As we push further into 2017, many companies are asking themselves what the future of UCaaS is really going to look like. For many experts, the evidence suggests that we will continue to focus on crucial features like simplified management, user experience, and lower TCO to spur integration around a single platform for cloud performance.
Following several years, it seems that we have finally reached a point wherein everyone is starting to agree on the definition of UCaaS from a functional perspective. In other words, we believe that UCaaS represents a combination of team messaging solutions, voice services, and video collaboration issued through a single cloud platform. Now, providers are looking for ways to align their existing portfolio with that new definition, meaning that we should see consolidation in the industry becoming stronger during 2017.
The Drivers of Consolidation
The driving force behind this consolidation is a two-fold issue. First, providers in the UCaaS space will be looking to improve the experience of users through the use of video calling, group messaging, and video-based collaboration which can be accessed through a single software client. Having access to one client that covers a range of interaction options that typically requires a host of different clients should reduce the friction of moving between different communication channels. For instance, a user might start collaborating with their colleagues through the exchange of messages, then use the same app to move to a video call as the interaction generates depth.
Secondly, finding a consolidated UCaaS platform can reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) and complexity involved with organising IT. From moving from a range of on premise solutions to single cloud-based options, IT can drive cost efficiency and agility throughout their organisations.
Where will we go from here?
In the world of consolidation, it seems that the contact centre will continue to be a logical link for most UCaaS providers. After all, as enterprises initiate UCaaS deployments in an attempt to get rid of old on premise PBX, they'll also need to figure out how they're going to manage contact centre agents that are being served from the same PBX. Some UCaaS suppliers will also include native CCaaS on their platforms, while others link up with pure-play vendors.
