The Power of In-Person: Lessons from Our Customer Roundtables
At water, we believe in the value of open discussions and human relationships. In this regard, this year marked an exciting turning point for us as we hosted our very first customer roundtable in close collaboration with Microsoft at their offices in Cologne.
This event was a great opportunity to connect with our clients, share insights, and discuss the future of cybersecurity. The first roundtable was held in person and exclusive to existing water customers. There’s just something about face-to-face interaction that really fosters deeper connections and more meaningful conversations. The feedback from our customers on this pilot was loud and clear: We need more of this!
Humans Need Human Interaction – Even Those in IT
Building on this success and listening to the feedback, we followed up with a second roundtable - this time virtually. While it was convenient, we quickly learned that the dynamic of virtual meetings doesn’t quite match the impact of in-person interactions. Although we were able to accommodate Microsoft speakers from locations where travel was difficult at the time, the sense of intimacy and direct connection was missing.
We then hosted our third roundtable in person, this time in the city of Munich, and the difference was crystal clear: the engagement was richer, the discussions more dynamic, and the outcomes more tangible. However, going back to physical also meant having abide to physical restrictions: our roundtable was fully booked, and the room was packed to accommodate as many people as legally possible.
Given this learning experience, we are committed to prioritizing in-person roundtables going forward. We are convinced that this approach provides the most impactful environment for truly engaging with our customers and, maybe most importantly, providing them a platform to engage with each other and Microsoft experts.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to connect with industry experts, exchange ideas, and dive deep into the future of secure identity and access management with Microsoft Entra!
Announcing: Our Very Own water lab
But we’re not stopping there! We’re thrilled to tease an upcoming initiative that will take our roundtables to the next level: water lab.
This new community will bring together our clients, experts, and partners in a safe space where we can integrate Roundtables with other initiatives, creating a full-circle experience, digitally available 24/7. This initiative will provide a platform for continuous collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and co-creation. In the best spirit of the journey outlined above, we will continue to listen to your feedback and most importantly shape this community together with you to truly make it your own.
Stay tuned for more updates as we prepare to launch water lab. With 2025 just around the corner, rest assured that adding value for customers will remain one of our most important priorities for next year. So stay tuned!
