Weighing Up Microsoft, Zoom, and Webex 

Execs from Evolve IP and AudioCodes offer advice to partners

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Published: May 16, 2022

James Stephen

Technology Journalist

Work with Microsoft, Zoom, and Webex and not against them is some key advice offered to partners comparing their options in this exclusive UC Partner Summit discussion.

In a conversation with executives from Evolve IP and AudioCodes, the three communications platforms are compared to one another to uncover their relative strengths and weaknesses. 

The initial debate focussed on the possibilities these platforms could offer partners.

Scott Rixon, Technical Account Director at Evolve IP, said: For us at Evolve IP, most of the challenges are similar to what they have always been in understanding the customer requirements and then working out what the best technology is to apply to them. 

“At Evolve IP, we have Microsoft Teams and Webex offerings. We launched Webex 12 months ago now in the UK. 

“The advantages with Webex for our customers are huge. Certainly having that balance and understanding of what is best for the client, why Microsoft Teams might be better, and why Webex might be better as the trusted advisor to really help people through this wave.

“It is going to be harder and harder for the proprietaries to survive as they are going to have to fight more with the big powerhouses. 

“When you’re able to complement those applications and those big organisations, then you’re just going to get benefits from it.” 

The pair spoke not only about the direct benefits of using Teams, Zoom, and Webex but also their advantages through the lens of their own company offerings. 

Jasper Maters, a regional sales director at Audiocodes spoke about the number of minutes available on a Microsoft Teams package is a big plus about using its platform. He observed that there is big market for Teams in Benelux, the Nordics, and the UK. 

He believes it is AudioCodes’ operating business, however, which is adding so much revenue for partners. 

Jasper Maters, Regional Sales Director, Benelux & Nordics at Audiocodes, also spoke about what his company are looking for in a partner: “What we as a family are looking for are partners who are trusted advisors to their end customers. 

“Another important factor is moving the business on and finding value to add on top of [Microsoft, Zoom, Webex]. There is plenty of space for innovation and value to add to all these applications. 

“The major threat is doing nothing, being stagnant and not moving the business along. 

“The base of innovation and the base of market development is only doing one thing: it is accelerating. 

“If you are sticking to your guns and thinking about things you are not sure of, you are moving too slowly.” 

Rixon made no bones about being an advocate for Webex’s platform. He said 650 million calls are being via Webex, which is higher than Microsoft Teams’ figures 

Although Teams is more popular than Webex as it has a greater desktop ‘landgrab’, Rixon tells us that the big enterprise players are still using Webex. 

He goes on to say that Microsoft’s road map is not very mature, and it does not focus much on the calling aspect of its platform. 

Microsoft has an excellent advertising and branding campaign but, Rixon believes, many companies do not want to buy in to the total license coverage with Teams. 

For those companies with workers who will need to use calling services, companies may have to pay for a further package to support them. 

In spite of this, Rixon says ultimately when they are speaking to customers who want to upgrade from their legacy systems, they will talk through both Microsoft’s and Webex’s value propositions. 

Some AudioCodes partners will also be providing Microsoft’s services which makes it gives a share of ownership and profits from its success. 

Matthew Holloway, VP of UCC Strategy at Audiocodes spoke about voice in the hybrid paradox at the UC Partner Summit 2022. 

Evolve IP also spoke about powering partners at the UC Partner Summit. 

 

 

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