INTERVIEW Ian Rowan - Wildix
“...many UCaaS solutions offering enterprise-level functionality are priced similar to solutions that only do a
traditional voice solution.” Ian Rowan, UK Channel Manager - Wildix
The secret to scale
Companies that herald applications that are suitable for any company size, from a few all the way up to
thousands of users clearly think the old enterprise order is bust. Nowhere does this scenario seem more true
than in the Unifi ed Communications market where UCaaS versions seem to fi t the 5 to 5000 user market with
apparent ease. In this interview Ian Rowan, UK Channel Manager for Wildix, explains why
CBM: Are there really 5 to
5000 user applications out
there successfully competing
across the SME, Mid-Market
and Enterprise sectors?
Ian Rowen (IR): e Wildix
Platform is most certainly
competing in this space and
why shouldn’t it, the the UCaaS
model is much easier and coste
ective for SME to obtain the
features and capabilities that
were not only out of the SME
budget but also above the skill
sets they had within their IT
departments. One other thing I
would add is I no longer think
that the top to bottom trickledown
of functionality strictly
applies to many UC functions
but instead ramp up, people are
using tools like WhatsApp and
Facebook Messenger for group
chats and calling and expect
these same functions in the
workplace.
CBM: And are they cost
effective across these user
spreads?
IR: Yes, these solutions are just
as cost e ective for SME’s as
there are Enterprises but by
just what level depends on
the measures of ROI that the
company has in place, this
is where the Enterprise has
the advantage over SME as
they typically have the tools
in place to greater analyse
the performance of their
employees and the increases
in productivity. is is really
where the reseller has to play
their role by helping the SME
identify the ROI achieved
through the implementation
of a UCaaS solution. All this
said, even without this extended
analytical information on
employee behaviour, many
UCaaS solutions o ering
enterprise-level functionality
are priced similar to solutions
that only do a traditional voice
solution.
CBM: What should resellers
be looking for from these
apparent one size fi ts all
products in terms of vendor
support?
IR: is is very complex subject
as a whole. ere are many
topics to cover and factors that
the reseller should consider
with any partnership, however
for comparison of SME to
Enterprise level with UCaaS
alone I would say the two most
important things to look for
are a vendor that does not sell
direct because as a growing
business selling UC to an
ever-increasing customer base,
the last thing you want it is the
vendor competing against you
for the same business or even
selling your customer base to
someone else! e last thing to
look for is a solution that scales
and does not have a “one price
ts all model” with bolt-ons.
is kind of solution does not
scale and although you may
win in the sub 50 user market,
it will be impossible to be
competitive above this level.
50 | Comms Business Magazine | May 2020 www.commsbusiness.co.uk
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