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Have you caught the bug created by the concept of a hybrid? It’s a popular buzzword and grabbing attention across industries. Many would use the word to suggest it’s what you should buy, but is it the best thing to solve your need? There may be a hybrid available for your next vehicle, but is it the right choice?

The concept of a hybrid is solid as it gives you the option of having the best of both worlds. The hybrid car, the hybrid flower, the hybrid hosting option – they should be the top of your selection list, right? According to a recent Avanade blog, you may want to dig a little deeper before you make the assumption so that your plan in based on proven technology.

Still, Avanade recently published research that shows that companies throughout the world expect that more than half of their applications and services over the next three years will be a hybrid mix in the cloud. The biggest attraction is that it’s gaining attention in the C-suite due to speed and flexibility in support of strategic initiatives.

This is one of the reasons why companies are paying more attention to VoIP and the hosted softswitch. As growth is often a target, the ability to easily adjust communication technologies is an attractive feature. When you can blend options with current legacy investments, the better the anticipated outcomes and a healthier bottom line.

So powerful is this mix that the hybrid cloud is listed as one of their biggest priorities among companies participating in Avanade research. In fact, 69 percent agree with this statement and 75 percent of C-level executives are calling it a focus area for 2015. The biggest drive behind this focus is the fact that companies are viewing the hybrid cloud as a strategic asset that provides a competitive advantage.

This is especially true for the company trying to embrace mobility and gain greater flexibility in the market at large. The hosted softswitch allows for the launch of mobile solutions that still tie in seamlessly with the corporate infrastructure. As a result, professionals in the field have the same impact, regardless of their location.

A challenge does exist for these companies, however, as most of their internal teams are ill-equipped to launch as they lack the necessary strategy and skills to do so. Less than half of the companies in Avanade’s research have a skilled cloud team, data security and governance or even a dedicated budget.

Still, the hybrid cloud offers promise when the right partners are brought to the table. The hosted softswitch is a great place to start.