Food for thought - The true value of UCC
Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) is on the rise amongst small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) according to new research commissioned by Aastra.
The study, conducted by Frost and Sullivan amongst 315 global channel partners reveals that the widest adoption of UCC is by organisations with multiple offices or homeworkers, where UCC tools such as audio and videoconferencing, IM (Instant Messaging) and unified messaging can deliver tangible benefits by connecting remote teams and enhancing productivity.
Key findings include:
- Almost ¾ of those polled believe that the main benefits SMBs seek from UCC tools are cost reduction and enhanced productivity
- 61% of IT Consultants surveyed stated that SMBs have a large focus on a UCC strategy
- 81% of all respondents cited ease of use as the top UCC purchasing criterion for SMBs
- The most widely deployed UCC tools amongst SMBs are audio conferencing 83% and VoIP/IP PBX 81%, followed by Unified Messaging 69% and fixed-mobile convergence 66%
"As macro-economic conditions improve, SMBs are likely to switch their focus from more tactical objectives, such as immediate cost savings, to more strategic objectives such as gaining a competitive advantage through enhanced productivity and accelerated decision-making."
Elka Popova, Program Director, Unified Communications & Collaboration, Frost and Sullivan
