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Tool Overload and Fragmentation Undermine Effective Communications and Collaboration
24-Sep-2026
Global
Customer Research
KCAF-01-00-00-00
TE_2026_34919
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 organizations are adapting communications strategies, technology investments, and workplace models in response to evolving business requirements, hybrid work practices, customer experience expectations, and increasing operational complexity. Findings provide insight into demand patterns across applications, devices, budgets, investment objectives, and buying criteria.
The research is based on a quantitative survey conducted in June and July 2026 among 1,198 IT and business decision-makers responsible for UCC-related purchasing decisions. Respondents represented a diverse cross-section of industries, organization sizes, organizational functions, and global regions, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Analysis was performed at the global level and segmented by geography and organization size to identify variations in priorities, investment intensity, and purchasing behavior. The study period spans 2026 to 2029, enabling assessment of near-term investment plans and strategic technology priorities.
The analysis reveals that hybrid work has become an established operating model, with approximately 80% of organizations reporting effective support across workplace policies, office design, collaboration technologies, and employee inclusion. However, strong confidence remains limited, indicating opportunities for solution providers to improve execution and employee experiences. Organizations continue to invest heavily in office modernization, collaboration technologies, and workplace enhancements rather than reducing physical office presence.
Technology complexity has emerged as a major challenge. Employees increasingly struggle with application and device sprawl, while IT departments cite skills shortages, cybersecurity concerns, privacy requirements, and multi-vendor integration complexity as primary obstacles. These operational pressures are driving demand for simplified, integrated communications environments and managed expertise.
Investment intentions remain broadly positive across UCC product and service markets. Cloud contact centers, employee engagement platforms, cloud video meetings, cloud PBX solutions, and next-generation replacements for legacy analog infrastructure are among the highest-priority application investments. On the device side, meeting room video systems, personal video collaboration devices, and company-issued mobile phones lead planned spending. Budget outlooks are similarly favorable, with communications and collaboration expenditures approaching an average of 10% of organizational revenue and more than half of respondents expecting budget increases.
Purchasing decisions are ultimately driven by trust, reliability, security, compliance, and customer support rather than cost. Customer experience improvement ranks as the most important investment objective globally, underscoring the strategic role of UCC technologies in enabling business growth, workforce productivity, and long-term digital transformation.
Author: Robert Arnold
Research Objectives and Methodology
Respondent Demographics
Hybrid Work Strategies—Global
Hybrid Work Strategies—APAC
Hybrid Work Strategies—Europe
Hybrid Work Strategies—LATAM
Hybrid Work Strategies—North America
Evolving Work Models Impact on Office Strategies—APAC
Evolving Work Models Impact on Office Strategies—Europe
Evolving Work Models Impact on Office Strategies—LATAM
Evolving Work Models Impact on Office Strategies—North America
Hybrid Work and Office Strategies: Key Takeaways
IT/Telecom Departments Challenges—Global
IT/Telecom Departments Challenges—By Region
IT/Telecom Departments Challenges—By Organization Size
IT/Telecom Department Challenges: Key Takeaways
Employee Communication Challenges—Global
Employee Communication Challenges—By Region
Employee Communication Challenges—By Organization Size
Employee Communication Challenges: Key Takeaways
Digital Communication Investment Plans by Department—Global
Digital Communication Investment Plans by Department—APAC
Digital Communication Investment Plans by Department—Europe
Digital Communication Investment Plans by Department—LATAM
Digital Communication Investment Plans by Department—North America
Digital Communication Investment Plans by Department—10-99 Employees
Digital Communication Investment Plans by Department—100–499 Employees
Digital Communication Investment Plans by Department—500–999 Employees
Digital Communication Investment Plans by Department—1,000+ Employees
Digital Communication Investment Plans: Key Takeaways
UCC Application Investment Plans—Global
UCC Application Investment Plans—APAC
UCC Application Investment Plans—Europe
UCC Application Investment Plans—LATAM
UCC Application Investment Plans—North America
UCC Application Investment Plans—10–99 Employees
UCC Application Investment Plans—100–499 Employees
UCC Application Investment Plans—500-999 Employees
