How to choose the right UCaaS vendor for your business

Evolving expectations and capabilities

A cost-effective and feature-rich unified communications proposition has long been a key item within the toolkit of a successful telecoms managed service provider or reseller. Increasingly this is also true for channel resellers and MSPs focused primarily within the IT sector.

This is thanks to the evolution of business communications, predominantly delivered as Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS), becoming a more software-based solution and incorporating itself into the broader IT landscape. 

This also means the capabilities  resellers should be looking for from a UCaaS vendor partner is changing - with the ability to develop at pace, deliver a deep level of integration with a range of other software tools, and ownership of the platform code base now key considerations.

In this blog we have identified some key areas for resellers to consider when evaluating a potential partner, and some questions to ask that should help them interrogate vendor suitability.

1. Evaluating a UCaaS platform’s potential and capabilities 

The best solutions come with a comprehensive suite of advanced features, including, but not limited to: call features such as call queues, hunt groups, and recording; and collaboration tools such as video conferencing, instant messaging, and presence features to boost teamwork and productivity.

There are also value-add areas within the platform to consider that will help resellers market, sell and support solutions, often allowing them to make use of their own brand throughout the process.

Here are some questions to consider in this area:

• Third-party integrations:  Are features included in the base price or offered as bolt-ons? Does the provider have a library of robust pre-built integrations with popular business tools such as CRMs?

• Mobile and desktop apps: Does the vendor offer a user-friendly app for devices so that the solution can be used in various locations and from personal phones and laptops? Can this be white-labelled and skinned to align with a reseller’s  branding?

• Open-API: Does the platform use Open-API for custom integrations? How flexible is the solution in terms of being personalised to fit a business’ specific needs?

• White-labelling: Aside from app and dashboard branding, does the vendor offer white-label resources such as campaign materials and brochures, that can be fully branded with logos and colourways?

• Deployment options: Is the solution deployed in the public cloud, or within more localised private cloud data-centres? Public cloud often offers scalability and ease of use, while harnessing cloud provider’s security measures, such as enterprise-grade threat defence and geographical redundancy.

2. Understanding pricing and subscriptions 

Pricing structures can vary across Unified Communications products. Not all vendors include every feature as standard, so it’s worth modelling this based on active opportunities and building up real world business cases to see how your vendor stacks up against the competition. 

Here’s what to consider when looking at potential vendors:

• Subscription models - Is the service deployed as a monthly subscription model, and is pricing predictable and scalable? Do the subscriptions include call bundles?

• Feature bundles - Are all of the features included in the base subscription price, or are some bolted on, incurring additional fees? If so, is it a manageable price for the features the business needs and will use?

• Third-party integrations - Are third-party integrations a chargeable feature?

• Hardware - Does the provider offer hardware, such as desk phones? Can these be included in their subscription costs or will they be charged upfront?

• Value added services - Are value-added services available for resellers, such as training and on-boarding sessions, or white-label tools? Are there additional charges for these?

• Support - Is technical support available 24/7, and is it easily accessible? Is this included free-of-charge?

3. Getting to grips with the infrastructure 

A robust infrastructure is essential for a UCaaS solution, as communicating with your customers is fundamental to business practice. It is important to consider the following to ensure proceedings run smoothly and at the best possible quality:

• Deployment model - Is the product deployed through public or private cloud? If it is deployed through public cloud, who hosts this (e.g., Google, Amazon)? Consider where your customers may require local breakout and ensure your vendor’s infrastructure can support this.

• Data storage and processing - Where is data being stored and processed? Does this meet any regulatory compliance obligations held by you or your customer?

• Security measures - What security measures are in place to ensure data security, and are there network failover systems in place for little to no downtime in case of a disaster? How is data protected from leaks?

• Encryption and authentication measures - Is call data encrypted to the right level? Does the vendor utilise SSO or another multi-factor authentication system?

• System management - Is the platform  easy to manage and maintain around the clock?

4. Degree of autonomy for a future-proof, flexible solution

Not all UCaaS solutions are created equal. With the technology landscape constantly evolving, alongside business needs, it is important to choose a vendor committed to growing and evolving over time, in line with industry trends and flexible to business developments.

A divide exists between owned-IP vendors that own their platform from the ground up, and the solution providers that rely on outdated Open-Source platforms, as these may no longer see proper investment.

• Platform ownership - Is the platform entirely owned by the vendor with their own proprietary code? If there is an underlying Open-Source platform, or another solution their product is built on, who owns it? Can they guarantee continued financial investment?

• Strong, ongoing development roadmap - Does the vendor have full roadmap ownership? What plans do they have in place for the future? Is there any roadmap they can share with prospective resellers?

• In-house development team - Does the vendor have its own in-house development team?

• Partner feedback and input - Are partners able to offer feedback and suggestions to help shape the product? How is this information captured and utilised?

Final Thoughts

By considering these 4 key areas, businesses are able to make an informed decision when choosing a UCaaS vendor and be sure that it is the correct choice for their specific needs.

The ideal vendor will always be one that not only aligns with these needs but is constantly evolving and offers the potential to grow and adapt as a business does the same.This relies on a key consideration: how well a reseller understands their own customers. 

A knowledgeable reseller will take the time to thoroughly assess their clients’ specific needs and challenges. By asking the correct questions and truly understanding the customers’ goals, the reseller can then identify a vendor that offers features and functionalities that align. This ensures successful implementation and a long-term mutual benefit for all parties involved. 

Click here to find out more about how our platform is deployed, and its infrastructure.