Seamless working

Workplaces have changed beyond recognition in recent years. Remote and hybrid working have become the new normal, accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the rise in video conferencing and collaboration tools, and employees demanding greater flexibility. Technology has been a key enabler in this rapid progression, driven by the latest advances in AI and automation. 

Added to that, the PSTN switch-off in January 2027 has compelled businesses to re-evaluate and – in many cases – change their entire communication systems.

“The modern workplace has had a significant transformation over the past year,” said Leigh Smith, AnswerConnect’s director of growth and happiness. “The shift to hybrid and remote working models, initially necessitated by the pandemic, has continued to gain momentum. Businesses have had to adapt to ensure communication remains consistent, productivity remains high and, above all, employees feel supported.”

In a predominately hybrid working environment, businesses need to ensure high connectivity, productivity and flexibility. The key to delivering this is through the use of tools that enable employees to seamlessly switch between working in the office and remotely without losing efficiency or access to information.

One way to achieve this is through integrations to maintain workflow and minimise repetitive tasks by sharing information across platforms. Another is via user-friendly interfaces that are easy to navigate, enabling staff to quickly adapt to the particular environment they are working in without losing productivity.

“Companies need technologies which support hybrid working,” said Cherie Howlett, CMO, Jola. “Working from home, employees need the right set-up to allow them to work just as effectively as they do in the office. Softphones and hunt groups are important to ensure calls can be taken and KPIs achieved wherever they are taken. Connectivity is critical, as is security, to ensure employees can access company files and software from home.”

Communication is key

Central to any company’s success is communication, both between their staff and customers. It’s critical that they use UC and collaboration tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams and Zoom to connect in real-time.

“There has been a growing trend towards integrating various communication tools such as email, chat, video conferencing and phone calls into a single unified platform,” said Chris Angus, vice president, contact centre engagement at 8x8. “Solutions that host multiple functions now serve as central hubs for communication and collaboration.

“Unified communication platforms have expanded their suite of tools to include document sharing, collaborative editing and project management capabilities. As a result, real-time collaboration on documents and projects has become more seamless.”

Simplification is the key to achieving this, as borne out by BT Wholesale research which found that almost three quarters of IT decision-makers agreed businesses need fewer applications and there needs to be more basic ways to collaborate. In a hybrid work setting, UC is the perfect solution, yet less than half of IT teams have this type of solution in place.

“Microsoft Teams remains a key player in the UC space, driving demand for products that integrate with it,” said Ed House, sales director UK and Ireland at Nuvias UC. “We’re mainly seeing uptake in all-in-one android video bars due to their plug-and-play functionality and cost effectiveness. For more complex or larger meeting spaces, the Microsoft Teams Rooms kits with customisable options and attachments are the go-to choice.

“Outside of meeting spaces, there’s a growing focus on contact centres. With more agents now working from home while still needing to provide an optimal customer experience, a comprehensive platform is more essential than ever. This need is recognised by Microsoft with the launch of the Dynamics platform, and Zoom and Five9 are also at the forefront.”

In this increasingly globally interconnected world, businesses need to be on call at all times. To ensure that, they need to use 24/7 live answering services, enabling the customer to contact them whenever they want.

“The rise of the ‘everything customer’ has placed immense pressure on businesses to be available 24/7,” said Myles Leach, managing director, NFON UK. “Consumers, accustomed to being able to communicate using a variety of channels in their personal lives, now expect the same capability from the companies they interact with. This means businesses need to step up their game, leveraging technology to bridge the gap and meet these heightened expectations.”

Having made contact, companies need to use customer relationship management systems such as Salesforce and HubSpot to streamline their client interactions and improve service delivery. This can be enhanced through the use of AI to automate routine tasks, thus freeing up workers to focus on more value-added activities.

Demand for such technology is evidenced by the fact that 72 per cent of UK customer service agents want to see automated assistants used more extensively in their workplace, according to Kore.ai research. Indeed, more than three-quarters (78 per cent) want them to assist in analysing customer interactions in real-time by retrieving relevant customer documents immediately across integrated systems and 75 per cent to suggest context-based responses and/or actions for them to consider and adopt.

“The integration of AI into the workplace has accelerated, impacting various aspects of work,” said Maureen Perrelli, CRO, Brivo. “AI tools are used for tasks ranging from generating text and images to automating repetitive tasks. AI is seen as a tool to enhance productivity by taking over mundane tasks, allowing employees to focus on more creative and strategic work.”

Enhanced cybersecurity

As well as enabling better and more efficient working practices, another key requirement of the modern workplace is security. All businesses need to have robust cybersecurity protocols and systems in place to protect sensitive information, including implementing end-to-end encryption, carrying out regular security audits and developing secure update mechanisms.

“Today’s work environments can’t bypass basic security and will require, at minimum, endpoint protection and multi-factor authentication enabled across all devices,” said Brian Kane, senior director of global channels at Malwarebytes. “Given the speed and sophistication of threat actors today, most organisations would benefit from a managed detection and response solution.”

