What is the Future of UCaaS after COVID-19?

Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) solutions providers continue to thrive since the COVID-19 pandemic prompted many employees to shift into work-from-home model.

In April, it was reported that Microsoft Teams added over 31 million users. During that month, Microsoft Teams reported having 75 million users, in comparison to the 44 million users they had previously.  

While the initial surge was certainly significant, the activity began to level off the next month as everyone went from the sorting and allocating stage to the next stage. We anticipate UCaaS will continue to be a shining light on a channel outlook that many viewed as disheartening.

A New Demand For Remote Work

Due to the improvements made to communication channels, we do not expect everything to return to "normal". We expect to see a greater demand for remote work, digital communication, and digital collaboration over the next 10 years. As we remain in the early stages of the transformation, UCaaS partners can make the most of moving customers to cloud services. 

UCaaS partners will also have the ability to recognize any small or major threats and secure them as quickly as possible. As the transformation continues, UCaaS partners will also be able to automate the workflows of their customers. Since there will be a greater demand for more remote work, UCaaS partners will need to provide improved BDR plans and protection from inessentials. 

While it is not crystal clear how the foundation of UCaaS will change, it is clear that UCaaS providers can expect an increase in demand. 

Unified Communications As A Service

In 2020, we have seen UCaaS take the business world by storm. As far as we can see, there are no signs of any slow-down anytime soon because the momentum is shifting towards the management of remote teams. The Unified Communications market will likely be worth nearly $80 billion in 3 years. We think it is very fair to assume that UC solutions will be completely different than they are now.

What trends do you think will shape the Unified Communications as a Service sector? While we know no one will no for certain what those trends will be, there are trends we believe can have an impact on the future of UCaaS after COVID-19, including the following:

• A decline of conventional systems and hardware
• A greater influence of open platform processes
• A greater impact of Artificial Intelligence(AI) Machine Learning(ML), and more

Conventional Systems

Many UC platforms are no longer using the traditional hardware and systems we all used. VoIP and Hosted PBX systems are being preferred over the traditional phone systems. We expect more businesses and organizations to also make the switch as the years go by. Today's workplace is more flexible and mobile than it has ever been. Businesses and organizations want to use solutions that will tie everything into a comprehensive platform, and software-based solutions can do the trick.

Artificial Intelligence

We have seen how impactful AI can be in various industries and sectors, and the Unified Communications sector is no different. We have already witnessed AI in the form of chatbots. We are pass the halfway point of the year, and we anticipate that the impact of Artificial Intelligence will significantly increase. Unified Communications platforms that implement chatbots and virtual assistants will be able to offer relevant information and advice to the person on the other end. 

UCaaS has had an unforgettable impact on various businesses and organizations in all industries. Businesses and organizations have the ability to communicate and collaborate daily efficiently and effectively. 2020 and the next 10 years will be an unforgettable time for UCaaS. Are you prepared to embrace the changes?