A major success factor for many businesses is communication. As the trend of unified communication options spreads, new innovations are emerging. VoIP telephone systems have seen widespread success and now the cloud is trying its hand at streamlining business interactions, but has experienced a slow start.
A new study released by IDG Enterprises entitled “2012 Unified Communications and Collaboration,” surveyed 1,105 IT and business professionals with UC investments already underway or in development to get a feel for the growing trends in the market. When it comes to the cloud option, the survey reports no shift coming.
Companies that are going to deploy a UC solution have four models to choose from: on-premise implementation, managed services, a hosted cloud solution or a hybrid of on-premise and cloud. According to the survey, 73 percent of respondents are using either an on-site or hybrid option because cloud-based solutions are still a young technology and have security concerns.
Another reason the cloud system has yet to take off is brought up in an article written by Michael Vizard for Channel Insider. Vizard examined the UC trend and how many businesses, for cost reasons, are choosing to upgrade in levels instead of fully adopting cloud systems.
“Hardly any customer wants to rip and replace everything they have,” said Vizard. “Instead, they want to be able to leverage what they have in a way that gives them the option to replace specific levels of functionality over time.”
Regardless of why the cloud option is slow to catch on, the survey concludes that it is the future of UC. With the ability to access it anywhere, the cloud option fits well with the upward trend of remote offices and mobile devices in today’s business world. Companies that are looking to implement a business phone system should contact a national IT provider to ensure the right solution is decided on.
Regardless of why the cloud option is slow to catch on, the survey concludes that it is the future of UC.
