Zach Bennett Of LoopUp On The Future Of Communication Technology

Embrace Continuous Learning: Tech evolves rapidly, and staying updated with the latest trends and technologies is crucial. Embracing a mindset of continuous learning will help you stay relevant and grow in your career.

The telephone totally revolutionized the way we could communicate with people all over the world. But then came email and took it to the next level. And then came text messaging. And then came video calls. And so on…What’s next? What’s just around the corner?

In this interview series, called ‘The Future Of Communication Technology’ we are interviewing leaders of tech or telecom companies who are helping to develop emerging communication technologies and the next generation of how we communicate and connect with each other.

As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Zach Bennett, Principal Architect at LoopUp.

Zach Bennett has been immersed in the world of Microsoft technologies since graduating from university 9 years ago, where he had a special focus on voice technologies. Throughout his career, Zach has found joy in sharing his expertise and knowledge with others. Teaching has always been a passion of his, and he is eager to expand his reach and connect with a broader technical community through engaging talks and presentations.

Currently, Zach is a Microsoft Teams MVP and Principal Architect at LoopUp, a leading Cloud Telephony provider. At LoopUp, the company specializes in offering PSTN solutions built around Microsoft Teams and is proud to participate in the Operator Connect program. In his day-to-day role, Zach works closely with global organizations, assisting them in transitioning from their outdated PBX systems to Microsoft Teams Phone. Leveraging Operator Connect or Direct Routing via the LoopUp Cloud Telephony Platform, he helps these organizations seamlessly migrate and unlock the full potential of Microsoft Teams for their communication needs.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you got started?

I studied Computer Science at Manchester Metropolitan University, and during my year in industry at General Electric, I realized that the big company life might not be for me. I wanted a workplace that was more intimate, where I could wear many hats and help out wherever possible.

My interest in Microsoft technologies led me to development work, and eventually, I found my passion in voice deployments with Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams. This is where I discovered what I truly love to do, and I’ve been pursuing it ever since.

The announcement and success of Microsoft Teams opened up a whole new dimension to my career. I delved into the telephony side of Teams, and I enjoyed sharing my knowledge with the community through technical blogs, videos, and speaking engagements. This journey led me to LoopUp, where we have a revolutionary approach to Microsoft Teams calling and the technology behind it, which I now help deliver to our customers. Along with this, my continued commitment to community work has offered me the opportunity to join the Microsoft MVP program specialising in Microsoft Teams where I am 1/18 in the UK.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?

One of the most interesting and memorable experiences in my career happened when I was invited to talk at CommsVNext in Denver, CO. As a Microsoft Teams MVP, I had the opportunity to present at this prestigious international event, which is dedicated to Microsoft Communications and Collaborations Technologies.

The event was held at the hotel in downtown Denver, and it was an incredible experience from start to finish. I remember preparing extensively for my presentation called “Is Teams ready to be your Contact Center?” where I explored the capabilities of Microsoft Teams in handling complex communication needs and shared insights on maximizing its effectiveness.

What made this experience truly special was the sense of community and the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals. The event was well-organized, with all sessions, exhibitors, and food in close proximity, making it easy to engage with attendees and participate in various discussions.

During my talk, I shared real-world customer scenarios and solutions, which resonated well with the audience. The feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive, and it was gratifying to see how my insights could help others in their journey with Microsoft Teams.

Overall, CommsVNext in Denver was an unforgettable experience that reinforced my passion for Microsoft technologies and the importance of community engagement. It was a privilege to be part of such a vibrant and knowledgeable group of professionals, and I look forward to future opportunities to share and learn at similar events.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“The Dude abides” The Dude — The Big Lebowski

This quote is from my favorite film, The Big Lebowski. It can mean a lot of things to a lot of people, and to me it reflects the acceptance of life’s challenges. In the book, “The Dude and the Zen Master”, they talk about Zen principles and how the Dude reflects these throughout the movie and how you can throughout your life. It’s a simple quote that helps me remember whatever is going on through your personal or work life you can survive. Take it in your stride, remember what matters, and also, “The Dude abides”.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

For me that person would be my current colleague and Head of Global Consulting at LoopUp, . He is someone I’ve had the pleasure of working with throughout my career across multiple businesses and has allowed me to flourish as a consultant. Graham has been a constant source of knowledge and encouragement towards hitting my career goals.

