New European research commissioned by Damovo Global Services, a leading provider of enterprise communications solutions and services, revealed that 86% of multinationals do not have total control over their voice infrastructure. This is despite an average daily cost of €200,000 to the business if voice was to fail.
Multinationals from the UK, Germany, France, Belgium and Switzerland took part in the study, carried out by independent research company Coleman Parkes.
Almost nine of out ten organisations lack complete visibility and management of voice even though 81% of multinationals said voice is critical and 35% admitted there would be a severe or business-destroying impact if their voice system went down. Leading consequences of this are loss of productivity (57%), loss of customers (55%), loss of revenues (47%) and reputational damage (40%).
More than half of multinationals (57%) plan upgrades to voice systems in the next three to five years. Potential challenges include the complexity of upgrading multiple voice technologies across different locations, threat of service disruption and lack of in-house expertise.
Mary Bradshaw, managing director, Damovo Global Services, said, “The survey results are very thought provoking. We have always understood the importance of voice. This research further validates that view as 81% of respondents see voice as critical to their organisation. What is astounding is that only 14% have total control over this critical function. This is a serious business issue. Organisations are exposing themselves to the potential loss of customers and revenue.
“While many global organisations do centrally manage their voice infrastructure, they still lack total control. This is understandable. Voice is complex to manage, especially on a global scale across multiple technology platforms.
“This research also highlights multinationals’ concerns about both choosing the right voice strategy, and minimising risk and disruption to the business when upgrading. Organisations can alleviate risk by adopting a phased approach to technology upgrades, working with a partner who understands voice and the varying requirements of different territories.
“At Damovo, we believe it’s not just about supporting the business, but also about understanding the organisation’s goals and challenges. Only then do we develop the right strategy and implement it at a comfortable pace.”
To download the full report, please click here.