HDS Launches Social Collaboration Platform for Customers

Hitachi Data Systems Corporation announces the HDS Community, an online social platform powered by Jive Software.

It enables customers, prospects, partners and employees to openly collaborate to innovate with HDS solutions. It is designed to offer businesses around the world a way of working, allowing them to learn, share and develop their information solutions with HDS executives in a secure and engaging environment.

The new community enables members to make faster, more informed decisions based on conversations and access to resources. These resources are on topics such as training, implementation of HDS solutions, dealing with unstructured data, and compliance. Members are motivated to participate through rewards and recognition, enabled through Jive Gamification, which rewards users for high value behaviors such as asking and answering questions, and downloading and sharing content.

Nick Howe, VP, HDS Academy, HDS, which provides training courses leading to HDS certification, says: “As our business has evolved in the information solutions space, the HDS Community offers a new line of communication with the range of customers, prospects and partners we now work with. It means we can be more open about innovation in our business, allowing people direct access to our operations and the opportunity to give their views on R&D. Their problems can also be discussed and solved much faster than before through crowdsourcing – a process that used to take weeks and months. We think this mode of communication is the future and we invite all those who work with HDS to join and get involved.”

A key area within the community is the Innovation Center, a place where HDS customers can gain direct access to the HDS R&D organization. Office Hours is an initiative regularly hosted in the community by Michael Hay, VP of product planning at HDS. In Office Hours, customers can interact with Hay, understand the company’s roadmap, and take part in the shaping of new ideas.

Adam Mertz, senior director of product marketing, Jive, says: “Early on, HDS recognized the power of social business strategies to transform the way they work with colleagues across the organization. We’re excited to play a role in the new HDS community and see their global customers and partners harness the benefits of a robust community.”

The HDS global accounts and systems integrators program also launched the first customer-focused area within HDS Community. This area is a central feature in the enhanced program for global accounts and systems integrators. It will allow the HDS global teams to improve communication and collaboration with customers and partners, who will be able to engage with HDS experts in an open dialogue.

HDS also announced enhanced features in the program for global accounts and systems integrators to provide for consistent service and support, global commercial terms, and special programs for global customers. This program will help global customers and systems integrators meet their top challenges of increasing enterprise growth, reducing costs, delivering operational results, improving their infrastructure, and attracting new customers.

Barry Morrison, VP, global accounts and systems integrators, HDS, says: “We continue to invest in the way we provide world-class service and support to our global customers. Many of the enhancements that we have incorporated into the program are a direct result of customer and partner feedback. We really look forward to continuing our close collaboration with our customers and systems integrator partners.”

The HDS Community wase showcased in partnership with Jive Software at JiveWorld13 in Las Vegas, October 22-24, 2013.