From project management to product leadership, Alexis Carbonnelle has built a career on bridging operations and innovation. As Product Manager for ConnectMe, he’s helping shape a flexible, scalable communications solution that puts users first—whether they’re in the office or on the go. In this interview, Alexis shares his journey, his take on the evolving UCaaS landscape, and what’s coming next for ConnectMe and SmartFlow.
Q: How did you get into product management?
My background is mainly in project management and operations. I started at British Telecom as a Project Manager, then worked on ITIL process implementation at Orange Belgium. At Escaux, I moved into the role of Operations Director, where I got involved in refining products to better meet both operational and customer needs. After the acquisition by Dstny, I transitioned into a Product Owner role and became a Product Manager—it was a natural progression.
Q: What drew you to Dstny?
The telecom sector evolves so quickly, you need to be agile and responsive to the market. What I love about Dstny is that we’re a human and tech-driven company. Helping people communicate more effectively is something that excites me every day.
Q: Biggest learning as Product Manager for ConnectMe?
Replacing an existing product is tough, people tend to focus on what they’re losing rather than what’s new. It’s crucial to deliver unique value to differentiate. Another key learning: alignment between multiple teams with different priorities requires strong communication and coordination.
Q: What’s a typical day like for you?
Lots of meetings, but all with purpose. My days are split between coordinating efforts to deliver user value and planning ahead to align teams with the product roadmap.
Q: Why is ConnectMe a key product in Dstny’s portfolio?
It gives users a single interface to manage multiple communication channels, highly adaptable, built to scale with AI and CRM capabilities, and works across platforms like Dstny UCaaS and Easybell.
Q: What sets it apart in the market?
It’s not just a softphone, it’s a modular, plugin-based platform that supports fast innovation. It integrates seamlessly with CRM tools, AI, and omnichannel solutions.
Q: What’s next for ConnectMe?
We’re enhancing the user experience with a customizable homepage tailored for different roles (like agents or supervisors), and deeper CRM integration via VoIPcube. But what really excites me is accelerating SmartFlow, to bring AI and omnichannel services to more users. And maybe connect to a third communication system ?
Q: How do you gather and act on user feedback?
We collaborate closely with Dstny country teams and partners like Telia and Tele2. We also engage directly with end users when we can, that feedback is gold.
Q: What UCaaS or digital workplace trends inspire you?
UCaaS is evolving from traditional voice, services to smarter, more integrated platforms that include chat, CRM, and AI. These tools are delivering more real-time insights, automation, and personalization.
Q: How is the role of the product manager evolving?
We must stay closely aligned with emerging technologies and know how to translate them into real value. This requires close collaboration with technical teams and maintaining agility in how we build, iterate, and deliver to end users. Above all, providing a smooth and seamless customer journey should remain a top priority.
Q: What excites you about the year ahead?
We're nearing the completion of the UCaaS softphone replacement and seeing strong adoption of ConnectMe. Its deployment with Easybell validates our architectural choices. It proves the platform’s flexibility and future-readiness.
Q: One word to describe your Dstny journey?
“Adaptation.” From operations to product, from local to international, from legacy products to cutting-edge platforms—this role has been all about learning and evolving.
Q: How do ConnectMe and SmartFlow complement each other?
ConnectMe is essentially the front-end of SmartFlow. Now that it’s established, the focus is on expanding SmartFlow’s value, integrating AI, CRM, and omnichannel capabilities across the board.
SmartFlow is more than a platform, it’s a service enabler for developers that delivers innovation to end users and streamlines customer journeys. It’s also helping unify efforts across Dstny, driving us closer to a “One Dstny” vision.
Alexis Carbonnelle’s journey is a testament to adaptability, cross-functional thinking, and a deep commitment to user-centric innovation. As ConnectMe matures and SmartFlow continues to evolve, his product leadership is helping shape not just tools, but experiences that redefine how people communicate in a hybrid, fast-paced world.
With a clear focus on integration, agility, and collaboration, Alexis is helping pave the way toward a smarter, more unified Dstny offering, where innovation and simplicity go hand in hand.
Let’s continue to build that future - together.