Avaya and HP Enterprise Services (ES) have inked a multi-year agreement to offer cloud-based unified communications and contact center technology, and management solutions for enterprises. Together, the companies will sell a combined portfolio of Unified Communications-as-a-Service, Contact Center-as-a-Service, and infrastructure modernization services. The agreement, the companies said, marks another major step in Avaya's transformation to a software and services company.
The Avaya-HP agreement addresses growing global demand for comprehensive, secure, reliable business collaboration solutions, delivered as a service. HP ES will resell the as-a-Service offerings and in parallel, Avaya has the benefit of increased scale enabled by HP's flexible deployment models to quickly reach more customers and help simplify and transform business communications. Avaya will also apply its communication and collaboration products to help HP improve the efficiency and performance of its contact center operations. Additionally, HP Helion solutions will become a cornerstone of Avaya's cloud offerings deployed in HP's global infrastructure.
"Businesses are increasingly seeking alternative models for deploying and managing innovative communications and collaboration technologies, said Pierre-Paul Allard, senior vice president, worldwide sales and president, global field operations, Avaya, in a statement. “The agreement with HP is the right path at the right time to quickly address what is already one of the fastest growing areas of our business. Through our long-term relationship, we already share many customers. We expect that base to grow significantly with this new model, supporting the world's collaboration business environment."
Combining HP's expertise in services delivery with Avaya's unified communications and contact center portfolio will create advanced solutions that include mobile applications, software, and networking for unified communications and customer experience management. These as-a-Service solutions will be delivered with the same standard of care that puts Avaya services above industry benchmarks with the added benefit of HP's cloud capabilities.
As part of the agreement, the HP ES Business Process Services organization will assume service delivery of a significant portion of Avaya Private Cloud Services2 (APCS), including a limited transfer of APCS employees and contractors to HP ES. These services will be integrated into HP ES's existing Mobility and Workplace and Business Process Services practices and partner eco-systems to deliver private and hybrid cloud-based unified communications and contact center solutions to existing and future customers. Sales contracts, service level agreements, and overall client experience will remain with Avaya. HP ES will augment and amplify APCS by extending services to more customers, in more markets, with the speed and service performance needed to help grow demand for cloud-based solutions.
"This agreement reinforces HP's commitment to the mobility and workplace market and helps to grow HP's presence in the end-user space,” said Mike Nefkens, executive vice president and general manager, HP Enterprise, in a statement. “HP is also making an investment in Avaya's capabilities to improve our contact center infrastructure and significantly enhance business process services and customer engagement management. The partnership with Avaya supports HP's larger vision for the New Style of IT."