One of the biggest challenges is being able to access data and applications safely and securely from any location. An increasingly popular solution is cloud-based solutions such as Google Cloud that enable employees to do just that.

“The cloud is no longer a luxury, but the very foundation upon which this new ecosystem must be built,” said NFON UK’s Leach. “It provides the scalability and flexibility needed to meet the 24/7 demands of the everything customer while enabling the seamless communication and collaboration that hybrid work models require. Unified communication tools that weave together voice, video, chat and project management functionalities are no longer a nice-to-have, but a must-have for businesses to thrive in this new landscape.”

Generative AI can also be used to strengthen cyber resilience, improving detection and response to anomalies and potential threats in real-time. If malicious actors do gain access to a company’s systems or data, it can isolate the incident and stop its further spread.

Additionally, with employees accessing company resources from multiple locations and devices, the technology can be deployed to continuously monitor user behaviour and network activity to ensure endpoint security. It can also adjust permissions, based on risk assessments.

The Channel’s role

The Channel has a key role to play in providing comprehensive solutions tailored to customers’ needs. They can do so through offering integrated tools and services that, used in combination, create a seamless workflow; training and support to ensure both workers and clients make the most of the technologies and capabilities provided; delivering solutions that can change and grow alongside the end user’s business; and providing robust and dependable services customers can rely on.

“Moving support models to enable end users to do more, faster is key to driving value,” Scott Wilkie, channel account director at Agilitas. “For example, when a new non-office-based employee starts a new role, they don’t want to be travelling into the office to get their kit set up.

“Instead, plug-and-play equipment that arrives directly at their home with their profile and apps ready to go without any on-site engineer involvement offers a seamless, professional experience that the modern workplace requires, creating a great first impression.”

Steve Osler, co-founder and CEO of Wildix, said, “In today’s complex technological landscape, MSPs, resellers and VARs must evolve beyond traditional roles to become indispensable strategic partners. The key to delivering exceptional value lies in their ability to navigate emerging technologies and translate them into tangible business outcomes for their clients.”

David Weeks, VP of partner experience, N-able, added, “To deliver the best value, you need to take a top-down approach – find the biggest areas of gain and start there. It’s not about going in hard and completely changing the customer’s whole environment in one go. Vendors need to go in and identify where the largest gaps sit, with the largest gains.”

Network infrastructure

A key starting point is to have the right network infrastructure in place. Just as Wi-Fi is now incorporated into building plans as standard, so 4G and 5G mobile connectivity is fast-becoming a must-have for the modern workplace.

However, some businesses are still lagging behind, with 55 per cent of hybrid workers reporting that their mobile connection is better at home than the office, according to Cellnex UK research. Even those that have mobile connectivity in the office say it’s unreliable.

“People mistakenly think that they’ll get the same mobile service indoors as they do outdoors, but because of complex building layouts and construction materials this outdoor signal is often blocked, meaning those inside can’t use their mobiles properly. This leads to frustration, lower productivity and complaints to the landlord,” said Brendan Hourihane, senior director at Freshwave, which has developed Omni Network, a small cell solution which connects all four MNOs combined in a single unit. 

Hourihane added, “An in-building mobile system solves this problem by bringing the mobile network indoors. Small cells or a distributed antenna system, which connect securely to the mobile operators’ networks, assure mobile signal with a guaranteed quality of service.

“This is in contrast to other solutions, such as repeaters, which rely on outdoor signal and so can easily be disrupted by any changes in the environment outside.”

Gavin Jones, channel partners director, BT Wholesale, said, “The demand for high bandwidth has grown over the last 12 months. Our research revealed that 65 per cent of employees said they needed faster connectivity and 70 per cent said more reliable connectivity.

“Ultimately, businesses want simple, secure, sustainable and scalable connectivity and solutions that champion collaboration and flexibility in the modern workplace.”

Martin Saunders, chief operating officer of Highlight, said, “Network capacity and performance are the first elements that need to be understood to deliver the best possible user experience at an optimal cost. A large cause of cost inefficiency is when network connections are over specified and underutilised, or they are underspecified and suffer performance issues at peak times.”

Justin Hamilton-Martin, director of product strategy at Enreach for Service Providers, said, “The industry must focus on enhancing the user experience to remove friction from the working day, especially as users move between locations, networks and devices. In particular, we need app-led mobile-first user interfaces that give people simple but comprehensive control, using advanced automation.”

Software solutions

Software also needs to seamlessly integrate with remote technology tools such as video conferencing, instant messaging and project management platforms to ensure enhanced engagement and productivity, and that data is safeguarded. Providers must also constantly carry out research and development, listen to their customers’ needs, and respond swiftly and accordingly.

