The Evolution of Business Communication: What Resellers Need to Know
How has the business communications market changed?
Following COVID19, businesses quickly transitioned to digital communication platforms like Microsoft Teams in order to fulfil hybrid working needs, transforming communication norms practically overnight. Since then, the focus on customer experience has been a priority for most businesses – no matter how their hybrid working policies have evolved.
The shift to hybrid working widened communications methods (more messages, video and online meetings) and many businesses have moved from desk phones to IP telephony to facilitate hybrid working. Most businesses now couple their IP telephony with collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams. The combination means analytics has become critical to monitor customer experience and maintain consistency, no matter the hybrid working policy.
Beyond technology, communication preferences have also changed. The newer generation prefers text-based day-to-day communication. In business, colleagues are less likely to make ad hoc calls without warning and more likely to schedule meetings. Unscheduled calls are seen as interruptions that disrupt workflow and focus. One area of communication that hasn’t changed, however, is the preference to talk to someone when customer satisfaction is low, or there is an issue to resolve. As AI-driven analysis of communications becomes more accessible, it is easier than ever to analyse topics, spot trends in sentiment, increase staff proficiency and drive improvements to maximise customer service.
This cultural shift in business communication has also impacted sales cycles. Traditionally, salespeople would rely on cold calling, interrupting potential clients regardless of what they were doing. However, with the move towards scheduled communication, this approach has become less effective. The success rate of cold calling has declined, forcing industry to explore new ways of reaching prospects.
What does this mean for the solutions resellers and MSPs offer their customers?
To stay competitive, resellers and MSPs must expand their offerings beyond voice, to include solutions that enhance customer experience and cater to modern business communication needs. This means offering unified platforms, such as Microsoft Teams, and adding a service wrap around these tools to help meet customer need, in line with modern user preferences.
Bundling in value to the overall business proposition is proven to be successful in driving customer loyalty and retention, whilst also helping businesses to maximise customer experience through the adoption of such tools. Communication analytics is a perfect example, which, when in the portfolio, supports any hybrid working policy, drives consistency in working practices and provides the insights needed to make data-driven decisions to improve customer journeys in any business. Recording is another value-add example, which enables powerful AI-powered conversation analysis across a business to truly understand customer behaviour, trends and sentiment.
How can resellers and MSPs identify the best partners for their needs going forward?
Resellers and MSPs should seek partners that are forward-thinking and agile enough to navigate an evolving and uncertain market. As customer purchasing behaviours shift towards self-service and digital transactions, it is crucial to work with partners who support this transition. The best partners will enable MSPs to create solutions that are easy to provision and consume, particularly through digital marketplaces and platforms.
In addition, partners should prioritise flexibility, offering solutions that integrate seamlessly with different technologies and distribution channels. This means embracing APIs and open frameworks that allow for smooth integration across various platforms. By aligning with partners who are adaptable and innovative, resellers and MSPs can remain competitive and meet the changing expectations of their customers.
How do you expect the business communications market to evolve in the coming years?
Significant transformation lies ahead, largely driven by advancements in AI. Interactions will increasingly take place not just between human customers and machines but also between AI-driven systems themselves. E-commerce vendors, for example, will need to adapt their platforms to accommodate machine-to-machine transactions as autonomous AI agents begin making purchasing decisions.
Agentic AI is on the horizon and will play a crucial role in business communication. This is a concept where AI systems operate independently within set boundaries. Unlike traditional AI, which constantly evolves and can create uncertainty, agentic AI is designed with clear objectives, priorities, and safeguards. Businesses will come to trust these AI-driven agents for focused tasks, reducing the need for human involvement in routine processes.
Despite AI’s growing role, voice communication will remain essential, particularly for complex and urgent matters. While AI can provide instant responses, humans will still be essential for interpreting nuanced problems, asking the right questions, and offering the emotional intelligence that customers often seek in difficult situations.
AI-powered analytics will become increasingly important in helping resellers and businesses anticipate challenges and make informed decisions. The ability to leverage AI for data-driven insights will allow companies to stay ahead of customer needs, optimise their services, and remain competitive in a rapidly evolving landscape.
AI will also enhance international business communication through real-time translation. Advanced AI-powered tools will enable seamless multilingual conversations. This kind of technology will allow participants in a call to hear each other in their native languages with near-perfect accuracy, significantly improving cross-border business communication.
The key is for resellers and service providers to demonstrate an understanding of these industry shifts, address customer pain points, and position themselves as forward-thinking partners in the AI-driven future of business communication.