Resilience and agility are key factors for communication systems, according to a Mitel study, which found that 92 per cent of midmarket and enterprise firms are prioritising hybrid communications models.
"The findings from the report confirm these challenges and show a desire from IT teams and business leaders to modernise and focus on hybrid communications systems to connect priorities,"
Luiz Domingos, Chief Technology Officer at Mitel, said.
The survey, conducted by analyst research firm Techaisle with a pool of around 2,000 midmarket and enterprise firms across the US, UK, Germany, and France, points to a pivotal shift in communications strategies.
How Hybrid Helps
With digital transformation racing ahead, many organisations are looking to upload their communication services to the cloud.
However, with a growth in cyber attacks, outages and regulations to contend with, companies want to be able to rely on their communication solutions to ensure mission-critical applications remain online.
"Today's complex digital landscape presents organisations with many challenges, from security and regulatory compliance to evolving customer expectations and the complexities of hybrid work,"
Anurag Agrawal, Chief Global Analyst at Techaisle, said.
This survey highlights that enterprises are, as a result, investing in the infrastructure to support hybrid models.
Hybrid communication models combine new and existing on-premises with private and public cloud platforms.
This enables improved efficiency, control, resilience, compliance, and an AI-enabled user experience, which allow organisations to seamlessly integrate multiple tools and deployment models and provide a consistent front-end experience for users and customers.
In fact, 53 per cent of businesses see hybrid deployments as a way to stay agile in a rapidly evolving business landscape.
One of the major benefits of hybrid communications is the ability to leverage existing technology investments while incorporating new innovations.
Nearly half (45 per cent) of respondents indicated that maximising their current infrastructure is a priority, reducing the need for costly overhauls.
This allows companies to integrate AI-powered tools to enhance efficiency and improve customer experiences without sacrificing control over their data, crucial in an age of regulation.
"A strong foundation for hybrid communications is crucial for realising the full potential of modern, flexible, and AI-driven technologies," Agrawal said.
The report highlighted how manufacturing (59 per cent) and hospitality (59 per cent) are the leading industries looking to invest in AI-powered solutions to extend communications and collaboration capabilities, both from the cloud and through the power of Edge computing.
In fact, of those surveyed, 53 per cent said they prioritise AI-powered capabilities in a UC provider.
With Microsoft's UC suite having Copilot built in, introducing elements of AI into an organisation through its communication capabilities becomes low-hanging fruit for many enterprises.
