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.
A great deal of consolidation took place within the CCaaS space this year, and this is expected to continue in 2017 as the pressure continues to mount within the market. Consolidation seems to be a sign that the market recognises that CCaaS will either need to combine with UCaaS or consolidate with the workforce management platforms available.
Consolidation may also come in the form of wildcards too. For instance, CRM integration may play a part. Many, if not all CCaaS and UCaaS providers have already established integrations with CRM platforms through vendors such as Zen desk and Salesforce. Up until now, CRM vendors have attempted to stay neutral in the face of CCaaS and UCaaS, offering APIs to companies that want to integrate with their platforms. However, these vendors could change up their strategies and look into end-user communications instead.
Another option could come from the enterprise social side, as much of the activity in enterprise communications these days comes from what happens first on the consumer side. Social network enterprise providers could find a lot of value in consolidating with UCaaS to create better workflow automation.
UC Today Opinion
Regardless of what happens this year in UCaaS, it’s horizontal nature means that lots of different consolidations are possible – we can only wait and see which combinations turn out to be the most effective.
