To simplify processes, we often have to leverage complexity.
It’s a dichotomy that is ever-present as technology relentlessly transforms the way we do business.
Happily, for the end user, the complexity is mostly confined to the backend of whatever new solution, platform or application enters the fray.
But, in every enterprise, there is an IT team that must grapple with the heavy-lifting.
Of course, it is a struggle well worth the effort.
Simplifying technological processes at scale can save serious amounts of time and money.
Add in improved user experience and it’s easy to see why simplification is second only to functionality on the must-have lists of the world’s smarter strategists.
However, at number three sits a relatively new kid on the block which is fast-becoming just as influential: automation.
For when you automate the complex, things really do get very simple indeed.
“There are several factors that are affecting levels of unified communications complexity – the multiplicity of available solutions, the moving from legacy to new and, of course, the working from wherever for the last two years,” says Pascal Moindrot, Chief Operating Officer at Kurmi, which is dedicated to the provisioning and administration of enterprise UCC tools and which is perfectly-placed to advise and guide.
“There is a trend to invest more in new management tools. However, the UC social vendors are primarily focusing on the end user experience; making it simple to use an application and therefore increase adoption.
“But we are really focusing on improving the administrator experience, so that they can efficiently manage those enterprise communication solutions in the context of that increasing complexity.
“The objective is to automate and therefore simplify day-to-day administration in ways which justify investment in, for example, the consolidation of UC management into a service desk.
“That kind of decision can then enable a UC team to spend more time on strategic projects capable of delivering further value.”
It is a trend confirmed by global research giant Metrigy – commissioned by Kurmi to survey almost 500 organisations on their existing UC and UCaaS capabilities, and their plans for the new hybrid age.
It found that, out of those employees with a choice, around 35% want to remain working from home, around 41% want to return to the office, and around 24% want the ability to move around.
“That means enterprise organisations have got people working in lots of different locations, who might have lots of different devices, and who are working with lots of different applications,” says Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst at Metrigy.
“Those enterprises need to take advantage of automation to ensure that when they need to provision that type of employee, they can do it as simply and easily as possible and optimize the operations of its IT staff.”
When you consider the increasing unification of business communications, it’s easy to see why that’s the case.
Cloud-based hosted telephony.
Third-party CRM integrations.
Multiple devices, webcams, screens, speakers and headsets.
Messaging and collaboration applications.
And all joined-up and accessible from any device; anytime, anywhere.
“Just one small example is that 42% of companies we surveyed are using more than one meeting application,” says Lazar.
“Enterprises have to ask themselves how do I provision endpoints? How do I provision phones? How do I provision video room systems? How do I provision user accounts with the proper permissions and the proper access controls and so on?”
“It has become a much more complicated environment than it was.”
Against that backdrop, Kurmi’s ‘zero-touch’ software is a game-changer.
Its solutions simplify and reduce the costs of provisioning telephony, video conferencing, messaging and collaborative apps.
Metrigy’s survey found that those enterprises who had invested were seeing an overall reduction in provisioning time of an impressive 33%.
“The increases in complexity – and the need to be proactive in managing them – has elevated these issues to the executive agenda,” says Moindrot.
“What used to be mundane, undercover administration is now an essential element in IT governance and enterprise performance.
“It’s no longer just the UC engineer who is looking for a solution. It’s now the head of IT infrastructure or the CIO who needs a management and administration console to support coercion, policy management, employee experience, and IT productivity.
“Many are struggling and looking for a tool to help them.”
Put simply, THAT sounds like an opportunity…
To learn more about how Kurmi can help simplify the complex AND drive efficiency and growth, visit https://content.kurmi-software.com/metrigy-issuepaper-achieving-hybrid-work-success-now
