USA: survey shows recession has had a limited effect on use of communications and collaboration tools (Frost and Sullivan)

[PRNewswire] Frost & Sullivan has announced the results of its end-user study assessing the use of communications and collaboration products and services. The survey examined U.S.-based C-level executives' attitudes and strategic thoughts regarding their personal and organizational use of such communications services.

The results show that, overall, the global recession has had a limited impact on large-size, primarily multi-national organizations and their use of communications and collaboration tools. It appears that U.S. C-level executives are trying to "ride out the storm," and thus, the majority is maintaining its usage, and consequently its budgets, for communications and collaboration products and services.

There is an overall impression that communications and collaboration tools are useful for providing cost reduction benefits (83% of respondents), especially related to unifying global operations, followed by faster decision-making (81%).

Specifically, awareness and usage is highest among those tools that are well-established, such as video conferencing (92% of respondents) and audio conferencing (82%), yet some relatively newer tools, such as instant messaging (88%) and web conferencing (84%) are also top of mind among C-level executives.

Vendor recognition seems to be centered among big-name providers, including AT&T, Microsoft, and Cisco (81%, 81%, and 77%, respectively), according to the survey.

"While it appears that many U.S. C-level executives are simply trying to maintain the status quo -- with the hopes of coming out on the other side of the economic storm in a better position, some of those executives have plans beyond two years of increasing usage and budgets of communications and collaboration tools," says Melanie Turek, Industry Principal for the Unified Communications & Collaboration (UC&C) practice at Frost & Sullivan. "This suggests that U.S. C-level executives expect an economic recovery sooner rather than later, and that they see real strategic value in UC&C."

As for actual deployment, the most widely utilized tool is audio conferencing (86% of respondents). While various communications and collaboration tools are currently in use, C-level executives admit that others within their organizations use the tools more widely than they personally use them. However, these executives' relative lack of first-hand experience does not minimize the importance and perceived benefits they believe these tools can offer to their organizations - which is reducing overall costs and having a high ROI. Therefore, utilization and budgets - past, current and future - are at least being maintained by the largest proportion of respondents.

"Due to their continued plans to utilize and budget for communications and collaboration tools, it seems that C-level executives are relying on these tools to provide strength and deliver overall value to their organizations," observes Tonya Fowler, Director of Frost & Sullivan's Customer Research group, which conducts independent, non-sponsored research among end-users to evaluate and measure companies and trends in the market. Customer Research collaborated with the firm's UC&C practice to develop and deliver the results of the study.

Frost & Sullivan: No Impact of Recession on Global Organizations' Use of Communications and Collaboration Tools