Article shared with thanks to Optus Spark
Thanks to advanced cloud technologies, enhanced network capacity and increasing user demands, it’s no surprise many new providers are now turning their attention to offering digital solutions and communications platforms for businesses.
For traditional Service Providers it means they are having to work harder than ever to stand out and stay ahead of the competition.
One of the most hotly contested sectors in Australia is the Unified Communications (UC) market, which Frost & Sullivan have forecast to be worth $1 billion by 2021.
Optus Spark recently caught up with Graeme Kelly, co-founder of Partner Wholesale Networks, to explore his thoughts on the local UC space and the steps the company has taken to lead the market with UC7.
What are your thoughts on Australia’s UC market?
Graeme: The evolution of business in Australia has created the perfect environment for providers offering UC solutions in Australia. Australian businesses are increasingly looking to migrate enterprise services to the nbnTM and deploy cloud communication platforms like Optus Cloud-UCX which enable workforces to effectively operate outside the traditional office environment.
This can be done in a cost-effective way with Cloud UC platforms. These technologies are easy to use and can be up and running in a matter of weeks. More importantly, UC solutions can scale with demand as the business grows, and the best are available across fixed and mobile devices so users can choose a way of working best suited to their individual needs.
We’re excited to have Partner Wholesale as the first provider offering the Optus Wholesale Cloud-UCX product in Australia. How does this benefit your business?
Graeme: Launching UC7 on Cloud-UCX platform back in December 2017 has given us a head start on the competition. We not only leveraged the latest technology in cloud communication but also enhanced the customer experience with our branding and customised functionality.
We’ve capitalised on our early advantage by supplementing this core product with Partner Wholesale Network’s signature superior expertise and customer service.
Tell us more about your enablement period when developing UC7?
Graeme: Before launching UC7, we asked ourselves if we couldn’t use the technology ourselves how could we support our customers on their own deployments? To put the solution to the ultimate test, we implemented UC7 in our own call centre and trialled a myriad of scenarios that were targeted towards the unique requirements of a small business with multiple locations and limited resources.
Our first-hand experience with Cloud-UCX meant we were able to hit the ground running at launch and we were taking to market a product that we truly believed in.
How does Optus support Partner Wholesale?
Graeme: Our partnership with Optus has always been a consistent two-way dialogue that helps drive better results for customers.
Working on UC7 was no exception with learnings consistently shared between ourselves and Optus. Thanks to the strength of the relationship, we’re able to have input into new capabilities that are tailored to the direct needs of our customers. It ensures each product release is fine-tuned to the unique needs of the SMB market.
What do you think about the competition ahead for the IT tech sector?
Graeme: The increasingly competitive nature is good news for all involved. Our industry is challenged to deliver more value to customers, which in turn accelerates digital transformations, educates enterprises about what can be achieved with technology and addresses the unique needs of multiple industries.
No single organisation, industry can afford to stand still – the next disruptive threat is just around the corner. Which is why we’re always asking ourselves, ‘What else can we do to stand out from the competition?’
For more see www.uc7.com.au
