Webex is Named a Leader in the 2022 Aragon Globe for Unified Communications and Collaboration
Recently, Aragon Research published its sixth annual Research Globe for Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC), and we’re proud that Webex was once again identified as a leader. Aragon Research is an independent research and advisory company founded in 2011 by former Gartner Lead Analyst Jim Lundy.
Aragon’s report is considerably more extensive this year, reflecting the role of Unified Communications as a complete collaboration platform that must support hybrid work. The report provides a wealth of actionable insights to help enterprise decision-makers chart a strategy best suited to their organization’s needs. Here are a few highlights, but we encourage everyone to read the report.
An integrated platform is a must
Aragon notes that in the world of hybrid work, collaboration platforms are rapidly becoming the “digital work hub” where employees and organizations get most of their daily work done. Therefore, they must be comprehensive, fully integrated, and provide a seamless user experience. They must also integrate with a wide range of third-party business applications and devices, ensuring that workflows are adapted to the needs of individual users and organizations.
Aragon notes Webex’s extensive range of integrated capabilities, including Cisco’s integrated Webex Contact Center offer, a cloud contact center service integrated with the Webex UCC suite.
Aragon also highlights Cisco’s commitment to openness and integration with recent innovations in native support for Apple devices, including capabilities like Picture-in-Picture, the Apple Pencil, and connecting Apple and Webex devices with AirPlay and CarPlay.
Integrated Webex collaboration devices
Webex offers a unique advantage in providing a complete range of innovative collaboration devices. Cisco devices provide an optimal collaboration experience with both Webex Suite and other vendors’ collaboration platforms.
According to the Aragon report, Cisco has made significant investments in its hardware portfolio, with recent new products including the 8875 Video Phone, Webex Room Bar, and Webex Desk Mini. All now support integrated collaboration, including enterprise calling and cloud meetings.
The rise of intelligent collaboration
Aragon considers the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) as a key driver and focus area for UCC: Making UCC more automated and intelligent is one of the big themes for 2022 and beyond.
Again, quoting Aragon’s report, “to date, Cisco is still one of the only vendors with an integrated virtual assistant that will take commands from humans and do actions such as document action items and then distribute them.” Webex Assistant is just one of Cisco’s intelligence focus areas. Over the past two years, Cisco has invested extensively in bringing innovative intelligence capabilities to the entire Webex portfolio.
For instance, the Webex People Focus feature provides inclusive experiences for all hybrid meeting participants. In the audio area, Webex has introduced innovative noise removal and voice optimization for individual and multiple speakers. Inclusivity and global reach are also supported by extensive language capabilities, including captions, transcripts, and real-time translation into 100+ caption languages.
Security: Built-in by design with Webex
Beyond all its features, a collaboration platform is measured by its infrastructure strength, within which security is paramount. The team at Webex takes pride in using Cisco’s industry-leading in-house security capabilities and building them into Webex from the ground up; this ensures optimal security coverage and provides fully integrated monitoring, alerting, response, and management capabilities.
Aragon says: “The Webex Platform also focuses extensively on security, including support for privacy, encryption, data loss prevention, mobile security, and regulatory and legal compliance. With 47 data centers, it also supports data residency and sovereignty requirements globally.”
Conclusion
A key takeaway from Aragon’s report is that selecting the right UCC platform has become a critical business decision—with significant impacts on productivity, effectiveness, and employee wellbeing.
Webex provides secure, integrated software and hardware to enable organizations to optimize communications and collaboration and support hybrid work. Webex offers organizations the complete platform to connect employees and customers to get work done.