March 23, 2021 - After joining us in March 2020, we put our Marketing Executive Chris Beck in the spotlight – talking about his experiences of working at Datapath through the COVID-19 pandemic.

So Chris, prior to joining Datapath, had you worked in the AV industry before? What is your professional background?

When I started my tenure at Datapath it was my first position within the AV industry. I had previously worked in full-time positions within technology and professional services industries after studying for my Marketing Comms & Advertising BA hons at University.

What did you think of Datapath, and how did the realization compare to your expectancy?

From my first interview at Datapath I could see a modern, progressive and forward-thinking company, with the culture to match. As anyone in the industry will tell you, you never stop learning in AV and I've been fortunate to have been provided with as much support as a 'newbie' can hope for into the industry. The technical knowledge of our people is staggering and, I believe, second to none.

What elements of your skillset have you enjoyed bringing to the team, and what knowledge have you learned from others?

Being part of a team with some of the most creative and sharpest minds I've ever worked with has been particularly rewarding and fascinating. I feel happy to have joined at such an exciting time for the company.

I've felt pleased to have been able to offer a different outlook on day-to-day work, such as new digital strategies and use of data. Here at Datapath I've always felt that my opinion matters, and new ideas are encouraged with open arms.

Alluding to my earlier comment, I've learnt a great deal from my colleagues and teammates, and I feel delighted to be part of a team that I believe would bring envy to many within the industry.

As you work regularly with Datapath's offices around the globe, what have been your experiences of working with cultures across continents?

What I think makes Datapath special is the way the global workforce just 'works' and the time everyone has for each other. There is a clear, positive company culture, which began for me when I received such a warm welcome from colleagues across all departments and levels of seniority.

It's fair to say this past year has been like nothing we've seen before. How has COVID affected your working practice?

It goes without saying that this year has been challenging for everyone. Starting my new position only a matter of days before the we all started working from home because of the pandemic was tough, but I always felt well connected and never isolated. Any such early challenges were alleviated, and I was able to induct into the team really well.

Senior management have been in regular communication and empathetic to everyone's needs and concerns during this period of uncertainty. I was thoroughly impressed by this approach by the company. Taking in the considerable challenges of the past year, I couldn't have envisaged a better start to life at Datapath.

That is wonderful to hear. So, how do you see the next 12 months and beyond going?

I feel a strong degree of excitement about what lies ahead for Datapath, as each day I work I can feel a sense of momentum and growth. It's been a pleasure to get to know my colleagues so far too, and I hope to meet more of them in person as we progress through 2021!

Our latest technology (and as a marketeer you'd expect me to mention our stunning new Aetria AVoIP solution!) is poised to change what's possible with sharing video data, particularly in control rooms. The large investment in our R&D department means that we have some fantastic new developments coming in 2021 that we can't wait to show our customers and partners.

I think we mentioned in a recent social media post about how much we love virtual communication with our customers, but there's no substitute for meeting face-to-face and we look forward to that becoming more commonplace before the year ends.

From a personal perspective it's all about self-improvement - since we started working from home, I've developed a further keenness to exercise and read. Anything to distract me from the news, I guess!