The market for UC is expected to reach a value of $143.5 billion by the end of 2024, so it's no surprise that giants like Cisco, Microsoft, and Google are staking their claim. Each brand has taken steps to capture as much of the market as possible, by delivering a distinct collection of services, while each focus on boosting interoperability. Google retooled Hangouts for enterprises, while Microsoft made Skype for Business more accessible.
While each of the biggest three vendors offer similar road maps, there are some areas in which the companies differ. It's these areas that companies need to focus on most when choosing their UC provider.
Encouraging Adoption Through Familiarity
When implementing a UC platform, success is often measured on employee adoption. That means that it's crucial for organisations to pick solutions based on what their customers are comfortable with.
Cisco: As a tool for enterprises, Spark's presence in the consumer market could lead to problems with organisational adoption. Lack of recognition leads to a higher learning curve, which means more training to familiarise employees with a new solution.
Microsoft: When Microsoft made the switch from Lync to Skype for Business, it saw higher brand recognition among end-users. This greater recognition reduces problems with training and mitigates adoption resistance.
Google: Given its huge popularity, Hangouts is one of the most recognisable tools on the market, and one of the most widely adopted. However, as Hangouts becomes more focused on enterprises, it could risk losing some of its customer base.
Interoperability Matters
Cisco, Google, and Microsoft all perform differently when aligned with existing systems. Organisations need to consider cross-platform compatibility when choosing their UC solution.
Cisco: Spark is one of the most flexible platforms available today, supporting a wide range of devices, like conference systems and whiteboards, as well as on-premise solutions. Cisco's flexible approach is perfect for industries with specific privacy, security, and e-discovery requirements.
Microsoft: Microsoft struggles with integration beyond its own applications. It's UC capabilities work best within Office 365, and though this obstacle won't impact small to mid-sized businesses much, larger organisations may seek third-party support, and require more versatility.
