Paul Clarke (PC): Most definitely, 3CX downloads have soared since the outbreak, with our web meeting service in particular seeing a huge increase in demand- usage rates have increased by approximately 25%.
Our collaboration tools are also being applied to new sectors in the wake of the outbreak. Where they were once predominantly used in corporate environments, we’re now seeing traction in the health and education sectors. For the education sector, collaboration tools are essential if the school gates remain closed- classroom style webinars, instant messaging and live chat all enable pupils to stay connected wherever they are.
CBM: Have customers caught on to the benefits of Remote Working?
PC: Customers of all sizes are realising the benefits of working remotely and we want to give them the tools to do so without experiencing productivity lulls. Whilst 3CX has always been committed to delivering first class communication and collaboration, with recent releases we’ve sought to expand the range of contact options available. In V16, we redesigned our internal messaging, introduced a new live chat feature and added additional call reports- making it easier for employers to monitor customer facing employees working remotely. On top of this, we’re constantly pushing the limits of our web meeting service, which in a recent round of independent performance tests, outperformed the leading open-source WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) platforms in terms of performance and resilience.
Flexible working is on the up but there’s still plenty of businesses who are yet to offer flexi time as a core part of their package. The benefits are widely known- better work life balance, lower rates of mental illnesses in the workplace and increased productivity being just a few, so it's up to vendors and resellers to highlight how mobility features can make the switch easy. Even simple changes, like utilising presence effectively can make it much easier to manage employees working flexibly.