The Zoom Mitel partnership announced today to deliver a hybrid unified communications (UC) solution is good news in the enterprise communications realm. This collaboration, set to launch in the first half of 2025, marks a significant shift in how businesses approach their communication infrastructure, blending the best of cloud and on-premises worlds — which, despite all the hype about cloud solutions, is exactly what many enterprise customers want.
The Zoom Mitel Partnership Addresses the Hybrid Imperative
The Zoom Mitel partnership comes at a crucial time when the demand for flexible, hybrid, and future-ready work solutions is at an all-time high, especially in the enterprise. A recent survey from Techaisle indicates that 82% of leaders plan to increase workplace flexibility in the next two years, while a staggering 91% of enterprises are prioritizing a hybrid approach for their business communications. This trend underscores the need for solutions that can bridge the gap between traditional on-premises systems and modern cloud-based platforms. In fact, Techaisle’s 2023 research data shows that while 92% of firms prioritize customer experience and employee experience platforms and 69% of mid-market firms are investing in modernizing their customer-facing and employee productivity and comms solutions, there does not appear to be a desire on the customer from for one-size-fits-all solutions to business comms. That’s why this focus by Zoom and Mitel on delivering a hybrid solution is timely.
A “Best-of-Both-Worlds” Solution and One that Aligns With Mitel’s Common Communications Framework
At the heart of this partnership is the integration of Zoom’s cutting-edge Workplace platform and AI Companion with Mitel’s robust communications framework.
Mitel also brings its long-standing commitment to provide the ultimate in choice and flexibility to customers, providing customizable options for cloud, deployment, and collaboration, along with a suite of vertical applications.
The partnership also aligns nicely with Mitel’s recently announced Common Communications Framework, which is focused on delivering a balanced solution that combines cloud simplicity with enterprise-grade scalability. Mitel’s approach here offers both new and existing customers the flexibility to blend private cloud, public cloud, and on-premises deployments within a single environment, tailoring their unified communications to specific operational needs. This affords customers the ability to use their existing PBX systems while also adopting whatever cloud model they prefer to help support growth, but also set up the organization for future readiness. It’s scalable, easy to use across multiple locations, leverages Mitel’s AI ecosystem, integrates with other business apps to optimize workflows, and provides a consistent platform designed to enhance engagement and productivity for workers, regardless of their location.
This strategy has gained traction among customers seeking gradual cloud adoption and those with complex needs, which is also where I see this Zoom Mitel partnership playing a significant role.
The Zoom Mitel offering promises to deliver:
- Seamless integration without add-ons or plug-ins
- Unified communications and mobile app integration
- Hardware device-level integration
- Advanced business process capabilities
The result is a solution that offers the security and control of mission-critical on-prem systems alongside the innovative collaboration features of cloud-based platforms. It’s also important to note Zoom Workplace won’t displace Mitel’s existing collaboration apps but will instead be an option for customers who seek a single solution that can not only integrate with Mitel’s other platforms, but which might also deliver more advanced capabilities.
AI-Driven Innovation Should Speed Adoption and Spur Productivity
As I mentioned earlier, I see the integration of Zoom AI Companion, where ease of use is the name of the game, across the unified platform as a significant standout feature of this Zoom Mitel partnership. Zoom’s ease of use is the company’s secret sauce, and this move brings advanced AI capabilities to Mitel’s vast user base of over 70 million, potentially transforming how these users interact, collaborate, and manage their communications and speeding AI adoption across that user base.
Providing a Flexible Migration Path
Perhaps one of the most significant aspects of this partnership is its approach to cloud migration. Recognizing that not all businesses are ready for an immediate full cloud transition, the real beauty of this partnership is that Zoom and Mitel are offering a flexible path that allows companies to move at their own pace. They are meeting customers where they are, with solutions that serve them now, but which can grow and evolve with them in the future. This strategy could be particularly appealing to enterprises with substantial investments in on-prem infrastructure or those in heavily regulated industries.
Channel Partner Opportunities
The partnership also presents exciting opportunities for channel partners. With Zoom becoming Mitel’s exclusive UCaaS offering and Mitel’s sales teams and partners able to cross-sell the Zoom-first experience, the potential for market expansion is significant. With Zoom’s growth being somewhat flat (although coming in better than expected in second-quarter earnings) after riding the pandemic wave, I see this as very good news — for both companies. This collaborative approach could lead to more comprehensive solutions for end-users and new revenue streams for partners.
Looking Ahead for Zoom Mitel and the Future of Hybrid Comms
As the unified communications market continues to evolve, this partnership positions both Zoom and Mitel to address the growing demand for hybrid solutions. It also signals a broader trend in the industry toward more flexible, AI-driven communication platforms that can adapt to diverse enterprise needs.
While the full impact of this partnership remains to be seen, it’s clear that Zoom and Mitel are betting big on the future of hybrid communications, and there’s every reason to believe that bet is a solid one. As we move closer to the 2025 launch date, I’ll be watching how this collaboration unfolds and what it means for the future of enterprise communications.
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