Arrow Systems, 8x8 Get Together on New Cloud Tools for Business

By Steve Anderson
Contributing TMCnet Writer

Cloud-based communications have been winning a lot of attention lately for the versatility and power that such systems can bring to the field; the progress of these tools is a field worth paying attention to. A new development is likely to bring in plenty of new tools for users, as 8x8 announced a new agreement with Arrow Systems Integration, bringing the two firms' slate of tools together in one handy package.

The agreement, according to reports, calls for the complete array of services that 8x8 (News - Alert) offers to be added to Arrow Systems Integration's set of unified communications (UC) tools. That's a fairly substantial lineup given that 8x8 is regarded as a leader in cloud-based UC as well as contact center tools, and includes things like 8x8's Virtual Office telephony systems, its Virtual Office Analytics and Reporting systems, and its Unified Communications (News - Alert) and Virtual Contact Center services. Plus, the combined services will be presented on the same invoice, making it easier to access the larger slate of services with less paperwork overall.

This isn't the first time that 8x8's solutions have been seen working with other firms' material; 8x8 is well-known for working with several third-party customer relationship management (CRM) tools ranging from those of Zendesk and Salesforce to both Microsoft (News - Alert) Dynamics and Microsoft Lync. Using such tools in conjunction with the other 8x8 tools, like the analytics systems and reporting mechanisms, can produce some really impressive results.

That's a great reason to turn to 8x8, but bringing in Arrow Systems Integration's tools only improves the picture. Arrow's own systems—including several specialized UC tools, as well as voice solutions, and network security options—will add further value to the overall package. Another key advantage of the team-up is described by 8x8's CEO, Vik Verma. Verma noted that Arrow has “extensive influence and reach in the marketplace” that will make a lot more people aware of 8x8's toolset, expanding its own reach by extension.

When team-ups like this happen, there are always clear advantages on both sides. Here, the two companies are making a better package that comes in on one invoice, which improves efficiency on several ends. Not only does most of the office have access to better communication tools, which have often yielded benefits depending on the specific use case, but also the back office gets access to a simpler billing strategy, which makes things that much more efficient in that venue. Really, the combined force of 8x8 and Arrow Systems Integration might well be best described as buying time; the business has less paperwork to do for access to better communications systems, and that can shave a little time off a great many different processes.

It will be interesting to see how the market reacts to 8x8 and Arrow's new alliance, but it's likely not to be greeted unhappily. There are a lot of potential advantages to this new solution, so it's a fair bet that some companies will be coming out ahead here, perhaps 8x8 and Arrow most of all.