CIO: Drive IT success with on-demand business communications

Ludovic Leclerc

January 10, 2024

Align business telephony to financial objectives with on-demand communications services.

Developing and maintaining an organisation’s information system are critical elements of a successful digital transformation project. Equally important is staying on budget.

In this blog, I’ll share three key actions you can take to ensure that your organisation’s telephony and business communications services are fully integrated into your digital transformation plans and you control your costs. Chief among these actions is to opt for an on-demand communications services model.

1. Streamline your infrastructure

Organisations need a software solution that is scalable, secure, suitable for virtualisation and has full IP connectivity. Depending on your context, you may prefer to deploy the business communications solution on site, host it in a private data centre or delegate hosting to a service provider (in a private cloud).

Whichever option you choose, the solution must always remain in a private, controlled environment, guaranteeing the confidentiality and sovereignty of your data.

2. Automate and delegate your operations

An enterprise communications solution, particularly for medium- and large-sized organisations, generally requires frequent tasks that make automation and delegation crucial to operations. These include:

• Configure users, their equipment and communications applications

• Monitor resource availability and service quality indicators

• Monitor alarms in real time for preventive maintenance

• Schedule backups and updates to automate operations 

• Generate reports to track expenditures and reduce communication costs

Opt for a service that offers the flexibility to delegate day-to-day operations to an external service provider, or to equip your IT team with appropriate management tools to administer the solution. It is also advantageous for the IT team to be able to set up self-service for end users to customise their telephony options themselves.

3. Guarantee your costs

By adopting an on-demand communications services model you will pay for only what you need.

With a subscription-based model, you benefit from the latest product developments and full support from the solution provider, and you maintain the option to adjust the price as new services are added. This applies to all types of IT services and can be offered as monthly, annual or multi-year subscriptions. 

The on-demand model makes it easier to draw up a provisional budget and account for all the business needs within the organisation. An 'à la carte' approach is another option, allowing your teams to view service options provided in a catalogue format.

On-demand communications control costs

Regardless of whether you approach your budget on a per-commitment basis or on a Profit and Loss (P&L) basis, it is essential to choose a communications solution that addresses all your constraints. 

Purple on Demand by Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise is based on a subscription model for software and services, complemented by hardware components purchased in a CAPEX model.

With Purple on Demand, organisations can align their budget, communications services and operations with needs and usage – without compromising security, service levels and quality, or the ability to evolve to adapt to change. All of which is key to making sure your digital transformation project is both a success and on budget.