UPDATED 18:29 EST / MARCH 19 2019

CLOUD

‘One tool to rule’ for enterprise communications reminiscent of public cloud debate two years ago

During the keynote remarks delivered at Enterprise Connect today, attendees heard a representative from one large company declare plans to standardize on a single enterprise communications tool and have every division follow along.

For some analysts in attendance, it was reminiscent of a discussion over two years ago when large firms were declaring allegiance to a single cloud, only to backtrack and use multiple clouds today.

“I actually bristled a little bit when I heard that,” said Stu Miniman (@stu), co-host of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio, during the Enterprise Connect event in Kissimmee, Florida. “One tool to rule them all sounds a little bit tough out there. There’s such a diverse ecosystem.”

Miniman spoke with Lisa Martin (@LisaMartinTV), co-host of theCUBE, and they discussed the diverse community of platforms available for enterprises today and the continued importance of keeping employee satisfaction in contact centers high by providing the right tools (see the full interview with transcript here).

Cross-platform approach

As an event for industry participants to showcase the latest software, services and applications for enterprise communications, this year’s Enterprise Connect gathering has highlighted the need for integrations that can be plugged into platforms and run. Many companies are using platforms such as Cisco Webex, Microsoft Teams and Zoom to take full advantage of the features offered and expand upon them.

“Everyone is working across those environments,” Miniman noted. “It’s an interconnected community here.”

In addition to interconnectivity, another key theme to emerge this week has been the need to provide employees working in contact centers with the best tools and information for dealing with customer concerns.

“If the employees, especially those on the front lines, are having some challenges, it’s going to directly relate to customer lifetime value,” Martin said. “Adoption of these tools internally is critical, but it’s also a cultural process.”

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Enterprise Connect event.

Photo: Enterprise Connect (Facebook)

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