Using UC to Re-invent the Channel

One of our podcasts earlier this month focused on the channel, and how their role needs to evolve as UC gains traction and matures. We talked about where VARs and integrators fit in the value chain, and I had a few comments that I’d like to expand upon here.

First off, we know channels have a key role to play since they’re often the trusted advisors on the front lines between business users and the UC providers – both vendors and operators. We also know that UC is about software and services, not boxes and hardware, so there’s a lot in play for decision makers.

It’s understood that not all channel partners are created equal, and an emerging trend among vendors is an overhaul of their programs to find the right sub-set who can sell UC. There’s still a large installed base that is happy with TDM and will only migrate to IP slowly or when things break down. The channel partners serving these businesses generally have their comfort zone and aren’t the best choices for UC.

At minimum, VARs and integrators must be competent with both voice and data, which is not the norm. Both are really needed for any reasonable UC solution. However, even within this group, most are focused on simple or small scale UC deployments. In some cases, this is all they really want to do until UC is more mature, while in others, they will only offer UC when asked for it. With an established book of still-mostly-TDM business, it’s understandable why a partner would not want to forego the margins from hardware and the recurring service revenues to support legacy systems.

Moving beyond this, though, is a smaller subset of channel partners who want to be proactive with UC. They see the potential, not just to keep their customers long-term, but also to future-proof their own business. At the front end of the spectrum here, Dimension Data comes to mind, and they really have set the bar high using UC and collaboration as a driver for new revenues, as well as implementing leading edge technology to make their customers more competitive.

When channels think like that, I believe new business models and opportunities are just waiting to be created. As hosted UC, virtualization and the cloud take hold; channels will need to become more creative to add value, but also to educate their clients about new ways to think about UC. These changes will give rise to new needs and delivery mechanisms that channels are well positioned to support. I’m not thinking about integrating UC with business processes – that’s not really new territory.

Am thinking more about how the environment for UC is changing, especially with mobility, smartphones, tablets and social media. As more UC applications shift away from traditional telecom-centric endpoints – along with the underlying network traffic – IT will find it increasingly difficult track usage patterns and tie them to outcomes. This will give rise to the need for Web-based analytics and data mining tools, and solutions for storage, business continuity and data backup services.

During the podcast, I cited an example of this last item from Alteva, one of the leading hosted providers. They recently added Mozy as an online backup service for their UC deployments. Alteva is not a channel partner, but there’s no reason why channels could not start bundling these types of service into a broader, more Web-friendly UC offering.

I think this is just the beginning of what’s possible in terms of how channels can re-invent themselves and bring new value to UC. Another opportunity would involve working with clients to white label UC interfaces to reinforce their branding. One avenue would be for internal use where a set of UC applications is developed specifically for all employees. For global businesses, this could be a way to roll out UC across all geographies in a consistent fashion that supports the company’s branding. This could be especially helpful for new acquisitions that need to be quickly integrated with the parent company’s culture. Going a step further, the channels could help clients develop additional UC solutions that apply to a internal functional areas of the business that have distinct communications needs, such as logistics, production, HR, engineering, etc.

External applications hold even greater promise, especially for white label UC solutions. Contact centers come to mind right away, specifically for interfaces that engage the customer – with or without a live agent. There is an opportunity for savvy channel partners to integrate all the right UC elements for a seamless experience that is easy for the customer to use, but also reinforces the client’s business brand. Most IT departments will not have the expertise or resources to develop these internally, especially if they need to incorporate new elements such as mobility or social media.

I’m really just scratching the surface here, but the idea is to show that channels can add value in new ways if they’re ready to move in a different direction. There is definitely some risk involved, as this is really early adopter territory, but can be especially effective for SMBs who don’t have much IT expertise, but want to get first mover advantage with UC. Of course, there’s also opportunity here for vendors who want to look at their channels a bit differently and find ways to enhance their UC solution to better address these emerging deployment scenarios. I’ll save that topic for another day, and it probably isn’t far off.