Microsoft (Teams), Cisco (Webex), and Zoom (Phone) are three of the leading Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) vendors in the North American market. In a recent panel discussion at the Channel Partners Conference and Expo in Las Vegas, the leaders of these companies discussed the challenges and opportunities for channel partners working with their platforms.
One key theme that emerged from the discussion was the importance of market timing and having the right go-to-market model to win the market. According to DP Venkatesh, VP/GM - Digital, SMB and Global Strategic Partners at Cisco, "it's not just about features, it's about market timing." He emphasized the importance of having the right go-to-market model to reach customers and win market share. Cisco has over 200 million seats across its network of providers, and there are hundreds of millions of seats available today for channel partners.
DP Venkatesh also discussed the importance of contact centers to Cisco's Webex division. He predicted that the contact center will bring the next biggest wave of growth for the company and its partners, and that calling and contact center together is a popular buy for Webex customers. The contact center is becoming the experience center, and the market is evolving. Venkatesh emphasized that Cisco needs its partners to build and deliver solutions, and that AI is bringing intelligence to audio, video, and cameras, focusing on business outcomes that drive better experiences.
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Moderators: Elka Popova, Frost & Sullivan, William Rubio, CallTower + Speakers: DP Venkatesh, Cisco, Colby Nish, Zoom, Chris Carabello, Microsoft - 'Why are Microsoft, Zoom and Cisco Winning?' session at Channel Partners Conference and Expo, Las Vegas 2nd May 2023[/caption]
Chris Carabello, Senior Director - Product Marketing at Microsoft, emphasized that hybrid work is driving the market momentum right now. He explained that new modes of working need to be met, as users are hungry for hybrid productivity. Microsoft Teams grew from 14 million users to now 300 million users post-pandemic, and the company is continuing to add features and value with products like Microsoft Copilot. Teams Phone (and Teams Phone Mobile) is a huge area of white space for Microsoft, and cloud voice growth in the enterprise is growing tremendously, a massive area of investment and focus for the company. Operators add a lot of value, specifically consulting with end customers on where their users are and what tech they need to bring it all together. Microsoft sees a lot of opportunity and growth in its first-party and third-party contact center offerings for channel partners.
