Research Overview

The global COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated decades-long trends including the move to remote and hybrid work, the rise of virtual organizations and the adoption of digital business models whereby all or most customer interactions take place over digital channels. The recent crisis has also elevated businesses’ awareness of the need for more robust business continuity programs and flexible technology solutions to reliably and securely support unanticipated capacity adjustments—whether related to workforce size fluctuations or customer demand variability.

These transformational shifts have considerably boosted demand for digital technologies, including cloud communications, collaboration and customer experience (CX) management (contact center) solutions. Technology developers and providers are responding to evolving market conditions and customer requirements with more diverse cloud service offers; enhanced mobility and software user experiences; flexible deployment options (e.g., bring your own carrier (BYOC)); consultative approach to identify best-fit solutions; managed and professional services to ensure deployment success; e-commerce and digital buyer experiences.

This rising tide is lifting all boats in the cloud private branch exchange (PBX) and unified communications-as-a-service (UCaaS) market; yet, certain providers are better positioned to capitalize on growing demand for flexible access to advanced communications services.