Unified Communications: Which Partner is Best if I Want to Use a Hybrid Cloud Approach?

According to ZK Research, 85% of companies want to use hybrid cloud approach for unified communications. The terms “hybrid deployments” or “hybrid cloud communications” refer to UCaaS and CCaaS solutions that are deployed partially on-premise and partially in the cloud. Hybrid solutions are popular because they offer more choices and ways to chart your path to the cloud. Plus they help jumpstart migration for enterprises that still have legacy communications systems to manage and maintain. But with so many providers, how do you know which one is best for your hybrid approach? Here are some criteria to shape your evaluation.

Flexible Solutions: Make Changes as Your Enterprise Evolves

Partners that inherently provide a multitude of options are best suited for hybrid models, because you’ll have more potential to customize your migration path and then continually tweak it as things change. For example, when you’re comparing partners look for options in the following areas:

• Any device: Can you consume the technology/service using any device—whether it’s your existing PBX phones spread across disparate locations or a long list of endpoints and bring-your-own devices (or a combination of both)? Ask your provider for a list of supported endpoints and if a certification process is required to ensure the phones are compatible with the SIP protocol. Here’s Masergy’s list of supported endpoints.
• Any service type: What different mediums can you use to receive the service? Can you get it via PRI, SIP trunking, and a hosted solution? Here at Masergy, we offer fully hosted UCaaS, SIP trunking, or a hybrid of both. Our platform is entirely SIP. For our trunking service we can deliver native SIP or SIP-to-TDM with PRI hand-off.
• Any network access methodology: What options and flexibility will you have in terms of data transport, network connectivity, or access methodologies? Can you use SD-WAN and connect via both public broadband and private network access? Can you create a hybrid network? What is the process like to switch connectivity types?
• Flexible licenses: Does your provider lock you into solutions or can you transition from one deployment model to another, moving from on-premise to hosted and cloud solutions?
• Add-on security services: Will you have the option to add proactive 24/7 security monitoring or an end-to-end managed detection and response service?

Service Excellence: IT Infrastructure and Collaboration

Moving contact centers to the cloud is equally important, and much like UCaaS, it isn’t just about buying and deploying a standalone technology. Migrations require essential IT underpinnings including telephony and connectivity needs; call control, PSTN, SIP trunking, and the hybrid network service. There’s a lot of involved parties and underlying infrastructure that must all work together—making a globally reliable network platform, integration, and tight collaboration the three largest success factors.

The IT system architecture and the collaboration among partners shouldn’t be elusive in your proposed solution. The more proven the IT architecture is and the more visibility you have into the solution design—the better.

Solution design should give details into:

• If network connectivity is integrated into the CCaaS and UCaaS technology
• Where and when private connectivity is used for the on-premise or PBX-based service
• The features available from SIP trunking technologies and providers
• How the call flow paths will be unified via the network service
• Your customized migration roadmap and timeline
• Responsibilities for project management and team alignment

Masergy: Leading the Industry in Hybrid Cloud Migrations

Lots of providers offer hybrid deployment models with UCaaS and CCaaS, but no one does it quite like Masergy. Masergy was selected by Cisco as a global premier partner for their industry-leading Customer Journey Platform, because Masergy brings unparalleled expertise in designing and executing cloud migrations.

Five Reasons to Migrate to the Cloud with Masergy

• “White Glove” Service Delivery: receive a dedicated implementation team including a program manager to execute the phased approach according to your budget and timeline
• Robust Service Analytics: receive on-demand communication performance statistics and management with custom reporting
• AI-Powered, Intelligent Virtual Agent: take customer service to the next level with new capabilities that unite virtual assistant and chatbot features with predictive analytics and machine learning
• Managed Security Services: build a complete solution by adding on 24/7 security monitoring services or a complete managed detection and response solution
• Superior Customer Experiences: enjoy unparalleled customer service (proven by Net Promoter Scores of 70+) and get 24/7 live support, ongoing technology upgrades, lifetime hardware warranties, and unlimited online training