The race to the top of the UCaaS market is heating up.
Over the nearly past two years, we have witnessed significant shifts in the field of unified communications, and there are some clear winners that have gained dominant positions in the market.
COVID-19 and the rapid shift to adopt cloud-based UCaaS solutions has been the clear driver of growth for this technology, even as we have been in what is hopefully the worst of the pandemic and are now in the new normal of hybrid working.
Organizations have come to the correct conclusion that there is no going back to the on-prem model, and that their hybrid strategies will have to be dependent on a “remote work first” cloud approach that puts them on a footing where they can quickly pivot if their people suddenly have to go full WFH.
Looking at reporting from the past year, three companies have stayed in the lead, even as they have jostled and traded positions at the top of the list. Surprising nobody, these companies in order are Microsoft, Cisco, and Zoom.
The Leaders of the Pack
With a reported 270 million monthly active Microsoft Teams users last January, Microsoft was easily outpacing the rest of the pack in snatching up much of the market share, knocking Cisco down from its previous leader position from the pre-pandemic era. For their part, Zoom, which became a household name during the lockdowns, is easily in the top three list ahead of other competitors.
According to the Synergy Research Group’s analysis of Q2 data, the market overall has increased by 20%. The same report found that Microsoft and Zoom had a particularly good year, growing their market share by 40% to snatch up more of that growing pie. The introduction of the Zoom phone as a solution for businesses has helped to boost their growth.
But even as their numbers have taken a dip, Cisco is far from out. The company is firmly embedded across industries and has long been a leader in hardware with their handsets and conferencing infrastructure present in every enterprise. In addition, their investment in Webex calling and dedicated instance has helped them maintain a strong position in the enterprise space. Cisco is also branching out to cooperate with other market leaders, recognizing that their customers are mixing and matching between vendors for the right blend of solutions.
Just last month it was announced that Microsoft and Cisco customers in 2023 will be able to natively run Microsoft Teams on Cisco Room and Desk devices certified for Microsoft Teams. Users can even choose to have Microsoft Teams as the default experience. Moreover, according to the reports, Cisco will become a partner in the Certified for Microsoft Teams program for the first time.
What Does this Tell Us About the Market?
While the top three continue to jostle for position, the perspective from the customer side of the equation is a little different. Or maybe more to the point, it is a little less relevant to them who is on top since they are probably using bits and pieces of all three vendors.
Looking at the market, organizations have recognized that they have a diverse set of needs that require a number of different solutions.
We commonly hear about how different departments within the organization have specific preferences for their UCaaS. The C-suite may want to stick with their familiar Cisco on-prem setup and be willing to give Webex a try. Sales and Marketing are used to Zoom, while Teams is the go-to for the rest of the organization.
If you are running the IT team, two facts become clear. First is that the realities on the ground pretty much require you to have some mix of these three solutions running for your organization. Second is that if you do not take ownership and establish these solutions under your auspices, then others within your org will probably set them up and have them running as a shadow IT.
So, what does all this mean for the organization that is ready to make their transition to implementing a cloud-based solution?
Tips for a Successful Cloud UCaaS Implementation
Figuring out the right path to a successful implementation can differ widely depending on your organization.
Looking for tips, UC Today caught up with CallTower’s Chief Revenue Officer William Rubio, who gave us a couple of pointers on what to do and common mistakes to avoid.
1. Be Attuned to Your Users
“It's really about listening to your business units within your organization,” says Rubio, “different strokes for different folks and one platform might not be the right platform for everybody.”
Rubio says that going on a listening tour within your organization is important for all sorts of reasons, but points to two in particular.
