solutions is its proprietary technology, CallTower Connect. This middleware is pivotal in integrating various communication technologies into a unified control panel. It facilitates seamless selection, provisioning, and management of its solutions, all tailored to customers’ preferences.
Currently, CallTower’s portfolio boasts a rich selection of integrated solutions, with recent additions like Solgari and proven names like Zoom and Webex. This reflects its ongoing commitment to excellence in communication technology and its determination to provide enterprises with the tools they need to thrive.
Staying Ahead of the Curve
Over the years, CallTower’s approach has undergone a significant transformation, particularly in the realm of connectivity. The company has progressed from its initial role as a hoster to becoming a pivotal provider of hosted solutions, such as Cisco Call Manager and Microsoft Skype for Business. As a leading solutions provider, CallTower aims to bridge the gap between disparate technologies and ensure seamless integration. This emphasis on solution integration aligns perfectly with the rapidly evolving connectivity landscape, enabling CallTower to stay competitive and relevant in the industry.
Fostering a Culture of Continuous Learning & Innovation
According to Bret, innovation is at the heart of everything they do at CallTower, and they are committed to continuously pushing the boundaries to deliver the best possible communication solutions for their customers. Moreover, CallTower’s team, comprising dedicated, action-oriented, and inquisitive professionals, is constantly exploring new ways to enhance its existing solutions and develop new ones that meet the changing needs of its customers.
Recently, CallTower has integrated Solgari for Teams into its solution offerings, an advanced Contact Center Solution within the MS Teams App designed to help businesses streamline their customer service operations, ultimately improving customer experience and operational efficiency. Likewise, Bret and his team constantly seek feedback from their customers and partners, believing that open communication and collaboration are the keys to innovation. “By understanding our customers’ unique needs and challenges, we can develop solutions that make a difference,” states Bret.
Guiding Leadership Principles
As a leader, one of the most crucial lessons Bret has adhered to is the importance of persistence and unwavering commitment. He feels that the true essence of triumph lies in your ability to weather challenges, endure difficult days, and remain steadfast in your vision. Another fundamental aspect he finds crucial is trusting one’s instincts and intellect. It is important to remember that the road ahead will likely be long, spanning well beyond a mere few years; hence, maintaining that trust in yourself and your vision becomes paramount.
Moreover, Bret states that people are the lifeblood of business, which holds true whether you’re just starting out or running a well-established enterprise. Hence, if you can’t genuinely care for and respect individuals or align their best interests with the heart of your organization, then reconsidering your role as a business leader may be an option for you. He adds, “Entrepreneurship is more than just profits; it’s about creating a positive impact, building relationships, and contributing to the betterment of the people and communities you serve.”
The Road Ahead
CallTower plans to expand its Global footprint with people and locations worldwide. This will allow the company to provide more comprehensive support to its customers wherever they are in the world and ensure it stays abreast of global trends and needs.
For More Info: https://www.calltower.com/