Unify Updates UC Services With Partners in Mind

By Edward Gately

Communications software and services provider Unify says it has stepped up its commitment to its partners with updates to OpenScape Enterprise Express and OpenScape Business.

Developed with input from channel partners, the all-in-one offerings deliver mobility, voice and UC capability “at lower costs due to the ease of deployment,” according to the company.

Unify also announced the availability of software and hardware support services through the channel, providing additional opportunities for partners to generate revenue.

Jon Pritchard, Unify’s executive vice president of worldwide channels, tells Channel Partners the company’s focus is to “put the channel at the heart of everything we do, and we strive to provide partners with opportunities to grow their business in the best ways possible for them, and their customers.”

“These enhancements to OpenScape Business and OpenScape Enterprise Express were driven by the needs of the channel to help expand their opportunities with SMB and midmarket customers,” he said. “Additionally, the ability for partners to sell our end-to-end services and support frees partners to spend more time on higher-value activities.”

The Unify Partner Program includes more than 2,000 partners and plays a major role in the expansion of the company’s global channel footprint as it continues its shift toward a channel-focused, go-to-market strategy.

The revitalized program was announced last October as part of the company’s efforts to transition to a software and services-driven provider of UC, and to unify its partner base.

A recent Unify partner survey found that 98 percent of partners expect to invest the same or more when asked if the program changes how they will invest in the company. Of those partners, 36 percent plan to invest more or significantly more, and 58 percent believe they have a strategic relationship with the company, defined by having engagements with multiple departments at all levels.

“More and more we are seeing SMBs and midsize enterprises want to utilize the latest technologies to improve productivity and enable team members to work anywhere, from …

… any device,” said Bill Hurley, Unify’s chief marketing officer. “And for partners, these solutions provide an opportunity to extend their reach in the SMB and midmarket spaces. We’re delivering on our vision to make it easy for SMBs and midsize organizations to embrace the ‘New Way to Work.’”

OpenScape Enterprise Express was developed for enterprises with up to 2,000 users and includes applications for voice, audio conferencing, UC, unified messaging, mobility and an optional contact center.

OpenScape Business was developed for the SMB market and its OpenScape Business S software now supports up to 1,500 users.

Last month, Unify announced it enhanced its focus on the next-generation 9-1-1 emergency communications market with the introduction of OpenScape First Response, which provides the ability to respond to emergency situations regardless of media, device or location of the citizen. OpenScape First Response also enables public-safety organizations to accelerate adherence next-generation 9-1-1.

In recent years, the company has undergone numerous major changes, including laying off half its workforce, replacing its executive team and rebranding from Siemens Enterprise Communications.