Communication Strategies worked with an Education/K-12 client on a wide range of projects focused on voice and data infrastructure migrations. During the course of the migration project, the Com-Strat team started to review their carrier services and immediately uncovered $17,000,000 worth of annual savings. More to follow!!

With pricing models tailored to government, education and the private sector, many organizations are strongly considering Teams as a suitable replacement for their legacy on-premise PBX systems. Pursuing this strategy involves several potential challenges:

• What is the right deployment model (MS Teams calling plan, Direct Connect, Operator Connect)?
• How will feature parity with current platform be addressed?
• Who will be responsible for deployment tasks (database, programming, training, telco porting)
• How will E-911 compliance be achieved and supported?
• What is the hard phone/softphone strategy?
• What changes to customer network will be required?
• What integrations will be necessary for 3rd party applications (contact center, paging, faxing)?
• How (and who) will ongoing support be managed?

While the direction may be clear, the path to success largely depends on satisfactorily addressing the above issues. Communication Strategies is well-versed in supporting its clients’ Teams migrations and can be a valuable resource for organizations choosing this strategy.

The client was interested in securing the services of a vendor-neutral technology consulting firm who could provide a strategic assessment of their current state environment as it pertains to their existing EHR platform and current partner. Com-Strat had previously worked with the client on other projects, and they liked the firm’s process-based approach to successfully align their organization’s strategy and departmental goals in conjunction with industry best practices.

The client stressed that in selecting a new EHR solution, they wanted to make sure that it addressed their current and future practice requirements as the Health care organization continues to grow to meet the needs of their patients and surrounding community.

A list of potential new area codes that are in the planning stages are:

Smarter Self Servicing: At the front end, legacy IVRs and Automated Attendants are being replaced with smarter call routing tools and chatbots to deliver clients to the right resource and information in a more efficient manner. With more routine traffic and information requests offloaded, agents have more time to spend with clients on more complex or revenue-producing calls.

Improved Real Time Analytics: Firms are beginning to deploy AI tools to make better business decisions, improve client relations and provide better support for agent retention. Improved data visibility gives management the opportunity to get ahead of any emerging problems.

Sentiment: New options allow management and agents to better understand and respond to client mood and review responses considering emotional intelligence and how voice tone and cadence may be impacting successful call completion.

Single Image of the Customer Experience: Companies are working to integrate their CRM with interactions from other mediums, including live chat, email, phone, and social media. In the past, agents were limited in understanding a client’s past experience to resolve an issue or get information they needed. A full comprehensive picture of the customer experience can now drive a better outcome for client and agent.

Improved Agent Staffing: AI options may also reduce agent workload and improve agent retention. AI application deployment done properly can help companies refocus agent talent where needed, often reducing necessary head count while improving the overall client experience.

• In-depth experience with telecom systems, intercoms, bells, clocking and paging solutions;
• Experience and expertise with school districts of their size, demographics and educational goals;
• A consulting firm that had experience in understanding and interpreting state laws and regulations;
• An understanding of the 21st century educational and technology goals of K-12 institutions;
• The availability to visit sites and attend meetings in person as needed;
• Working knowledge of data networking including, LAN’s, WAN,s and Carrier Services.

After several rounds of RFPs, Providence Schools selected Com-Strat, who checked all of the boxes and could meet their requirements.

Communication Strategies was previously involved in helping the White House roll out its toll-free Covid vaccination in 2021.

• The previous administration implemented trade restrictions on two-way trade
• A two-year global pandemic
• The shutdown of manufacturing facilities across APAC
• Increased use of personal, in-home technologies and IoT (Internet of Things)
• Global chip stockpiling
• The slowdown of supply chains and transportation of materials
• Limited availability of critical minerals such as lithium

Some manufacturing companies such as Intel, Texas Instruments, and TSMC, the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, are investing in building new factories in the US and Europe, but industry speculation is that a complete build-out to production could take three to five years. At the end of March 2022, President Biden issued a directive invoking the Defense Production Act in a move to start domestic production and mining of critical minerals needed in the development of chips and batteries.

5G has been expected to move 10 to 50 times more data than 4G LTE. 5G also promises to transform IoT (Internet of Things) connecting billions of devices and driving new markets and business opportunities.

Today within the US and internationally there are multiple 5G platforms offering a mix of speed, technologies, and applications. Some are simply leveraging previous investments in 4G LTE. Carriers and providers such as T-Mobile are utilizing mid-band and now CA (Carrier Aggregation) while AT&T and Verizon are starting to deploy C-Band. C-Band is the technology that was thought to pose a threat to airplane safety.

Consumers looking to buy 5G cellular technology devices need to be mindful of disparate services among the major providers.

The final concern appears to be security. An increase of connected devices raises the risk of attacks on a substantial scale. The Federal Government is moving quickly to establish guidelines to mitigate risk.

Looming in the future – 6G

Communication Strategies 2022 Technology Trends & Predictions:

• Microsoft will add a voice channel to its customer engagement platform.
• Zoom will offer contact center functionality.
• AWS, MS, and Zoom will increase their customer bases.
• Additional network outages will affect many cloud based applications.
• Supply chain challenges will delay projects.
• More mergers, acquisitions, and consolidation will occur in the UC/CC space.
• Collaboration platforms will continue to add functionality.
• Companies will continue to experience challenges adapting to a hybrid work mode.

Predicted trends may impact some vertical markets and geographical areas more so than others. As an example, companies insisting upon full return to the office are encountering delays, resignations, demands for higher compensation and increased hazard pay. Employees are more likely to switch jobs to companies who support WFM or flexible hybrid models.

Some predictions are tied to others. Zoom moved to acquire Five9 in 2021 but as that potential merger ended, they are likely to be in the hunt again for another contact center acquisition.

Delayed projects due to supply chain challenges appear to be impacting all industries. Raw metals or materials availability, transport and fabrication impact the chip manufacturing market for everything from automobiles, appliances, and telephones to switches and routers.