WiFi’s one of those technologies running in the background, rarely pondered until there’s a problem with the router.  But it’s a major part of our infrastructure as we power into an era of mobility, filling in the gaping holes 4G leaves behind and connecting everything from our tablets to our Bluetooth headsets so they can all talk to each other.

The industry’s taken on the burden of mobility but needs to adapt like any other, especially when it comes to things like WLAN, security and mere accessibility.  Heading up networking firm Xirrus is Shane Buckley, the recently instated CEO that’s been brought on to carry the company through its adolescent years, a special skill set Buckley’s built up during his time at Netgear where he grew revenue 50 percent over two years.  Buckley’s got some very specific plans for maintaining Xirrus’ focus on the customer as the company expands, which he discusses in today’s CEO Series.  Buckley walks us through his first day as CEO at Xirrus, describes the balancing act his management team will have to maintain with customer relations, and even shares his favorite joke.

Walk me through your first day as Xirrus’ new CEO.

The hardest part was getting to the office! I live in Bay Area and commute to Thousand Oaks. The team organized an introduction meeting to the management team, then an all-hands with the HQ employees, then a potluck lunch, followed by 1:1s with each of the managers and finally a dinner with the executive team. I thought I had joined a food-service company but after day 1, I was on my own – at least when it came to the food!

See the entire CEO Series with Kristen Nicole on Pinterest and Springpad!

.

In a recent Forbes article you explain that getting Xirrus to sell beyond the early adopter sector means keeping all departments aligned around the customers’ needs. How do you delineate Xirrus’ department structure to keep everyone focused on the customer?

It’s critical to put the customer in the center of the company and constantly ask – “What does the customer want”, “have you spoken with our customers on this?”.  Great companies measure all parts of their business and use customer sat, Net Promoter Score, post mortem analysis on customer wins & losses as part of their daily lives. I also wrote to each of our >3,000 customers asking for feedback and requesting time to talk. Many have responded so I am booked for the next 4-5 weeks! It is important to set expectations that decisions are made when we have good customer input and feedback.

What should the next WiFi-enabled connected device be?

Mobility is the future of effective communications. 4G is not ready for prime time due to rollout constraints and power consumption on devices. Hotpot 2.0 is the future of high density, low power coverage for mobility. We need to have WiFi in all our devices. All displays should have WiFi integrated so any device can push video wirelessly in a similar manner to AirPlay from Apple. There are still many cellphones that do not have WiFi. Manufacturers need to leverage WiFi in all devices so location based services can become a reality. This leveraged with a display technology could be a very interesting solution for consumers.

As WiFi becomes a unifying technology for connected devices, what gives you confidence in the future?

The ability to work & play effectively regardless of location. Untethering PC’s from the office gave massive productivity improvements to industry. It also created a new way of working. Society has changed it’s view of work and the boundaries between work and play have eroded. This has improved cycle times in companies, ensures decisions are made faster, collaboration has increased dramatically whilst enabling individuals to work from whatever location they wish. As WiFi speeds increase, applications with richer content become a reality and individuals can be every bit as functional outside the office as they are inside. For those with long commutes, this gives a big increase in productivity and better work/lifestyle balance.

WIFI WIZARD

SHANE BUCKLEY

.

What single gadget has influenced you most?

It’s got to be my iPhone. I need it more than my left arm.

Your biggest career achievement so far?

Building 2 early stage companies and integrating them into 2 industry leading behemoths.

Your favorite joke?

The check is in the mail!