The past few months have put nearly every business to the test, with stay-at-home orders in place across the globe. For millions of companies, it meant an almost instant transition to teleworking, which created an opportunity for UCaaS providers to show off many of the benefits of cloud-based communications. Many of them responded quickly with free offers to help companies quickly bring workers online from their homes.
No doubt, it has been a good branding opportunity for providers, as well as a global case study on cloud communications. But, now that governments are loosening restrictions and starting to allow businesses back into their buildings, what does that mean for these providers?
The general consensus is we may never return quite to pre-coronavirus conditions when it comes to distancing and health management, and many companies have already announced extended or even permanent teleworking strategies, having seen firsthand how the productivity levels during this crisis.
That, of course, is a business opportunity. UCaaS providers that have seen an increase in adoption – especially from companies taking advantage of free offers during the pandemic – have an immediate prospect pipeline.
But, while the COVID-19 pandemic created an immediate need, the question is, how do all those businesses move forward? As offices start re-opening, will businesses go back to their previous communications solutions? Will they continue using the cloud-based services that have supported their workforces for two months? Will they shop around for an alternative solution that will give them exactly what they need and the most value for their budget dollars? There’s also a large group of companies that struggled – many simply use call forwarding to cell phones, but lacked any cohesive communications platform. They, too, should be in the market for a new solution, especially with experts projecting a second wave of the virus.
UCaaS providers have been given an opportunity. The question is, how can they take advantage of it, especially as businesses remain concerned about their revenue streams going forward. What should their business strategies and models be for the rest of 2020 and into 2021, as we all try to define and understand the “new normal”?
The fact is, while COVID-19 opened the door, they need to be able to capitalize on it, and that includes making the case for a broader value proposition, including highlighting the many additional capabilities and benefits of their service portfolios.
I’m moderating a webinar – A Survival Guide: New 2020 Strategies for Unified Communications (News - Alert) & VoIP Providers – featuring Tricia McConnell and Travis Hinton from Bandwidth, during which they will be tackling this question, and helping UC and VoIP providers understand how they can continue to build their businesses, even as so much uncertainty still surrounds us. Some of the topics they are planning on covering during this one-hour session include:
- How to safeguard your UC business going forward
- Tips for improving operational efficiencies and preserving cash flow with voice and 911
- Considerations for maintaining business continuity at both a network and business level
- How to leverage new offerings like International Long Distance or Direct Routing for Microsoft (News - Alert) Teams
- What the most successful companies are doing right now to stay relevant and competitive
COVID-19 created an immediate need. What providers do with that rapid demand growth to create permanent revenue streams is up to them.
Register for the webinar to understand some of the proven best practices for engaging customers and prospects and growing revenues. Millions of businesses are still uncertain – this is your chance to become their expert advisor.
Edited by
Erik Linask
