Mitel acquired Unify, the unified communications and collaboration and communication and collaboration services businesses of the Atos group, in 2023.
The transaction created business with a combined customer base of more than 75 million users in over 100 countries and an expanded community of more than 5,500 resellers, service providers, technology and strategic alliance partners.
At the time, Mitel said it would add Unify’s voice platforms, collaboration and contact centre products, devices and endpoints, and associated intellectual property to its portfolio. The aim was to extend Mitel’s ability to deliver choice and flexibility for customers.
One year on, Simon Skellon, vice president, international sales, Mitel, explained the most significant impact for customers and channel partners.
He said, “With Mitel and Unify’s combined expertise and strengths, we can differentiate ourselves from the competition. Following the acquisition, Mitel has gained thorough service capabilities, giving us the opportunity to deliver truly end-to-end experiences.
“We can elevate the conversations that we have with organisations beyond telephony to complete digital IT solutions. This allows us to nurture deeper relationships with our clients and deliver the value that CIOs are looking for.”
Skellon added Mitel’s ongoing ambition is to equip partners with the tools and solutions they require to boost revenue and add value. He said this includes a focus on hybrid solutions and vertical integrations that support industry or organisation-specific workflows, including both knowledge and frontline workers.
New portfolio strategy
In recent months, Mitel has worked to integrate Unify within its business. The company recently announced a new portfolio strategy.
Skellon commented, “Our new portfolio strategy highlights our strong focus on the UC market. As businesses move forward in a post-pandemic, security-conscious work environment, Mitel, together with our partners, is well-positioned to guide them.”
Skellon explained that Mitel is responding to changing demand from businesses in terms of what they require from a communications perspective.
He said, “It is clear that basic telephony is not enough anymore. And, for many organisations, nor is an off-the-shelf UCaaS application. Today’s businesses require and increasingly demand tailored solutions that do not require them to make trade-offs.”
As such, Skellon said, Mitel’s new product strategy offers a variety of options, whether that’s in terms of technology or commercial models.
He added, “Hybrid solutions allow businesses to leverage on-premise investments with modern cloud services, while integrated communications solutions that are tailored to specific industries can help streamline daily workflows for employees and customers.
“We also offer multimodal flexibility, delivering seamless solutions to support not only knowledge workers but also frontline workers, whether they are working remotely or on site.”
Partner network growth
To support Mitel’s growth plans, the company is also looking to bring new partners onboard. Skellon explained, “We are interested in expanding our partner network in all parts of the world to those partners who are attracted by our business communications strategy.
“Since the focus will be on vertical markets, frontline workers and hybrid cloud, we expect to generate interest from a variety of value-added resellers who will add additional expertise to our portfolio.
“Mitel is always looking forward to welcoming partners into our ever-growing family who are committed to embracing our solutions to their customers.”
Expert guidance
Looking ahead, Skellon reflected on what he anticipates will be the major industry trends driving UC in the next 24 months. He said, “We expect to see a continued trend toward hybrid solutions, but it is important to note that these solutions must be on the customer’s terms – organisations will not sacrifice control or reliability to do so.
“We’re also observing a growing demand for a more seamless experience from the organisation’s tech stack to improve employee productivity and remain competitive.”
Skellon emphasised the importance of channel partners providing their customers with tailored solutions that meet their specific needs.
He said, “In every industry and geography, organisations are becoming increasingly complex, making a one-size-fits-all approach insufficient to meet their needs. Over the next 24 months, the need for flexibility will be crucial.
“This doesn’t just mean providing complete custom solutions, but also having a laser focus on optionality, ensuring each customer gets the right solution for their needs and goals.”
Resellers and MSPs have an opportunity to guide their customers through their options. Skellon said, “Partners will increasingly need to act as trusted advisors throughout the customer’s entire communications journey. Many partners are focusing on gaining deep, specialised competencies in specific vertical industries such as healthcare and financial services.”
This interview appeared in our September 2024 print issue. You can read the magazine in full here.