The Unified Communications (UC) market is experiencing unprecedented growth and transformation. Rapid advancements in technology, particularly in artificial intelligence (AI) and strategic vendor partnerships, are reshaping the landscape at an astonishing pace. This evolution presents a double-edged sword for customers and C-Suite (CXOs) who find themselves navigating a complex array of UC options.
“We rushed to implement new tools to adapt to an increase in remote working, but my employees are coming back to the office, is my UC environment still optimal?”
“Everyone is moving to the cloud, but I need to keep some of my business on-prem, what do I do?”
In 2024, we engaged with our UC and UCaaS Partners, analysts and customers, and conducted a market research survey involving 120 business decision-makers around Europe. The aim was to uncover the genuine concerns and identify the key trends that are influencing leaders’ decision-making today.
One of the clearest consensus from across the market is that Hybrid UC is the infrastructure model of choice for enterprise communications today.
A global Frost & Sullivan survey of IT/telecom decision makers in 2024 found the vast majority, 82%, expect to be managing hybrid environments with elements of both cloud-based and premises-based solutions in 2026.
Before we dive into the hybrid model, let's clarify some terms:
A technology that integrates various communication channels like voice, video, meetings, messaging, and collaboration tools into a single platform. Traditionally an on-premise or private cloud delivery model.
A cloud-based delivery model for UC services, where providers manage the infrastructure and software, offering flexible and scalable solutions.
A Hybrid UC approach combines on-premises communication systems with cloud-based services. This allows organisations to leverage the benefits of both worlds, such as increased flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness, while maintaining control over data and business critical systems.
A typical hybrid UC model comprises the following components:
A true hybrid model allows IT decision makers to pick and choose the right mix of tools to suit their unique business needs. Smooth integration of this mix is the key to optimising performance and return.
At Damovo, we expand the hybrid definition to the ‘Hybrid Modern Workplace’ to include on-premise CC and CCaaS, Meeting Rooms and Devices - all backed up by secure data and networking.
From talking to customers and analysts this year, the feedback is that enterprises need the ‘Unified’ in UC to include more integrated tools than just traditional voice and collaboration.
So, the important part first, what does adopting a Hybrid UC model give you?
Like with any transformation, to maximise the benefits there are key challenges that we must plan for first:
We need to simplify the options. First, determining which workloads are best suited for on-premises or cloud models. Second, selecting the right vendor mix to complement your business. Finally, deciding which new technologies to support internally and which make sense to outsource.
Ensuring security in a hybrid environment requires careful planning and implementation. There are now multiple different entry points into your network that require specific actions to secure.
Choosing the right vendor and avoiding vendor lock-in is crucial. Cost savings and the agility of the cloud can easily be lost if you are tied to a vendor that can’t integrate easily with new solutions. Similarly licensing models are only cost effective if they suit the dynamic nature of your business and your different resources’ needs.
Contact Centre integration is becoming a critical component of hybrid UC. Cavell Research this year shows over 92% of service providers have sold a combined solution of UC/UCaaS and CC/CCaaS.
As the ‘Centre’ evaporates from CC with increasingly distributed agents, businesses can gain from the flexibility of UC solutions. Agents can access relevant subject matter experts regardless of location, on the one platform, to help customer response times.
For the CTO, it can mean saving on IT resources, training and hardware maintenance. For the CFO, there is the reduction in the costs associated with managing two separate systems. But again, it must fit into the enterprise strategy to secure the ROI.
A skilled system integrator or channel partner can help organisations overcome the challenges of hybrid UC. Firstly, by consulting and collaborating on the design to ensure the right solution. Then by outsourcing deployment and management of the infrastructure and applications, allowing IT teams to focus on strategic business initiatives. At a minimum they should provide:
Assessing your organisation's specific needs and recommending the best mix of solutions rather than a particular vendor’s technology. With the rapid changes in the market, they should have one eye on futureproofing your environment.
Designing and implementing a robust, secure, hybrid UC solution with the flexibility to integrate further tools in the future.
Smoothly migrating from legacy systems to a new hybrid environment. Ensuring certain workloads keep critical functionality while also helping end users adapt to any feature and access changes within the cloud.
Often when considering a hybrid transformation, IT leaders fear the added complexity of securing new channels adds excess risk and costs. A partner should be able to assess your business, simplify your options, and ensure you are neither under-secured, nor over-secured and overpaying.
Support and maintenance is important but also continuous infrastructure assessments and optimisation. With subscription also comes the risk of spiralling costs and it’s vital that licensing and usage are monitored too.
In conclusion, hybrid UC is the future of enterprise communications. Customers want it and the vendors are tailoring their solutions accordingly.
For IT Leaders and CXOs it’s no longer an On-premise vs Cloud decision. In increasing cases a hybrid model is the most cost efficient and flexible model, and the vendor market and the latest technology is evolving to match.
While the vast array of technology and vendor options can seem overwhelming at first, it is providing greater flexibility for decision makers. You just need to allow your team to take the time to design the optimal UC mix of models and technologies.
By working with a trusted partner and understanding the key components, challenges, and benefits, organisations can leverage this powerful technology to drive business growth and improve employee productivity.
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