To help further drive adoption of Software as a Service (SaaS)
cloud-based unified
communications solutions within the public sector, 8x8
Solutions, the UK arm of 8x8 Inc. (NASDAQ: EGHT), today announced
that it has been accepted as a supplier by the Crown
Commercial Services (CCS) on the CCS’ recently announced G-Cloud
5 framework. G-Cloud is a UK Government initiative to encourage the
adoption of cloud services across the whole of the public sector.
“Our proven, reliable and secure cloud-based unified communications,
virtual contact centre and collaboration solutions now appear under the
SaaS category of G-Cloud 5’s CloudStore, online marketplace,” said Kevin
Scott-Cowell, CEO, 8x8 Solutions. “This will help potential customers
across the public sector to quickly and easily identify which of our
easy to use, cloud-based, managed services will best suit their
individual business communications needs. The important thing is, that
they can fund deployment out of their operational budgets.”
8x8’s hosted business VoIP solution allows public sector organisations
to quickly, easily and safely move their phone systems to the cloud,
giving them access to not just a phone and fax service that delivers
more functionality than a traditional hardware PBX, but access to online
meetings via web and video conferencing plus integrated call centre
capabilities at the same time as delivering flexibility and agility
through 8x8’s mobile apps.
Additionally, for a public sector organisation which understands the
financial and functionality benefits that could be achieved by switching
from its existing on-premise VoIP provider, 8x8 can offer a migration
path, which utilises the organisation’s existing infrastructure, to
8x8’s hosted cloud-based VoIP solution.
By unifying business communications in the cloud on 8x8’s communications
platform, public sector organisations can improve internal communication
and collaboration between employees, regardless of their location, to
significantly raise levels of productivity and efficiency.
“8x8’s cloud-based unified communications importantly enables public
sector organisations to considerably enhance their levels of customer
service by putting the tools to improve their external communication and
collaboration at their fingertips,” added Scott-Cowell.
G-Cloud 5 supports the Government’s policy to centrally manage the
procurement of common goods and services through an integrated
procurement function at the heart of government. Suppliers are carefully
evaluated during the tender process and pre-agreed terms and conditions
offer public sector customers sound contractual safeguards.
“The key difference between G-Cloud 5 and other procurement frameworks
is that public sector organisations are able to enter into a contract
with 8x8 which enables them to pay for the services they use on a
pay-as-you-go basis,” explained Scott-Cowell.
“8x8 and our channel partners look forward to helping public sector
customers take advantage of G-Cloud 5’s SaaS solutions to cut their
operating costs by avoiding lengthy and often inflexible supplier
contracts, saving money on the supply and maintenance of traditional
hardware and by paying for just the services they actually use –
delivering value for them and for us the taxpayers!” Scott-Cowell
concluded.
About 8x8 Solutions/8x8 Inc.
8x8 Solutions is the UK/European arm of 8x8, Inc.
(NASDAQ:EGHT) the trusted provider of secure and reliable cloud-based unified
communications, virtual contact centre and collaboration solutions
to more than 37,000 small, midsize and distributed enterprise
organisations operating in over 40 countries across six continents.
8x8's out-of-the-box cloud solutions replace traditional on-premise PBX
hardware and software-based systems with a flexible and scalable
Software as a Service (SaaS) alternative, encompassing cloud business
phone service, contact centre solutions, and web conferencing. For
additional information, visit www.8x8.com/UK
or connect with 8x8 on Google+,
Facebook, LinkedIn
and Twitter.
About the Crown Commercial Service
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) works with both departments and
organisations across the whole of the public sector to ensure maximum
value is extracted from every commercial relationship and improve the
quality of service delivery. The CCS goal is to become the “go-to” place
for expert commercial and procurement services.
Copyright Business Wire 2014