USD
GBP 
CNY 
EUR 
INR 
JPY 
MYR 
ZAR 
KRW 
THB 
The Pillars of Effective Communication: Manageability, Security, Integration, and Interoperability
11-Sep-2025
Global
Customer Research
KB99-01-00-00-00
TE_2025_33806
This year's Frost & Sullivan UCC IT Decision Maker (ITDM) survey reveals that organizations are increasingly prioritizing manageability and integration to drive operational efficiency and flexibility. At the same time, seamless integration capabilities, especially through the adoption of APIs and third-party tool compatibility, are essential for agile workflows. In turn, this allows businesses to adapt quickly and enhance productivity.
The importance of AI-powered communication features continues to grow for organizations, though ITDMs are challenged with developing an AI strategy that aligns with the wider business objectives and delivers a tangible return on investment. Organizations' willingness to pay a premium for access to AI capabilities is a polarizing topic, with a roughly equal share of ITDMs prepared to pay as those that think AI capabilities are table stakes and should therefore be provided at no additional cost.
Security, a perennial challenge for ITDMs, has become a non-negotiable requirement amid rising cyber threats, stricter data privacy regulations. Advanced security features, critical to safeguarding user information and maintaining trust in digital communication platforms, are of growing importance.
On top of this, ITDMs want reliability and ease of user adoption, as these are seen as key to successful technology deployment. Businesses across all regions view reliability as a top priority, as service interruptions can severely disrupt operations. Equally important is user adoption; tools must be intuitive and user-friendly to encourage employee engagement, reduce training costs, and accelerate return on investment.
Author: Chris Pennell
Research Objectives and Methodology
Total Sample Respondent Demographics
Key Findings
Communication Challenges for Employees in Your Organization
The Extent Challenges Hinder the Efficiency of Workflows
Investments in Digital Communications Tools to Improve the Efficiency of Workflows
Organizational Communication and Collaboration Challenges Analysis
IT/Telecom Departments Challenges—Non-technical
IT/Telecom Departments Challenges—Technology
Additional Insights into IT/Telecom Departmental Challenges
UCC Software Investments
UCC Device Investment Plans
Additional Insights into UCC Adoption
Future Plans for Remote Work
Future Remote Work Plans by Region
Remote Work Prompts Changes to Office Space
APAC Changes to Office Space
Europe Changes to Office Space
LATAM Changes to Office Space
North America Changes to Office Space
Importance of AI-Powered Communication Features
AI-Powered Communication to Improve Quality of Work
Organizations’ Willingness to Pay for AI
Regional Variation in Willingness to Pay for AI Capabilities
Additional Insights into AI Adoption
Use of Managed Services
Use of Managed Services—North America
Use of Managed Services—Europe
Use of Managed Services—APAC
Use of Managed Services—LATAM
Additional Insights into Managed Services
Respondent Organization’s Annual Revenue
Respondent Organization’s Change in Funding
UCC Budgets Under Pressure
UCC Budget Continues to Increase in the Coming Years
UCC Budget to Increase in Coming Years with LATAM and APAC Leading the Charge
Importance of Factors for Driving the Growth of Investments
Additional Insights into UCC Solution Budgets
UCC Solution Selection Factors—Technology Factors
UCC Selection Factors—Non-Technology Factors
Additional Insights into Solution Selection
Growth Opportunities Fuel the Growth Pipeline Engine™
Why is it Increasingly Difficult to Grow?
The Strategic Imperative 8™
Benefits and Impacts of Growth Opportunities
Next Steps
List of Exhibits
Legal Disclaimer
Speak directly with our analytics experts for tailored recommendations.
Recent related Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) research
08 Oct 2026 | Global | Customer Research
Growth Opportunities for Communications and Collaboration in the Government Sector
Data from Frost & Sullivan's IT Decision Maker survey shows that government communications are entering a decisive new phase. The research finds that modernization is moving beyond routine technology replacement. Agencies now want communications platforms that improve public services, support employ...
07 Oct 2026 | Global | Market Research
Global Audio-Conferencing Devices Market Forecast to 2032
For years, while cameras drew the attention and budget in meeting rooms, audio was often a second thought. That assumption has expired. Audio now sits at the center of meeting equity and collaboration effectiveness, because even the sharpest image is useless if people cannot be heard and understood ...
28 Sep 2026 | Global | Frost Radar
Frost Radar™: Communications Platform as a Service, 2026
Communications platform as a service (CPaaS) has become foundational infrastructure for digital business, embedding programmable voice, messaging, and video into the applications where customers and employees engage. Enterprises are rearchitecting their communication workflows around programmable in...
24 Sep 2026 | Global | Customer Research
UCC Buyers’ Perspective: Investment Priorities in 2026 and Beyond
This research examines enterprise buyer priorities, investment plans, and purchasing behaviors related to Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) technologies through 2029, based on Frost & Sullivan’s 2026 global Information Technology Decision-Maker (ITDM) survey. The study explores how orga...
09 Sep 2026 | Global | Technology Research
Unified Cloud Control: The Emergence of Intelligent Multi-Cloud Management Platforms, 2026-2030
This report emerges as the evolution of an integrated cloud manipulation management system as complementary technology for employer cloud manipulation management systems to enable businesses to manage increasingly distributed workloads in public, private, hybrid, edge, and sovereign clouds in one ma...
Purchase includes:
- Report download
- Growth Dialog™ with our experts
Growth Dialog™
A tailored session with you where we identify the:- Strategic Imperatives
- Growth Opportunities
- Best Practices
- Companies to Action
Impacting your company's future growth potential.
The importance of AI-powered communication features continues to grow for organizations, though ITDMs are challenged with developing an AI strategy that aligns with the wider business objectives and delivers a tangible return on investment. Organizations' willingness to pay a premium for access to AI capabilities is a polarizing topic, with a roughly equal share of ITDMs prepared to pay as those that think AI capabilities are table stakes and should therefore be provided at no additional cost.
Security, a perennial challenge for ITDMs, has become a non-negotiable requirement amid rising cyber threats, stricter data privacy regulations. Advanced security features, critical to safeguarding user information and maintaining trust in digital communication platforms, are of growing importance.
On top of this, ITDMs want reliability and ease of user adoption, as these are seen as key to successful technology deployment. Businesses across all regions view reliability as a top priority, as service interruptions can severely disrupt operations. Equally important is user adoption; tools must be intuitive and user-friendly to encourage employee engagement, reduce training costs, and accelerate return on investment.
Author: Chris Pennell
| Deliverable Type | Customer Research |
|---|---|
| Industries | Telecom |
| No Index | No |
| Is Prebook | No |
| Keyword 1 | UCC market growth forecast |
| Keyword 2 | unified communications buyer insights |
| Keyword 3 | collaboration technology market |
| Podcast | No |
| Predecessor | KA19-01-00-00-00 |
| WIP Number | KB99-01-00-00-00 |