Enterprise Connect 2019: Communications and Collaboration in Today’s Experience Economy

Enterprise Connect Conference & Expo in Orlando kicked off with a Main Stage panel discussion led by EC Co-Chair and No Jitter Editor Beth Schultz and C-T Link President Jim Burton. The panel discussion, Communications & Collaboration: What’s the Way Forward?, included industry leaders, such as Vonage CEO Alan Masarek, and some of Vonage’s strategic partners, such as Google and Microsoft, as well as executives from a few fellow business cloud communications providers.

The purpose of the panel was to help guide enterprises into the new age of business cloud communications. The lively discussion tackled the subject of team collaboration and how likely it will play in the business communications space moving forward, and what enterprises must do to prepare for it.

“With Communications and Collaboration so closely tied together,” commented Masarek, “a single platform - upon which any and all software, third-party business applications and collaboration tools sit - will enable enterprise to easily pick and choose the tools they need to transform the way they do business.”

He continued, “A great experience is enabled by great communications. A single, fully integrated microservices platform has the ability to address an infinite number of business needs, with a single platform - or portal - to access the communications and collaboration tools to address those needs and create better experiences for employees and customers.”

As the lines between Unified Communications, Contact Center and Programmable Communications continue to blur, businesses are looking for solutions to enhance both internal employee collaboration and external interactions with customers.

This unique combination, delivered via one provider, on a single platform, on a single stack - creates a truly integrated, end-to-end communications experience.

This also proves to be a powerful combination because it creates an integrated customer experience across multiple communication channels (voice, chat, messaging, video, social), combined with direct integration of a business’ unified communications solution, business applications and productivity tools - ultimately, improving employee collaboration and productivity and driving deeper customer engagement.

In today’s Experience Economy, it is no longer just about product or service or just getting the job done. People are looking for great experiences and will opt to work with solutions and providers that deliver a great experience.

In a hyper connected world, an optimal employee and customer experience - delivering communications and collaboration - is something that all businesses strive for: a memorable experience that keeps people - both customers and employees - coming back again and again.

Communications and Collaboration go hand-in-hand. These themes will not only continue to crop up during a jam-packed Enterprise Connect this week but we know we’ll continue to see their impact driving the rapid innovation within our industry. And we’re excited to lead what’s next on the horizon.