A story that comes to mind is when Graham and I were working together before LoopUp there was a security workshop that needed to be completed by a couple of consultants, and he thought of me as I’d shown interest. We met up the night before the presentation and I was freaking out as it was my first presentation in front of such a big customer and I didn’t feel like I knew the material well enough. We spent time going through the deck and he said to me “I don’t know this either, let’s work it out”. You don’t have to know everything all the time, but if you’re willing to spend the effort to work it out it goes a long way.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

As a Microsoft Teams MVP, I’ve dedicated a significant amount of time to sharing my expertise with the community. Through technical blogs, videos, and speaking engagements, I’ve helped others understand and leverage Microsoft Teams and other technologies to improve their workflows and communication.

Ok wonderful. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. Can you tell us about the cutting-edge communication tech that you are working on? How do you think that will help people?

Our cloud telephony solution at aims to transform Microsoft Teams from an internal collaboration tool into a fully-fledged unified communications platform. This allows users to make and receive external phone calls from any Teams-enabled device, providing a seamless and integrated communication experience.

How do you think this might change the world?

By enabling PSTN calling through Microsoft Teams, users can stay connected from anywhere, whether they’re in the office, working from home, or on the go. This flexibility is crucial in today’s hybrid work environment.

Keeping “” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?

With Black Mirror in mind, having constant contact available via mobile devices and Microsoft Teams could potentially blur the boundaries between work and personal life. It’s important to make sure there is enough education out there about having a healthy work-life balance.

Was there a “tipping point” that led you to this breakthrough? Can you tell us that story?

I saw the immense potential of integrating telephony with Teams and it motivated me to pursue this path, join LoopUp and share my knowledge with the community through technical blogs, videos, and speaking engagements. This journey has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m excited to continue exploring new possibilities in communication technology.

What do you need to lead this technology to widespread adoption?

Widespread adoption of Microsoft Teams is already prevalent in my opinion, however, to stay ahead of the competition there still needs to be a steady stream of feature updates that will make Teams telephony more usable across different organizations. At LoopUp we also can increase this widespread adoption due to our increased global coverage of 66 countries and cost-saving capabilities which will make these technologies more accessible.

The pandemic has changed so many things about the way we behave. One of them of course is how we work and how we communicate in our work. How do you think your innovation might be able to address the new needs that have arisen as a result of the pandemic?

Our solution enables PSTN calling through Microsoft Teams, allowing users to stay connected from anywhere, whether they’re in the office, working from home, or on the go. This flexibility is crucial in today’s hybrid work environment where employees need to be able to communicate seamlessly regardless of their location. Along with this, moving to a cloud-based telephony system can significantly reduce costs associated with maintaining traditional phone systems. It also offers scalability, allowing businesses to easily adjust their communication infrastructure as they grow. This is particularly important in the post-pandemic world, where many organizations are looking to optimize their operations and reduce expenses.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

1. Embrace Continuous Learning: Tech evolves rapidly, and staying updated with the latest trends and technologies is crucial. Embracing a mindset of continuous learning will help you stay relevant and grow in your career.
2. Networking is Key: Building a strong professional network can open up many opportunities. Attend industry events, join online communities, and connect with peers. These relationships can provide support, advice, and potential career advancements.
3. Don’t Fear Failure: Failure is a part of the learning process. Each setback is an opportunity to learn and improve.
4. Work-Life Balance Matters: It’s easy to get consumed by work, especially in a fast-paced industry. Prioritize your well-being and maintain a healthy work-life balance. This will help you stay productive and avoid burnout.
5. Soft Skills are Essential: Technical skills are important, but soft skills like communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are equally valuable. These skills will help you collaborate effectively and advance in your career.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

One thing that I believe is very important is supporting lifelong learning by providing resources and platforms for continuous learning and skill development. This would help people stay updated with the latest in technological advancements and make you available to adapt to the changing job market and technology solutions.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

LinkedIn —

YouTube —

Thank you so much for the time you spent doing this interview. This was very inspirational, and we wish you continued success.