If a business is moving to UC, how does the decision get made on the platform?
In many cases, the IT Administrator has some responsibility for the phone system (even if that means he calls the PBX vendor). When the IT Admin is tasked with replacing the phone system, what goes into that decision?
Certainly, if the admin is Cisco certified, he will be leaning towards a move to Cisco Call Manager. You don't get fired for buying Cisco. You also go with what you know. If the admin is an MCSE, he may lean towards an OCS solution.
My guess would be that it would be difficult for a PBX vendor like Shore-Tel or Avaya to pitch their box. It's too foreign. A PBX is an unknown black box. In a business IT department, you go with what you know. It comes down to IT being familiar with IT vendors. PBX vendors just never bridged that gap. Likely that is why VAR's and MSP's (managed service providers) are having success selling Hosted PBX solutions. IT guy to IT guy. Trust is there because they speak the same language. Hosted solutions are a concept that an IT guy (or gal) can fathom. After all, what is a server or Exchange or Novell or the mainframe?
Keep this menatlity in mind when heading out to pitch PBX. (Don't call it that!)
In many cases, the IT Administrator has some responsibility for the phone system (even if that means he calls the PBX vendor). When the IT Admin is tasked with replacing the phone system, what goes into that decision?
Certainly, if the admin is Cisco certified, he will be leaning towards a move to Cisco Call Manager. You don't get fired for buying Cisco. You also go with what you know. If the admin is an MCSE, he may lean towards an OCS solution.
My guess would be that it would be difficult for a PBX vendor like Shore-Tel or Avaya to pitch their box. It's too foreign. A PBX is an unknown black box. In a business IT department, you go with what you know. It comes down to IT being familiar with IT vendors. PBX vendors just never bridged that gap. Likely that is why VAR's and MSP's (managed service providers) are having success selling Hosted PBX solutions. IT guy to IT guy. Trust is there because they speak the same language. Hosted solutions are a concept that an IT guy (or gal) can fathom. After all, what is a server or Exchange or Novell or the mainframe?
Keep this menatlity in mind when heading out to pitch PBX. (Don't call it that!)
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