UCC Application Investment Plans—1,000+ Employees
UCC Device Investment Plans-Global
UCC Device Investment Plans-APAC
UCC Device Investment Plans-Europe
UCC Device Investment Plans-LATAM
UCC Device Investment Plans-North America
UCC Device Investment Plans—10-99 Employees
UCC Device Investment Plans—100-499 Employees
UCC Device Investment Plans—500-999 Employees
UCC Device Investment Plans—1,000+ Employees
UCC Application and Device Investment: Key Takeaways
Important Factors in UCC Purchases—Global
Important Factors in UCC Purchases—APAC
Important Factors in UCC Purchases—Europe
Important Factors in UCC Purchases—LATAM
Important Factors in UCC Purchases—North America
Important Factors in UCC Purchases—10-99 Employees
Important Factors in UCC Purchases—100-499 Employees
Important Factors in UCC Purchases—500-999 Employees
Important Factors in UCC Purchases—1,000+ Employees
UCC Solution Investment Objectives—Global
UCC Solution Investment Objectives—APAC
UCC Solution Investment Objectives—Europe
UCC Solution Investment Objectives—LATAM
UCC Solution Investment Objectives—North America
UCC Solution Investment Objectives—10-99 Employees
UCC Solution Investment Objectives—100-499 Employees
UCC Solution Investment Objectives—500-999 Employees
UCC Solution Investment Objectives—1,000+ Employees
UCC Purchase Criteria & Investment Objectives: Key Takeaways
UCC Budgets—Global
UCC Budgets—APAC
UCC Budgets—Europe
UCC Budgets—LATAM
UCC Budgets—North America
UCC Budgets—10-99 Employees
UCC Budgets—100-499 Employees
UCC Budgets—500-999 Employees
UCC Budgets—1,000+ Employees
UCC Budgets: Key Takeaways
Organizational Profiles Associated with Budget Trends
Budget Direction Shapes Hybrid Work Readiness and Employee Communications Challenges
Bigger Budgets Drive Communications Ambitions and Higher Buying Standards
UCC Investment Priorities Shift with Budget Direction
Communications Investments Persist Across Business-Critical Departments
Fragmentation Undermines the Return on Communications Investment
Business Momentum—Not Company Size—Separates Budget Increasers from Cutters
Growth Companies Use Communications as a Strategic Advantage
Key Findings
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
Legal Disclaimer
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The research is based on a quantitative survey conducted in June and July 2026 among 1,198 IT and business decision-makers responsible for UCC-related purchasing decisions. Respondents represented a diverse cross-section of industries, organization sizes, organizational functions, and global regions, including North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. Analysis was performed at the global level and segmented by geography and organization size to identify variations in priorities, investment intensity, and purchasing behavior. The study period spans 2026 to 2029, enabling assessment of near-term investment plans and strategic technology priorities.
The analysis reveals that hybrid work has become an established operating model, with approximately 80% of organizations reporting effective support across workplace policies, office design, collaboration technologies, and employee inclusion. However, strong confidence remains limited, indicating opportunities for solution providers to improve execution and employee experiences. Organizations continue to invest heavily in office modernization, collaboration technologies, and workplace enhancements rather than reducing physical office presence.
Technology complexity has emerged as a major challenge. Employees increasingly struggle with application and device sprawl, while IT departments cite skills shortages, cybersecurity concerns, privacy requirements, and multi-vendor integration complexity as primary obstacles. These operational pressures are driving demand for simplified, integrated communications environments and managed expertise. Investment intentions remain broadly positive across UCC product and service markets. Cloud contact centers, employee engagement platforms, cloud video meetings, cloud PBX solutions, and next-generation replacements for legacy analog infrastructure are among the highest-priority application investments. On the device side, meeting room video systems, personal video collaboration devices, and company-issued mobile phones lead planned spending. Budget outlooks are similarly favorable, with communications and collaboration expenditures approaching an average of 10% of organizational revenue and more than half of respondents expecting budget increases.
Purchasing decisions are ultimately driven by trust, reliability, security, compliance, and customer support rather than cost. Customer experience improvement ranks as the most important investment objective globally, underscoring the strategic role of UCC technologies in enabling business growth, workforce productivity, and long-term digital transformation.
Author: Robert Arnold
| Deliverable Type | Customer Research |
|---|---|
| No Index | No |
| Is Prebook | No |
| Podcast | No |
| Predecessor | KB99-01-00-00-00 |
| WIP Number | KCAF-01-00-00-00 |