Companies are constantly looking for more flexibility in their technology investments. If 2020 proved anything, it’s that no-one can afford to be tied down to a single vendor or solution. Organisations need to be able to shift with the changing needs of their marketplace, and customers.
Today’s businesses can use the cloud to expand their unified communications functionality through UCaaS. Unified Communications as a Service offers a customisable and scalable solution for communication technology on the cloud. However, the ideal UCaaS solution is often made up of various critical modules, from video conferencing tools, to call recording.
So, when shopping for UCaaS, should you be searching for a single vendor that can check every box on your list? Or is it better to mix and match your functionality, using open platforms and integrations to build something from best-in-class technology?
Here’s your guide to going multi-vendor or full-stack with your UCaaS investment.
Understanding Multi-Vendor and Full-Stack Options
There are various amazing vendors available in the UCaaS landscape today. However, while all companies tend to offer the same basic features, there are differences in the overall experience they can provide. Zoom may be your preferred choice for video conferencing, while you prefer to use Microsoft for productivity, and Cisco for calls.
The UCaaS market is currently in a state of incredible growth, with new competitors appearing all the time. There are vendors like RingCentral and Avaya which can offer full-stack solutions for businesses of all sizes. However, Microsoft and Zoom are also taking strides in UCaaS too.
The decision of whether to go “full stack” or not depends on the business in question. One company with Cisco in its contact centre might want to use Cisco everywhere else as well. Another company might prefer to combine Cisco with other vendors.
When to Go Multi-Vendor
Though there are vendors who can offer the whole stack in the UC space, the multi-vendor approach means that you don’t have to compromise on functionality. You can select the best product from a range of providers instead. Multi-stack is perfect for the company who doesn’t want a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s much easier to find the perfect video solution, or the ideal call recording technology if you’re not restricted to a specific provider.
There are products out there that stand out as best-in-class solutions for their fields. IT leaders who want the best for their teams can test these solutions and mix and match components to find the functionality that’s right for them. A multi-vendor mix also means that you can get competitive price options from different solution providers. You can also ensure that you’re investing in the tools that are most likely to earn adoption from your teams.
As your business evolves, you’ll even be free to add further modules and components into your UCaaS stack, based on the needs of your employees and customers. You don’t have to wait for a full-stack solution provider to eventually offer the same tools that you can get elsewhere. This gives you more freedom to grow at your own pace. You can even create a hybrid landscape where you have some of your technology in the cloud, and some still hosted on-premises.
For companies that have a lot of specific requirements, multi-vendor may be the perfect approach to getting the right functionality.
