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How the Cloud is Changing Enterprise Communications

Enterprise Communications Featured Article

How the Cloud is Changing Enterprise Communications

 
October 16, 2014

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  By Susan J. Campbell,
TMCnet Contributing Editor
 


The tools you use to stay connected to customers and colleagues are important, as they allow you to lay the foundation for collaboration and the perception of your brand. If that perception is not founded in quality, you may not be able to take that brand to the level you want to achieve. Therefore, decisions made around enterprise communications matter more than we may think.


Change is definitely on its way as the cloud and hosted solutions are gaining more attention. Business decision makers are focusing on lower spending and better return on investment, making large upfront capital requirements much less appealing. As such, spending for on-premise solutions in the global market is producing flat growth if not a slight decline.

Audrey William with Frost & Sullivan (News - Alert) suggests that the on-premise market still represents the majority of overall voice revenue within enterprise communications, yet there is a shift toward hosted and cloud-based unified communications (UC). A TechDay post highlighted William’s insight, as well as an IDC (News - Alert) report covering activity in New Zealand up to the end of 2013.

William suggests that cloud computing is driving decisions across how UC will be accessed from a variety of devices across voice, email, video and more. The cloud is also driving those decisions related to storage and computing, looking closely at the way these services will be delivered through infrastructure-as-a-serve (IaaS) platforms. As companies are increasingly shying away from long-term contracts, cloud vendors offer something much more appealing.

The contact center space is showing a gradual shift in demand toward hosted and cloud-based solutions. Customer service as a whole is taking on a whole new approach as users demand self-service through a variety of channels and mobile apps. Companies like Amazon are setting a new standard in what customers should expect when they interact with a company, whether it’s simply browsing or trying to return an item.

Greg Hedges, director of business consulting for Genesys (News - Alert) notes that call volumes in contact centers are actually increasing. Companies are still lacking when it comes to web-based processes and live interactions are needed to close the interaction or the sale. Likewise, call volume is also being driven by mobile applications, with calls coming in within 24 hours before or after web-based transactions are completed.

With so many channels of enterprise communications active at once, it’s critical that companies have a firm hold on the strategy for each, that integration is a priority and that the customer experience is seamless across all interactions. The cloud can make that happen, as long as you know what you need and what your customers demand. When it comes down to the details, the cloud offers the flexibility you need to get it right. 




Edited by Alisen Downey
Enterprise Communications Homepage





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