What would you have asked Microsoft and Google on the same panel with other UC companies?

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By Alex Danyluk

Last week I participated on a panel at the Parallels Summit in Miami with Google, OpenExchange, Unison, and Apptix. The topic was generating new revenue streams with Unified Communications.

After quick introductions the discussion started. Why UC? The market is really starting to change, and just doing email won't be "good enough" very soon - customers are expecting the whole package! Industry stats already show the total market revenue generated from UC is larger today than just selling email only.

I found it fascinating and encouraging when the audience questions started. No one asked about the rivalry between the panelists. They couldn't care less. They wanted to know: How do I make money? Who do I target? How do I get started? I shared my thoughts:

  • The sweet spot for hosted UC is sub 500users, especially sub-50 users,
  • Types of customers that buy UC vs. will never buy UC (innovators, pragmatists and minimalists)and how to identify them
  • Material available on our Microsoft Partner Network, called Microsoft Communication Services and examples of Outsourcery, Comcast, and CEOD that have leveraged this material.
  • The multiple ways they can get started:

o Resell Microsoft Online Services

o Host themselves

o Private Labeling from others

o

and combinations, such as Star and Outsourcery are doing , where they partner with a BroadSoft based private Label VoIP companies. See YouTube video to see what's possible with BroadSoft + Microsoft.

It was great to hear "how can you help us" from the audience.

What would you have asked?