Top CPaaS Trends in 2020

Communication Platform as a Service (CPaaS) has emerged a few years ago to enhance business communication protocols. Since then, it has evolved to usher in an era of agility and adaptability (while ensuring affordability). 

As companies of all sizes adopt cloud infrastructure to take advantage of integrated digital tools and services, they are now better placed to leverage CPaaS to gain a competitive advantage.

In 2019, we saw Artificial Intelligence (AI), chatbots, and serverless infrastructure enter this space. In 2020, we can expect more of the same with the added element of evolution that can help make a significant impact on how companies engage employees, customers, and more. 

Let's explore the CPaaS trends that are expected to transform commercial and business communication in 2020

The Intersection of IoT and CPaaS

The growth of the Internet of Things has been remarkable and is projected to reach 75.44 billion connected devices by 2025. As the planet gets better connected, we can expect to see smart cities popping up all over the world. 

For enterprises, the growth of IoT has created a unique opportunity. By combining smart sensors and other devices with CPaaS capabilities, complex interactions between devices and web services are now more accessible.

As businesses move away from a traditional on-premise environment to a more diverse environment powered by a variety of cloud providers, CPaaS solutions can enable a seamless integration of disparate cloud-based applications and workloads. 

In 2020 and beyond, you can expect application developers to build new tools to integrate communication and collaboration capabilities and IoT better. This approach will help enable stronger interactions with customers and help automate specific repetitive processes.

The Growth of Omnichannel Messaging

Last year, omnichannel messaging was expected to have a massive impact in the Middle East and around the world. However, while businesses continue to deliver omnichannel messaging experiences, it still has a long way to go. 

As companies and customers in the region continue to rely heavily on SMS and other text messaging platforms, enterprises will have to invest in omnichannel APIs that facilitate seamless communication across messaging platforms via a single integrated interface.

While messaging platforms like WhatsApp continue to be the go-to communication solution in the Middle East and East Asian markets, Europe and North America have been slow to replace legacy approaches like calling and email. But as Generation Z enters the workforce, modern messaging solutions will become more prominent in the region.

For organizations to truly take advantage of omnichannel messaging, they have to reimagine and reconfigure their data architecture. It also has to be highly adaptable to allow the rapid adoption of new communication channels as they become available. 

This can be a massive challenge for most businesses. Fortunately, a CPaaS provider will be able to provide viable solutions whenever issues arise.

Key Benefits of Integrating Omnichannel Messaging

1. 1. Boosts efficiency (especially within customer service)
   2. Creates more touch-points to engage with the target audience
   3. Enables conversational commerce
   4. Leverages personalization to increase profits

5G and the Emergence of Employee Experience (EX)

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are ready for 5G. In fact, the region is expected to be among the first to deploy commercial 5G networks and is forecasted to deliver more than 50 million connections across the MENA region by 2025.

The Gulf Cooperation Council will also lead this space driving 5G development. With both Etisalat and Ooredoo conducting live trials to ascertain speed, latency, equipment, and beam steering (for signal distance), 5G connectivity will be a reality in a matter of months.

For businesses in the region, this has created an opportunity to explore new ways of using this technology to their advantage. One way is to focus on driving the rapid adoption of communication and collaboration tools to engage in workplace analytics and enhance EX. 

We’re already working to improve customer experience (CX), why not EX? As we spend about a third of our lives at workplaces, boosting EX can certainly have a knock-off effect on CX. Every business will have its own unique engagement strategies. In the decade of hyper digitization, CPaaS providers will work closely with companies to offer greater flexibility and custom services. 

We can also expect to see more dynamic billing models that provide more choices of services. This approach helps smaller businesses take advantage of corporate tools while providing greater control of subscriptions.

In 2020 and beyond, companies need to be proactive to better anticipate the needs of their customers and employees. For brands, success will depend on how quickly they adapt to changes in the marketplace, so keeping your finger on the pulse will be critical to maintaining business relevance.

CEQUENS Can Help

We're a leading Communication Platform as a Service ( CPaaS ) provider in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region that aims to bridge communication gaps in a communication-driven world.

Powered by innovation and guided by a Cloud-First and Mobile-First approach, we provide omnichannel communication APIs that enable enterprises and developers to communicate with their customer base worldwide.

As an Endeavor Entrepreneur and GSMA associate member, CEQUENS plays a pivotal role in transforming communication in the region.

CEQUENS proprietary, PCI/DSS compliant Communication Platform leverages the latest cloud technologies and features a comprehensive portfolio of products and solutions that are industry-focused, agile, scalable, and cost-effective.