Unified Communications & UCaaS Round Table 2021

In recent history, the pandemic has been the single most civilisation-shaping event for populations across the globe, and inevitably, it has changed communication forever. UC Today hosted a roundtable where industry experts shared their views on the biggest changes from last year. In addition to remote communication, there was also the need for channel integration, UX transformation, and a surprising resurgence of audio. 

Hamilton-Martin from Enreach spoke about two aspects of the pandemic response – quick fixes and long-term implications. While the initial wave of digital transformation aimed at low-hanging fruits, the later stages were about integrations, consolidation, and expansion, which resulted in new opportunities for UC providers.  

“Many businesses had to pivot to online, not just for staff, but for customer-facing services too. Physical engagement has been narrowed down to the size of a screen. Initially, the focus was on just making sure that remote digital communications and collaboration were possible, so businesses turned to ‘quick fixes,’ often using consumer-grade tools and services. Those helped businesses overcome an emergency situation,” Hamilton-Martin said. 

“But the long-term limitations soon became clear,” he added. 

As 2020 progressed, three trends emerged:  

1. “There was an upswell of interest in unified communications, as businesses sought to overcome siloed collaboration, communication, and productivity solutions”  
2. “Buyers also began to look at ways in which to enrich the user experience, both internally and externally, to help ensure uniform quality regardless of whether someone is working from home or in the office”  
3. “Finally, they embraced mobile communications as an essential part of remote and hybrid working models”   

Already, in 2020, the industry was starting to move out of the reactive mode, and this is a trend that will continue to play out this year.  

Read the full article on UC Today.