Preferences in the working world are more diverse today than they’ve ever been. Flexible working solutions are growing, with predictions that three-quarters of the US will be using mobile devices by 2020. According to IDG Research, enterprises are already spending on average $8.1 million UC&C products and services.
At the same time, business leaders have increasingly progressive expectations, requiring integration with new technologies and capabilities, from AI to IoT, and cloud services. Alongside this trend, CIOs are looking for closer partnerships with other organisations in their ecosystem, and need to develop ways to support more borderless teams.
Breaking through Workplace Borders
As the mobility and shared workforces become more common in cross-enterprise collaboration, the ability to offer a searchable archive of files and message is becoming crucial for business. Additionally, companies need new ways of integrating with third-party applications and advanced collaboration solutions. Often, legacy communication services lack the versatility required for modern business goals.
The good news is that evolution is possible when we start to use communication platforms that expand UC&C capabilities. Solutions in open-architecture make it easier to integrate new solutions into collaboration tools, providing better user connections and real-time information.
Additionally, contextual awareness can bring new solutions to the conversation. For instance, a connected platform could integrate with hospital equipment to help manage critical communication in real-time.
Because /unified-communications/cpaas solutions are cloud-based, developers can add real-time features like video, voice, and messaging within their own applications, without the need to develop backend interfaces and infrastructure. An open-API CPaaS will integrate with third-party and in-house apps to provide a separate and more secure environment.
The Next Generation of Security
Using CPaaS APIs will also allow developers to transform and move their connections into standalone infrastructures. This will offer a secure and simple method for bringing collaborative and communication services to processes and systems inside and outside of company borders. This will open the door for new collaborative models based on innovations like AI, and IoT.
The open APIs that exist behind the Rainbow ALE (Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise) platform, for instance, will allow teams to enjoy active notification services, which utilises devices for security, operational equipment, and fire-safety alarms into a single connected platform. These features help to avoid production downtimes, secure buildings and even save lives.
As workforces become more borderless, it’s crucial to maintain security issues and ensure policies at the application, transport, and OS layers, as well as the user level. It’s also crucial to manage company confidentiality too. There should be a “second pair of eyes” available to keep platforms secure, and CPaaS solutions should always be under scrutiny through third-party software.
Apps for Enterprise and Consumers
As we move further into the future, more vendors are beginning to move away from propriety offerings by using open APIs to make it possible for IT teams to develop more apps and integrate those apps into their communication infrastructure. While CIOs focus on digital transformation, CPaaS platforms based on hybrid clouds can be the catalyst for driving growth for businesses.
According to information from Salesforce, currently, 79% of enterprise teams are involved in the development of apps for customers, employees, and partners. Video calling, instant messaging, and conferencing can all be added to those apps to develop better collaboration and connection in the enterprise.
Thanks to open APIs, we’re finally on our way towards a more connected enterprise, with platforms capable of linking systems, processes, and workforces, with real-time collaboration and exhaustive information across the organisation.
