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Before Deploying Cloud Collaboration Software, Ask Yourself This

Service providers can no longer afford to keep their hands clean of any cloud business. Nor should they. In today’s competitive marketplace, moving operations to the cloud isn’t just worth considering. It’s a must.

Aggregated research from Infonetics shows that more than half of companies across North America will be running cloud-based UC software in one form or another by 2016. The research also includes a projection according to which the cloud PBX & UC segment will be valuated at $12 billion by 2018.

Premature saturation

But there’s a problem. Although this market just recently became ripe for the picking, the industry is already beginning to show signs of saturation. Consumers can already turn to any number of providers to satisfy their communication/collaboration needs, which makes it imperative to get your facts straight about your clients.

The first smart thing any SP can do is offer superior customer service coupled with industry-leading technology. The technology you deliver must uniquely differentiate you from the competition, but at the same time sufficiently meet your own business needs.

Know what you want

The question, then, becomes: What collaboration software should you choose? Here’s what you need to ask yourself when shopping for this kind of product:

1. Is the solution fast to implement and sell? One of the greatest reasons why business users are gravitating towards cloud-based collaboration software is to enjoy the benefits of a relatively simple, fast and easy implementation process. The same goes for service providers who want a solution that’s easy to deploy and go to market with. Scalability is also a big plus.

2. Does it allow for a simple migration path? See that your cloud vendor offers a robust team of professionals who can help you hone in on your business needs and facilitate the transition from old to new.

3. Does it run on an open API? To capitalize on the many benefits that cloud computing has to offer in business environments, look for a solution that has an open application program interface (API). This enables service providers to integrate their software solution with virtually any other application or system to expand its value for the end-user.

Regardless of where you find yourself on the cloud spectrum, getting these three questions answered is paramount. Have more questions? We’d be more than glad to answer them for you. Sound off in the comments or poke us on Twitter @4PSA. Or browse for the answers yourself on our business site.