West to Bolster UC Offering with Acquisition of SKT Business Communication Solutions
West, a provider of technology-driven, voice-oriented solutions, has signed an agreement to acquire SKT Business Communication Solutions (SKT BCS) and anticipates closing this acquisition at the end of the first quarter or early in the second quarter. SKT BCS is a professional services, systems integration, and information technology firm specializing in the consulting, project management, and implementation of unified communications and IP telephony, legacy telecommunications systems, virtualization and communications-enabled business processes.
As a result of this acquisition, SKT BCS’s professional services team will be the first unified communications touch point for customers of West and its affiliates, including InterCall, a conferencing and collaboration services provider. SKT BCS will be a part of West’s unified communications segment.
West will work in tandem with SKT BCS to deliver an enhanced unified communications offering and customer engagement model. The engagement will begin with SKT BCS’s consultative approach to assess the needs of customers and then link to the breadth of West's and InterCall’s hosted and managed UC solutions, conferencing and collaboration products, and infrastructure solutions.
“We recognize that the unified communications space is a rapidly changing, high growth environment. West Corporation is committed to being a leader in this market, as evidenced by the recent launch of both hosted and managed unified communications services within InterCall,” said Todd Strubbe, president of West’s Unified Communications operating segment, in a statement. “The synergy between the services that SKT BCS offers and the unified communications product portfolio that we have begun to develop at West and InterCall will be a perfect match for us and for our customers.”
“An important component of any unified communications offering is professional services,” said Joel Keller, managing director of SKT BCS, in a statement. “Our up-front analysis of a customer’s needs, coupled with West’s industry-leading solutions, is a powerful combination that will help customers communicate and collaborate more effectively.”
By adding SKT BCS’s expert professional services, West and InterCall can continue to provide customers worldwide with custom solutions based on their unique environment, regardless of company size, industry or location. “We are committed to guiding our customers, and the market, toward an integrated unified communications environment. Our global reach, extensive sales and client services network, and deep expertise and experience in hosting and managing complex telephony and communications networks environments will enable West and InterCall to be a leader in the Unified Communications market,” said Bob Wise, executive vice president of unified communications for West and InterCall, in a statement.
"This strategic move proves that West and InterCall are serious players in the global unified communications market, said E. Brent Kelly, a senior analyst and partner at Wainhouse Research, in a statement. “With the combination of offering hosted, managed and hybrid UC services, backed by a highly skilled professional services team, I believe West and InterCall are moving towards offering solutions for small, medium and enterprise organizations that are among the most complete in the industry."