“There are some fundamentals that should always be prioritised when developing communications solutions,” said Steven Try, channel manager UK and Ireland, Snom. “Any device must be both reliable and stable, as downtime from phone systems, for example, can result in significant business losses. Scalability also plays an important role in ensuring phone systems can expand as a company grows – while seamless integration with existing IT infrastructure and business applications is essential.”

The launch of Microsoft 365 Copilot at the end of last year has also resulted in increased interest and demand for generative AI. It can be used to improve business productivity through a unified user experience and improved workflows, as well as to enable better decision-making and increased efficiency.

“To gain maximum value from your investment, it’s important to consider the generic ‘business efficiency’ benefit alongside more specific use cases relevant to your business,” said Andy Bevan, head of cloud and digital transformation at Daisy Corporate Services. “For example, you could leverage Copilot Studio to create bespoke virtual agents, industry-specific document automation – perhaps in legal or bid management scenarios – or tailored analytics solutions.”

Hardware capabilities 

Hardware is another vital component of the modern workplace, particularly given the rise in hot-desking and bring-your-own devices. Providers have also been pivoting to support end-user computing.

A prime example is Agilitas’ Smart Device Services, which captures the small details that enhance the employee experience. Each customer has a dedicated ‘pod’ with their own engineers that ensures all the hardware is configured correctly, the latest security updates are installed and the correct user profiles are in place.

To overcome the issue of end device reliability and security, Snom has developed the SP800. It enables workers to connect via remote desktop or a soft client through the cloud without compromising on audio quality and security.

There’s also greater demand for IP phones for home use. Employees can use these phones privately or establish a secure VPN connection to the telephone exchange and access all of the telephony functions that administrators have approved via their home router’s Internet connection. As a result, they can see their colleagues’ availability, enabling group calls or call forwarding when busy, regardless of where they are working.

“Providing company equipment not only increases safety, but also promotes employee efficiency and satisfaction,” said Snom’s Try. “The companies that are investing in this equipment are benefitting from a stable and safe working environment even outside the office.”

Added to that, Device-as-a-Service enables channel companies to optimise their IT infrastructure and modify their resources to meet a specific need. And the rise in AI-enabled devices is likely to result in increased demand for edge computing services as organisations require applications that need real-time data processing.

Support services

It’s also critical for MSPs, resellers and VARs to be able to readily replace hardware. By using ‘rip and replace’ models in the event of a hardware or software failure, they can keep disruption to a minimum, while proactive maintenance and support such as regular software updates, security patches and hardware inspections also provide upselling opportunities and prevent any potential issues and vulnerabilities.

“Underpinning all the new trends such as cloud, cybersecurity, AI and edge computing is the hardware itself,” said Agilitas’ Wilkie. “There is always going to be a hardware requirement, however, the nature of the hardware for the modern workplace is changing.

“As-a-service models and potentially outsourcing the entire hardware lifecycle allow MSPs, resellers and VARs to switch to an opex model, ensuring they remain agile and provide the latest equipment to their users, without compromising their financial stability.”

Richard Jones, commercial director at Tollring, said, “To deliver value, MSPs, resellers and VARs need to adopt a consultative approach that shows they understand their customer’s business and provide packages that meet specific needs. And with people working differently, providers need to nail that before trying to offer the right solution.”

Josh Dolman, partner account manager, Evolve IP, said, “Value comes from giving a business the technologies they need and for those technologies to work in a way that suits them. It’s about offering solutions that fit the individual customer rather than forcing them down a particular road. One size doesn’t fit all. Mix and match is a better way as part of a more tailored approach.”

Frederik Hörnkvist, co-founder of Boom Collaboration, added, “It’s about being a trusted advisor based on a wide product portfolio. Expert advice, training and demos can make a big difference. Big companies have dedicated IT teams, but that’s not always the case with smaller organisations who might need more of a helping hand.”

Future outlook

Moving forward, there are several key trends set to shape the modern workplace over the coming year. Chief among them is an even greater reliance on AI and automation. As the technology continues to develop at a rapid rate, so businesses will increasingly adopt AI-driven solutions to streamline tasks and improve efficiency. Equally, however, humans are required to ensure that exceptional customer service is maintained.

Given that remote work is here to stay, the risk of theft will also only continue to increase in the future, making secure networks, endpoints, data protection and cybersecurity a top priority. Consequently, the use of secure remote access solutions such as SD-WANs and private APNs will become more prevalent too.

With the European Union’s (EU) Network and Information Systems Directive coming into force in October, UK businesses operating across the EU will need to ensure that they identify and evaluate cybersecurity risks and implement measures to prevent them. This includes regularly updating company telecommunications devices with the latest security patches and providing effective encryption.

“MSPs, resellers and VARs can deliver the best value through re-examining and redefining who their partners are, the solutions they represent and who they have on staff to service their customers,” said Brivo’s Perrelli. “This involves conducting a thorough analysis of current partnerships, evaluating the effectiveness of existing solutions and ensuring the team has the necessary skills and knowledge to meet customer demands.”