Most tech-aware consumers communicate through multiple electronic modes, and business users are similarly finding that the different media have their advantages. But integration and management remain issues, which is why a recent report shows that solutions for unified communications (UC) are quickly gaining popularity among businesses in North America.
The report, released by market research firm Infonetics Research, found that a “stunning” 96 percent of surveyed companies plan to “eventually integrate the various modes into a single unified user experience.” The study added that, although the unified-communications term has been abused by some vendors, “unifying disparate modes of communication has strong appeal because it ultimately simplifies the lives of users and increases their productivity.”
The ‘Rising Stars’
The report, written by analyst Matthias Machowinski, points to video, short messaging, and social networking as the “rising stars” in the UC market. The study said the key reasons for companies to move to a UC platform are to improve productivity, reduce operational costs, and satisfy requests by executives for integrated solutions.
The study found that delivery is frequently through a desktop computer, but, as in all computing, that is rapidly migrating to smaller and more portable devices, such as laptops, tablets or smartphones.
Among the medium and large companies in North America that were surveyed, Cisco Systems (CSCO) is the leading IP telephony provider, and Microsoft (MSFT) reigns as the leading e-mail and IM provider, with Google close at Microsoft’s heels.
Survey Details
Infonetics Research interviewed purchase decision-makers at more than 100 U.S. and Canadian companies with at least 100 employees that use multiple types of communication, including IP telephony/VoIP, e-mail, and instant messaging (IM).
The medium and large enterprises were asked by Infonetics about their UC technology deployment models, expenditures, service provider selection criteria, reasons for and against UC deployments, vendors and service providers used, and which vendors…