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It’s easy to get caught up focusing on software in today’s digitally-transforming communication landscape. However, even the most buzz-worthy trending concepts, like video collaboration tools, have requirements to consider when it comes to hardware.
In the unified communication and collaboration space, your endpoints encompass everything from IP phones to ATA adapters, video cameras, and even conference phones. While the demand for endpoints hasn’t changed, the kind of technology that businesses need to consider is evolving. In a world where 50% of UK employees are set to be working remotely by the end of the year, the old-fashioned desk phone might not be enough.
The good news? Today’s business leaders have the power to empower their employees with everything from all-in-one video room kits, to SIP phones equipped with in-built voice-enabled AI assistants. The future of the endpoint landscape has arrived.
Starting with the Basics: SIP Phones and Headsets
The deskphone isn’t dead; it’s just evolving.
Studies constantly prove that the hardware and deskphone market has remained relatively consistent over the last few years. However, we are seeing a growing demand for cloud-based solutions. Businesses want their employees to have the freedom to access the same routing strategies and numbers regardless of whether they’re using a desk phone, or logging into a UC app on a smartphone.
As the demand for flexible and remote working strategies continues, it’s likely that the design of the SIP phone will continue to change. We’ll see more wireless technology that can keep employees connected on the move, as well as cloud-based systems that come with access to endless state-of-the-art tools, like AI assistants and one-click connections to collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams.
UC headsets that allow employees to not only speak to their clients and customers, but also block out distraction with exceptional noise-cancelling will grow increasingly important. This is particularly true as more employees start working from ad-hoc office environments, cafes, and hot-desking sites.
Modern headsets from some of the leading endpoint vendors in the UC space now come with everything from dedicated collaboration tool connections, to presence features that help employees to side-step unnecessary distractions.
Video Endpoints and Meeting Rooms
The evolution of the communication landscape also means that endpoints aren’t just designed for voice communication anymore. Alongside wireless phones and noise-cancelling headsets, we also see the rise of easily accessible meeting rooms.
Huddle room spaces are growing more common among agile businesses that want to give their employees the option to launch a meeting at any moment. Leading video vendors are beginning to design their own custom huddle room kits, complete with everything a team might need to communicate and work together with their colleagues.
Huddle room kits come with access to things like HD-video with a wide-camera lens so that everyone can get the focus that they need in a meeting. There are conference phones that can easily capture voice and deliver it in HD quality to people across the globe. Some meeting rooms even come with access to collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, so that employees can easily share files and documents in the midst of a meeting.
