IP Communications Featured Articles

Communication and collaboration are two necessities in the enterprise world, which is why it comes as no surprise that new forecasts have the Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) market set to experience some robust growth in the coming years.

Wainhouse (News - Alert) Research released a new study this week projecting market value to be over $5 billion by 2018. The primary area of growth will be from mid-to-large enterprises, and it is expected to spurn a CAGR of 24 percent.

The research firm outlines topics like why change has occurred and what changes are occurring in the market; UCaaS market penetration; enterprise behavior; Implications on infrastructure, cost models, teams and skill sets; as well as segmentation of SMBs and large enterprise opportunity.

If growth is to occur the way it is expected then a lot of enterprises out there will be sorting through the endless list of providers out there to find the perfect partner.

When it comes to Unified and IP communications I look to a leader in the space for my queues. David Byrd (News - Alert), CMO ANPI, in his blog ‘Byrd’s Eye View’ outlines several factors to consider when selecting a service provider for your enterprise.

In no particular order, his advice is as follows:

• Understand the company with whom you are partnering: Take an in-depth look at who the company is, who they serve and who their partners are to ensure they align with your beliefs and direction.
• Learn about the product and its acceptance in the market: Do your research. Just because a product receives shining reviews does not mean it will address your needs as a business.
• Understand their definition and role of a partner, and determine if it fits with your business strategy: To put simply, ensure that your partner will provide support so you can be out there building your business, not dragged down by post sales queries.
• Compare training programs to ensure they provide the knowledge necessary to be successful: Be aware of the type of training being offered and its availability, if it does not work with your business then this may be the wrong partner. It is vital that training programs are offered when availability exists, and you choose the best training option (s) for team members.
• Ask about customer satisfaction levels: The customer experience is more important today than ever, look and see how your perspective partner values this proposition. If they don’t place the same level of priority on the customer then they probably are not the best fit.
• Selling has always been a contact sport but, these days, it is even more difficult: Know what services you are purchasing that aid in the sales process, and be aware of what mechanisms in place will drive demand and support lead gen. As Byrd puts it, “To win today, the sales enablement tools must be plentiful and well developed.”
• The commission plan should be your last consideration: The terms of your relationship with your partner a necessity to be aware of—read, understand and negotiate your contract. Be aware of the various factors that can either inhibit or spur success.

It is not easy to find the best fit, but when discovered the added value it offers is nearly incalculable. I can however say this, ANPI has been a leader in the space for some time, and the ANPI Premiere Partner Program is known to produce results. Only time will tell if the market lives up to the hype, but one thing for certain is that leaders in the space like ANPI will be there to connect, innovate and shape the market for years to come.