Finding the Right Video
Conferencing Partner in a
World of Technology Vendors
A practical framework for selecting a video conferencing
solution for the next phase of the modern workplace
Whitepaper sponsored by:
Yesterday and Today:
Video Conferencing Proves its Value
Even before the pandemic arrived in 2020, video conferencing was
becoming a vital tool for the modern workplace. At a business level,
video conferencing has shown it could help with organizational
goals such as engaging employees, cutting costs, and enabling
better communications. For individuals, video conferencing was
recognized as driving productivity by adding a richness to meetings.
In a Wainhouse Research survey of 1,400 respondents, the highest
expectation for video conferencing was that it would help them work
more eciently.1 They envisioned the face-to-face interaction to inspire
more thoughtful collaboration, to drive clarity of communications, and
to create more realistic human connections. All of these reasons, in turn, were thought to improve the
outcome of the meeting.
This expectation for better meetings applied to every workspace. From personal desktops to room-based
solutions equipped with AV devices, video conferencing was helping teams increase the productivity of
meetings, no matter where a colleague was located.
But, the real potential for video conferencing was put into the spotlight at the start of 2020. By April, only
a few weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, Europe’s work-from-home population went from about 5% of
the workforce to approximately 40%, an 8X increase.2 Likewise, in the United States more than two-thirds of
US workers were now working from home.3 Employees were tr ying to stay in touch with colleagues, while
executives were trying to keep their businesses moving forward. Unsurprisingly, the world turned to video
conferencing to navigate these uncharted waters, and the adoption of video conferencing, which was
already making headway in today’s enterprises, was accelerated by five to eight years.
WHAT DO YOUR ENDUSERS EXPECT FROM
VIDEO CONFERENCING?
In a 2019 Wainhouse
survey, end-user’s highest
expectation for video
conferencing was that
it would help them work
more eciently.
Without a doubt, video conferencing is entering a new age of importance. For many enterprises, video
is evolving from just automating the business to actually being integrated into the business, possibly even
being the business.
How Did Your Video Conferencing Solution Fare During
This Timeframe?
Fueled by the dramatic increase in end-users and unexpected use cases, IT decision makers (ITDMs) were
able to see how their chosen solutions for video conferencing adapted to the dynamic situation at hand.
Some fared well, while others did not. What was revealed to many ITDMs is that some vendors were simply
unable to deliver value in a fluid situation, where business needs were subject to change.
All is not lost. Wainhouse believes that this condensed window of transformation has allowed ITDMs to
better define what they truly need from video conferencing technology. Ideally, vendors need to do more
than just provide video. Instead, they need to support ITDMs as a trusted technology partner, one that can
help businesses thrive in the “next normal” of our modern work experience.
What is a video conferencing technology partner versus a vendor? At the simplest definition, it is when
a vendor meets more than just the basic specifications (e.g., video and audio and a certain price point)
and contributes to more of your elevated goals.
2
©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
Sounds good, but how can an ITDM act upon this lofty distinction? It’s not like you can add to your RFP “vendor
must create value for the business” and expect to receive actionable responses. To this end, Wainhouse
has created the following framework to help bring these grand ideas into a practical, achievable reality.
The Key Stakeholder Framework for Selecting a Video
Conferencing Solution
Although every organization is dierent, in Wainhouse’s experience, the first step in vendor selection is
to filter your options with an ecient first line of validation before focusing time and energy on a more
in-depth analysis. To this end, Wainhouse has designed a key stakeholder framework to help ITDMs
understand when a video conferencing vendor meets basic specifications on paper versus when they
exceed those known requirements and perform more like a trusted partner.
To accomplish this, our framework helps you assess the capabilities of a video conferencing vendor as
related to the needs of four key stakeholders. For each group, we identify a core theme and propose a
series of questions to help you evaluate your business needs. As you look at the framework, we encourage
you to dig below the surface of immediate responses and find examples of how the vendor can deliver
additional value to your stakeholders.
Most importantly, we’ve built this framework with the future of work in mind and, where applicable, we
call out how COVID-19 will impact these stakeholders.
The four stakeholders and their core attributes are as follows: the business and its need to adapt, the
end-users and their desire to be engaged, the IT administrators and their requirements for support, and
the IT buyer and their job to procure.
ADAPT
The Business
What capabilities do we
need today, and how
might they change in
the future?
ENGAGE
End-Users
What will it take
to implement and
drive usage of
these solutions?
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
IT Administrators
What will it
take to maintain
these solutions?
FRAMEWORK
SUPPORT
PROCURE
IT Buyers
What will it take to
procure the technology,
especially if you are
dealing with a distributed
workforce?
Keep in mind that this framework is only intended to be an initial filter for video conferencing technology.
But, if a candidate vendor can demonstrate how they exceed these requirements, they likely warrant
further investigation.
©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
3
The Business as a stakeholder – what capabilities does your business need today?
How might they change in the future?
ADAPT
you need to include the option for future hybrid workspaces, which will continue to evolve as employees
return to the oce.
Workspace is only one possible area for rapid change. You should also understand how the devices work
with your other UC investments. And, if the vendor is locking you into one video conferencing service with
restrictive options to change solutions in the future.
This question focuses on the capability of the partner’s portfolio to address the business
needs as it adapts to operational changes. It was not that long ago that all an ITDM would
consider is if the vendor had solutions for small, medium, and large conference rooms. At
that time, a standout vendor would also be able to address remote workspaces. But today,
TOPICS FOR
CONVERSATION
Does the vendor have a portfolio
to support a wide variety of
workspaces like group spaces,
huddle rooms, home oce,
mobile?
Do the VC devices work within my
current UC solution?
Are the VC devices tied to a single
video conferencing service or
UC suite?
