Collaboration platforms often have a predictable process to them: speaking with a provider results in a lengthy process of discovery to uncover what an organization actually needs, then proceeds to multiple rounds of proposals and revisions until the final version is signed. For years, businesses have had to go through this process regardless of their size.
In the traditional model of investing in a collaboration platform, organizations frequently go through an initial discovery process because the service provider has to put together a package of services for them that are geared towards their specific needs (you can find out more about the challenges of implementing collaboration tools here). But for smaller organizations, this discovery process can be slow and delay a business’s ability to assist its customers. This lost productivity can be costly, quite apart from the price tag of a package of solutions.
However, despite the legitimate reasons for the existence of these rules, the requirements they imposed made it especially hard for small and midsized organizations to navigate the process because it placed a high administrative burden on businesses that had limited resources to devote to the task. Luckily, recent changes have allowed organizations like Cisco and Hammer Tech to create a service that streamlines the process for anyone looking for a robust collaboration platform.
Hammer Cloud with Webex is a recently developed offering that Hammer Tech and Cisco have partnered on to support the small and medium-sized segment of businesses in their collaboration needs. It streamlines administration, yes, but is there anything else that Hammer Cloud with Webex does that separates it from the traditional model of implementing a collaboration platform?
Hammer Cloud with Webex: An All-Inclusive Experience
Hammer Cloud with Webex has an established offering, integrating mature technologies that Cisco clients have relied on for years so that businesses looking for a collaboration solution can bypass the protracted discovery process and start using cloud-based collaboration tools to propel their business forward. Plus, Hammer Cloud with Webex includes support in its package, so there’s no need to go through a lengthy or technical process if a business needs to add new users or change office locations.
Simplify Your Service Provider Paperwork
Large organizations often benefit from having a highly customizable package of solutions because they can take advantage of programs that allow them to get the best price for the number of users they have. However, for businesses that have fewer employees, there’s really limited benefit to the customized approach because any value they get from customizing their packages – which is often far less than larger organizations can get – is outweighed by the administrative costs associated with it.
If a business has limited staff to handle administrative tasks, it can be costly to review the paperwork that gives a detailed breakdown of the solutions being recommended, what charges are associated with them, and how they’re being used. In cases like this, a solution like Hammer Cloud with Webex can make sense because it creates a single invoice and charge for each user, regardless of how much they use it.
Speeding Up Collaborative Deployment
Anyone in business knows that time is the most valuable resource any organization has, so solutions that can cut down the time it takes to get value from an investment are held in high regard. Hammer Cloud with Webex offers an opportunity to do this not just because of its reduced discovery costs, but also because creates a streamlined process for support that the traditional model doesn’t.
Cisco offers support for organizations using any Webex product, but under the traditional model there’s often a process to get service approved and executed. With Hammer Cloud with Webex, the system can be serviced by Hammer Tech’s team without the need to undergo an approval process with Cisco. This is possible because every license a business signs up for comes with a robust service plan so that any issues that arise can be handled without the need for Cisco’s intervention.
Why Not Use Hammer Cloud with Webex for Everything?
In showcasing the benefits of Hammer Cloud with Webex, it’s an easy enough to ask “why would anyone choose the traditional model?”
Like most things, the answer is based on individual situations. Organizations that only have one or two IT people often aren’t going to have the bandwidth necessary to manage a complex, highly customized collaboration platform, and it’s those organizations that will benefit the most from the Hammer Cloud with Webex model.
However, organizations that are able to hire large IT departments could end up spending an unnecessary amount of money on collaboration platform licenses if they try to adopt Hammer Cloud with Webex for their business. Hammer Cloud with Webex is a fixed-fee model, meaning organizations that sign up don’t have access to specialized pricing that comes with larger deployments. Larger organizations that use the traditional model are also able to:
- Choose the Cisco-approved carrier that offers the best deal for their needs
- Lock in pricing for a specific term
- Take advantage of Cisco’s True Forward program when they need to add new users
These benefits can have a meaningful impact on a business’s bottom line. Essentially, a good rule of thumb is that if an organization has the resources to handle a traditional deployment, it could be beneficial to their long-term success; if they would rather stay out of the IT business as much as possible, then Hammer Cloud with Webex might be an ideal alternative.
Setting a Goal for Collaboration Platform Investments
People often fall prey to investing in technology without really thinking about how they’d want to apply it to their business. This lack of planning can lead to significant investments of time and resources if organizations can’t clarify the goal they want to achieve with the new tool.
Cisco is a leading provider of collaboration tools, including a ton of flexibility with their Webex platform, but with the advent of Hammer Cloud with Webex, there’s an option for organizations who haven’t considered the platform before to take advantage of the robust collaboration tools now accessible to them.
If your organization is interested in finding out more about Hammer Cloud with Webex, contact us today.