Key Roles Unified Communications-as-a-Service involves companies serving in a variety of roles that represent different portions of the value proposition. The general categories listed below are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Different companies may have or merge different models. Here are the general categories: Product Vendors These are the companies that develop the software, hardware, platforms and solutions. You will likely find some options to be more effective than others, and some will work together in the same environ- ment better than others. When they don’t interoperate very well, they might cancel out one anoth- er’s benefits, or cause the systems to work more slowly, due to the different products struggling for dominance. Vendors often rely upon Trusted Advisors, MSPs, and other members of the indirect sales channel to bring their products to market, though some also may sell through their internal sales forc- es. From the customer standpoint, direct sales efforts are led by people with sales quotas. Thus, the product they’re offering may or may not be the best fit for your circumstances. Managed Service Providers (MSPs) MSPs use vendor products (as mentioned above), sometimes with a portfolio of vendors to choose from, to deliver a solution. They are not developers of the product, although sometimes they may combine different products into a unified offer; perhaps combined with an additional homegrown service or software that differentiates them from their competition. MSPs often optimize a given solu- tion to your needs and function in a mode very similar to consultants (see below). In most cases, the buyer will have certain options available in their service selection but will be unable to make detailed requirements on which vendors and solutions will be used. This limitation is typically balanced by enhanced simplicity. Managed security services can also be provided by carriers working with an MSP model. In most cases, carrier-based offerings are made available in conjunction with other offered services. Consultant/Agent/Reseller This segment of the industry typically does not have an internally developed product or technology. They, instead, are designed to function as independent entities that can help you sort through the available options based on your company’s specifics needs, budgets, and legacy infrastructure. Their role is to do the necessary legwork, understanding the differentiators among the various offerings as well as those of the vendors that provide them. Aside from helping with the pre-sales phase of the engagement, they also play a key role in deployment, optimization, support, training, and other facets of technology. Copyright © 2020 AVANT Communications, Inc. 27