Choosing the Right Endpoint Vendor in 2022

Exploring Endpoint Vendor Options in 2022

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Choosing the Right Endpoint Vendor in 2022
Meeting Rooms and DevicesInsights

Published: June 20, 2022

Rebekah Carter - Writer

Rebekah Carter

Today’s communication stack is evolving drastically for the average business. The world has moved beyond basic desk phones and PSTN connections into a world powered by the cloud, omnichannel communications, and ever-more intelligent devices. 

As a result, business leaders have much more to consider when making their technology purchasing decisions in the modern world. Not only do you need to make sure you’re choosing the right flexible, scalable, and feature-rich software for your team, but you also need to consider the endpoints required to empower your transforming workforce. 

The good news for today’s business leaders is that there is no shortage of fantastic endpoint vendors on the market, offering room kits, plug-and-play video bars, headphones, and speakerphones for the contemporary team. However, with so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to figure out which vendor is right for you. 

Here’s your guide to finding the right endpoint vendor in 2022. 

Step 1: Consider Your Workforce

The first step in any successful endpoint investment in 2022 isn’t checking your budget – it’s making sure you know the needs of your team. Increasingly, over the last couple of years, companies have discovered just how important it is to empower their employees with the best possible experiences. 

If your team members don’t have the tools they need to communicate effectively, they can’t deliver the results your business needs. Today’s modern workforce is made up of a host of different “employee personas” – staff members with different working styles, requirements, and specific demands when it comes to hardware and software. 

Making a list of the kind of team members you need to equip, from your off-site video conferencing remote workers to your in-house executives, will help you to determine what kind of endpoints are most crucial to your team. If you’re not sure exactly what your team members need from their endpoints, reaching out to different people from across the workplace and asking for feedback could be an excellent first step. 

Step 2: Look at your Deployment Options

Once you’ve considered the needs of your workforce, you should have a relatively strong list covering all of the crucial endpoints you’ll need to invest in going forward. This list could include everything from headphones and microphones to touch-screen surfaces, digital whiteboards, and sensors for your COVID-safe meeting rooms. 

The next step is figuring out where you want to go to access all of these tools. There are a few different options available here. You can consider a best-of-breed approach, where you shop around with different vendors for a range of options, mixing and matching tools from Poly, AudioCodes, Jabra, and various other big names. 

Alternatively, you can start by looking at your software, and work from there. For instance, if you’re already using a Microsoft Teams ecosystem for communication and collaboration, you can access the endpoints you need through the Microsoft Teams partner network. This can give you a wider selection of potential tools to choose from, which are all guaranteed to work with the right software. 

Once you’ve chosen which approach, you’re going to take with your vendor, don’t forget to consider your deployment options. Are you going to be buying all of the hardware you need outright, or purchasing products on a subscription basis, with solutions like “Rooms as a Service?”

Step 3: Consider Budget and Existing Investments

Although budget can’t be the only thing you consider in today’s endpoint purchasing strategy, it’s still an important consideration for most companies. You might not be able to purchase executive-level video bars for every team member you have working from home. However, you should ensure every team member has the quality of tools they need to feel included in any meeting.

Look for a vendor offering a wide range of products for different budget requirements and user demands. This will ensure you can find something that suits your needs financially while giving your team members more freedom too. Remember, allowing your employees more options to personalise their endpoints, with specific choices of whether they want to use speakerphones or microphones, or headsets or speakers can help to boost engagement and productivity. 

When looking at your options, don’t forget to think about your existing investments too. If you already have a strong investment in certain tools you don’t want to rip and replace, you’ll need to ensure the new endpoints you bring on board will work with what you already have.

Step 4: Look for Innovation and Support

Finally, when looking for an endpoint vendor in the new age of work, it’s important not to forget the essentials. You still need a supportive vendor who can offer the guidance you need to get your new technology up and running as quickly as possible. The right vendor will be able to help you plan which tools you need for the perfect room kits and hybrid working strategies. They’ll also be on hand to answer questions and deliver replacements for your tools when necessary. 

A good thing to keep in mind when looking for a vendor right now is innovation. As companies continue to evolve in the post-pandemic world, and new modes of collaboration and communication emerge, it’s good to know you’re working with a vendor with an eye on the future. You might want to consider investing in tools with an innovator in the AI landscape, who can help to enhance your meetings through things like autofocus and noise reduction.

Alternatively, if you want to really stay on the cutting edge of the endpoint market, you might consider investing in tools which come with access to IoT internet connections, 5G, or even the XR environment. Who knows? Meetings in five years’ time could be taking place in the metaverse. 

 

 

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