Avaya, a leading company in the world of technology and communications, are now moving further into the cloud revolution with the release of their communications platform. Announced on March 9th, 2016, Avaya “Zang” is an innovative cloud-communications solution that not only makes collaboration easier, but also gives developers the opportunity to create their own applications.
For Avaya, the idea was to create a collaboration solution that makes it easier for businesses to use communications to connect with employees and customers. Zang not only represents a new cloud-based platform, but it also makes it easier for companies to create the apps that can be embedded into the platform or other applications.
Now that 79% of IT teams are currently developing apps for partners and customers, we’re going to take a look at the 100% cloud-based offering by Avaya, which claims to have the ability to change the market with innovative drag-and-drop tools, robust APIs and pre-built applications. Remember, the opinions expressed in this review belong to the reviewer alone. UC Today does not sell Avaya products, and we invite you to share your opinions with us in the comments below!
Avaya Zang is 100% Cloud-Based
As various industries move more aggressively towards the cloud, it makes sense that Avaya would want to take advantage of the latest innovations in the communications sphere. With their new messaging and app development solution, Avaya not only unveiled Zang, but set it apart as a brand new standalone business.
Because it’s cloud-based, Zang can integrate with existing business setups, which makes it easier to change and adapt quickly, and it includes:
- Zang Cloud: A system that makes it possible to create custom apps, enable international calls, and add SMS functionality to various apps.
- Zang Office: A cloud-based phone service
- Zang Spaces: The Zang meeting room that includes messaging, video and audio calling, file sharing and conferencing.
Choose your Own Deployment
The Avaya Zang premise is multi-faceted. At its centre, it comes with pre-built tools and applications that permit users to enable digital communication. These solutions can integrate seamlessly with third-party software packages including Salesforce, or Google Hangouts. Signing up to Zang is free, and you can choose the deployment that works best for you – either completely in the cloud, installed on your premises, or a hybrid of both.
Small businesses can choose the perfect all-inclusive service for their company, based on the correct combination of features and budget. Avaya licenses can scale up or down based on growth patterns.
Add-Ons and Applications
Perhaps one of the most unique features of Avaya Zang is that it’s not “just” a communications and messaging platform. It also includes cloud services that make creating integrations and add-ons much easier. Hundreds of Zang-developed applications are now in use since the official launch in March 2016, and third-party developers are still creating new and improved solutions for small businesses and enterprises alike.
Since their launch, Avaya Zang has seen a range of creative services and applications emerge on the Zang platform, and the number continues to grow thanks to the fact that Zang is available on a global level. Some of the applications and add-ons that have been introduced include:
- Mobile Rescue by Fonolo
- Vital Link by Mutare
- OwnerListens
- WhoApp and VoiceRecorder by TelTech
What We Like About Avaya Zang
As we mentioned above, Zang is a world apart from other messaging solutions, simply because it provides a range of opportunities for developers to create their own apps and integrations. In other words, businesses can define exactly how they want to connect and work together.
Zang is effective because it offers quick and easy “click-to-connect” communication features, involving chat, video, voice, SMS, and document sharing. What’s more, unlike other solutions today that provide rudimentary APIs, Zang offers a highly interoperable platform with complete workflow automation and sophisticated application capabilities. This simply means that end-users and developers can use their Zang apps with various other communication solutions like Skype for Business, Cisco Webex Teams, and Google Hangouts!
Some of the main benefits of Zang are:
- The ability to combine a CPaaS solution with quick app development for highly customisable experiences.
- Zang apps work standalone, or can be embedded into a host of other applications.
- Applications like Zang’s team collaboration solution can scale from a few, to a few thousand users, with secure and simple access from desktop and mobile
- Zang comes equipped with sample apps, simple SDKs, and the ability to access other third-party communication apps
- Zang connects popular collaboration tools like Hangouts with business opportunities like SAP or Salesforce.com.
What Could be Improved?
Right now, perhaps the biggest issue facing Avaya and Zang is the fact that there’s a great deal of uncertainty in the market surrounding Avaya’s future. Following their application for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it may be that some businesses feel uncomfortable switching their communications solutions over to Zang – despite the fact that it’s marketed as a standalone company.
Who is Avaya Zang For?
Though Avaya and Zang largely market their solutions towards smaller businesses, the versatility of this communications solution mean that it could be ideal for anything from small companies to larger enterprises. Today, the Zang platform is available in dozens of countries around the world, and can be accessed by millions of new organisations with an aim to simplify their business collaboration processes.
What is it Compatible with?
Zang is a virtual, cloud-based service, which means that it’s accessible anywhere, any time, on any device. Zang also offers a host of ready-to-use applications on a subscription “pay-as-you-go” service. One of the greatest benefits of Zang is that it works perfectly alongside some of the most popular collaboration solutions on the market, including Google Hangouts, Salesforce, Slack, Zendesk and more.
Unlike other communications solutions where you might need to pick and choose services from a range of different providers, Zang offers a solution that’s more like a set of building blocks – giving companies the chance to outline and design the specific configuration they want. You can get results either through an existing pre-built model, or put together the pieces that you like from IVR, video, conferencing, IM, voice, and other solutions.
UC Today’s Opinion
Avaya Zang is a solution for business and team communication, but it’s more than that too, which is what we think makes it so special. With Zang, you can design the communications platform that you’ve been looking for, rather than having to stick to a set layout.
The services provided by Zang are easy to use and innovative, and they’re available for companies from a range of different backgrounds. From small businesses that need to simplify communication on an inter-office level, to large companies that need to facilitate collaboration on a global scale, there’s something for everyone.
Have you used Avaya Zang services? We’d like to hear more about what you think about this collaboration solution, so please feel free to share your comments and thoughts with us below. Why not share this review with your friends and colleagues on social media too, and invite them to join the conversation!
