In August 2018, S-NET Communications commissioned a survey of business and IT leaders to get a better, more objective look at how cloud phone systems are being used as a strategic organizational tool . The State of Enterprise Cloud Communications is the best collection of data relating to the business case for cloud migration that we have found. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay We interviewed over 100 business owners and senior-level IT executives in industries that rely heavily on phone systems as the primary channel for communicating with customers; including the financial services, legal, accounting and healthcare sectors. Additionally, the survey results revealed new insights into how business leaders plan and implement smooth and successful migration plans. According to IDC's 2017 Enterprise Communications Study (which separates the cloud communications market into two segments, Unified Communications as-a-Service and Communications Platform as-a-Service), UCaaS will grow to $33 billion by 2021, up from $20 billion in 2017, and CPaaS will grow to $8 billion in 2021, up from $1 billion in 2017. IDC suggests that together, these will constitute a cloud communications market worth $41 billion by 2021, a figure that represents nearly double its 2017 valuation. As you can see, there's a lot of buzz around cloud technology and the implications for growing companies trying to keep pace in increasingly competitive markets. But business and IT leaders know that “buzz” isn't always an indicator of a business case for technology purchases. We asked business leaders what is driving the race to cloud, and they provided concrete answers: (68%) Cost savings: By forgoing the capital investment associated with traditional infrastructure and complex hardware, cloud systems are configured with a paid as-you-go pricing model, making it easy for businesses of all sizes to adopt new technology solutions. (42%) Outdated technology: As current phone systems lose functionality or can no longer be served by vendors, companies are adopting a full cloud deployment or a hybrid approach that combines cloud and on-premise solutions. (36%) Strategic Benefits – I Cloud-based services are scalable and accessible remotely, providing the highest level of flexibility for modern organizations.(34%) Security – Cloud communications allow employees to use solutions that automatically update in real time for improved security protection , performance and maintenance.(2%) Better disaster recovery: By using cloud technology that stores data offsite, businesses can quickly and easily restore system functionality in the event of a disaster.Key Migration IndicatorsWhile 61% Of the business owners and IT leaders surveyed had already or were in the process of migrating phone communications to the cloud, an important factor to consider is the priority given to an organization's overall digitalization strategy over other strategic initiatives. Data shows that key indicators for phone system migration are company size and team structure, as well as reliance on voice communications. For small to medium-sized businesses (0-499 employees), the heavy reliance on telephone communications and the need to realize cost savings over legacy technology, combined with little or no internal support, make the.