Lacking a coherent collaboration strategy, many organizations adopt multiple collaboration solutions from multiple vendors, and don’t have much of a grasp on how much it all costs. The subscription and license fees are only the tip of the iceberg. Network and IT support costs and a poor user experience add to the TCO of collaboration.
Rationalizing the collaboration environment can help rein in these costs, but how do you go about it? Do you select one vendor or go with a best-of-breed approach? And what deployment model do you use? Do you implement an on-premises solution or go with the cloud?
For most organizations, cloud-based collaboration tools are the best choice. They eliminate the need for upfront investments in hardware platforms, and are faster and easier to deploy than on-premises systems. Spreading out the cost of your collaboration platform in an opex model gives you budget predictability. You gain access to the latest features, and most of the management and maintenance is handled by the cloud provider. Cloud-based solutions can also scale as your organization grows.
Does the Cloud Save Money?
In fact, it generally makes good business sense to go all-in and move your phone system to the cloud as well. A Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) solution can give you a full suite of collaboration tools in one integrated package, all for a monthly fee per user. Everybody will be on the same platform and can access all of the features whether they work in the office, at home or on the road.
But when evaluating the cost of moving to the cloud, there are some things to consider:
- While the cloud eliminates many upfront investments, you will likely have to purchase collaboration endpoints such as phones and video conferencing units. The cost of this hardware should be included in your calculation.
- Implementation of a cloud UC service often comes with challenges. You will likely need help designing the solution, and it may require changes to your WAN and integration with your on-premises directory services and other applications. That will require in-house skill sets or the help of a third-party integrator.
- Subscription fees for cloud services continue forever, and increase as your organization grows. It’s important to estimate these costs over time against the amortized cost of an on-premises system.
- Cloud UC providers typically offer telecom services that are cheaper than your local carrier. But if you’re in a long-term contract with your local carrier, or uncomfortable with the cloud provider’s service, you won’t see telecom cost savings.
- Cloud service contracts vary in terms of maintenance, management and support services. If your in-house staff will need to manage the system and provide end-user support, those costs should be factored in.
Get Help from Verteks Experts
If you need help with your analysis, we invite you to give Verteks a call. We have extensive experience with both on-premises and cloud-based communication and collaboration solutions, as well as the IT infrastructure needed to support them. We’d be happy to help you determine the best deployment model for your needs.
We can also help you evaluate Mitel’s MiCloud Connect solution. MiCloud Connect gives your users access to telephony, conferencing, instant messaging, video, collaboration, and contact center features from virtually any device, anywhere. Whether they use desk phones, smartphone apps or their own mobile devices, they get a consistent user experience through one intuitive interface.
Collaboration features available through Mitel Teamwork include video conferencing, desktop sharing and messaging capabilities — ideal for today’s remote and hybrid work models. Contact Verteks today to discuss the long-term value of cloud-based communications and the specific benefits of MiCloud Connect.