What is the process to change to
another VC service or UC suite?
Key Takeaway — Look for a portfolio of room and desktop solutions
with a wide-ranging price-to-performance ratio to help deliver the
right solutions for the right space. If you focus only on low-cost video
solutions, they may not be scalable across your organization. The
features in high-end solutions may not be needed ever ywhere, and
if used for all workspaces, this could result in overspending.
ITDMs also need to be watchful for VC service “lock-in,” where
devices are only capable of working with limited video
conferencing services.
(MEETS THE REQUIREMENT)
• Vendor has common workspace
coverage but lacks products
for other areas. Retrofits
current products into the new
workspaces.
• Works with my UC suites but may
not be certified by the UC suite.
• Hardware is limited to a single
video conferencing service.
• Vendor does not allow you to
change VC services.
VENDOR
PARTNE R
(EXCEEDS REQUIREMENT)
• Has purpose-built products
for home, oce, hybrid, and
mobile.
• Certified by the UC suite as a
solution partner.
• Partner’s hardware is
out-of-the-box ready for
one VC service but can be
provisioned for other VC
services if you choose.
3+
DO YOU NEED UC
FLEXIBILITY?
Wainhouse 2019 survey
of IT decision makers,
most large enterprises
revealed they had three
or more distinct meetingsolution vendors in their
environment.
4
©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
ENGAGE
End-users as a stakeholder – what will it take to drive usage of these solutions?
This line of questioning is focused on the end-users and addresses how to engage this group
and accelerate the adoption of video conferencing technology. In many instances, it boils
down to whether the solution is approachable to the end-user.
TOPICS FOR
CONVERSATION
How familiar is the end-user with
the brand?
Do they have firsthand experience
with other products from this
vendor?
How much training or instruction is
needed for a first-time user to get
started?
What does the end-user need to do
to adjust the audio or camera for
dierent meeting conditions?
In the rooms, what are the dierent
devices available for an end-user
to control a video conference call?
Are they approachable or
intimidating?
VENDOR
(MEETS THE REQUIREMENT)
• End-users may know the brand,
but do not use it in other areas of
their work.
• For example, they only see
the brand in large conference
rooms.
• The user interface (UI) is unique
to the room solutions, and
therefore, requires some training
to drive familiarity.
• The vendor reinforces
instructions with in-room or
onscreen instructions.
• Vendor products provide
manual adjustment options
during the call or utilized autoadjusting technology, but it
is noticeable to the meeting
participants.
• Examples include jumpy
camera adjustments or uneven
microphone levels.
• Room control is limited to a
single option like a remote
control.
• Often, all of the actions driven
by the remote control are
visible on the monitor to the
entire room, creating a tense
situation for the person who is
manipulating the remote.
PARTNE R
(EXCEEDS REQUIREMENT)
• End-users know the brand
because they see and use
it in dierent workspaces –
both in the oce and when
working remotely.
• Partner devices utilize native
user interfaces for the video
conferencing service you
choose.
• As a result, room solutions
require little to no training
because workflows for tasks
such as start a meeting or
share content are common
in both desktop and room
use cases.
• Partner devices incorporate
“smart” technology that
makes the adjustments
automatically.
• Examples include cameras
that auto frame for the group
in the room with smooth
transitions, or beamforming
microphones that can hear
everyone equally.
• Meeting leads are presented
with several options to
manage the meeting,
including a tabletop control,
which makes meeting
management actions more
discreet and hidden from the
entire room.
©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
5
Key Takeaway – Approachability of video conferencing hardware is
a fundamental expectation here. Expect devices to be familiar and
intuitive in how they work. In addition, room solutions should provide
ample ways to control the systems, like through tabletop controls or
personal devices.
More importantly, the workflow and user interfaces should be similar
between the dierent video conferencing spaces. From desktop to
the conference room to mobile workspaces, a good technology
partner will enable common interfaces so end-users can confidently
utilize the technology.
COVID-19 Context – As employees head back to the oce in hybrid
work arrangements, there is increased attention to safety and
hygiene. In conference rooms, this can be accomplished through
device features such as intelligent cameras and voice controls that
reduce the need to touch shared surfaces. If these features are
important to your stakeholders, be sure they also meet the criteria of
being approachable.
2.3X
DO ENGAGED EMPLOYEES
MATTER?
A study conducted by
the University of North
Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler
Business School found
that organizations
with above-average
employee engagement
experienced 2.3 times
more revenue growth over
a three-year period than
companies with average
employee engagement.
IT Administrators as a stakeholder – what will it take to maintain these solutions?
SUPPORT
vendor to suppor t their own solutions.
Can the vendor provide
monitoring and management with
native tools?
How do the vendor’s tools work
with other management solutions?
This is one stakeholder that will most likely have a well-thought-out list of requirements ready
to go. Therefore, our early validation framework is not meant to dive too deep into the IT
administrator’s specific needs, but rather, focus on how and where the vendor could assure
more operational continuity. You should also consider any hidden costs in working with the
TOPICS FOR
CONVERSATION
VENDOR
(MEETS THE REQUIREMENT)
• Monitoring is available but may
have restrictive dependencies,
such as on-premises solutions
only.
• Monitoring may also require fees
to enable features or expand
the number of devices covered.
PARTNE R
(EXCEEDS REQUIREMENT)
• Monitoring is available in
convenient formats, such
as cloud-based with no
other dependencies for
on-premises hardware.
• Features are not fee based.
• Partner management tools
have APIs to work with other
management tools.
6
©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
TOPICS FOR
CONVERSATION
What are the warranty terms for
hardware replacement?
VENDOR
(MEETS THE REQUIREMENT)
• Vendor oers hardware
replacement for one year or less.
PARTNE R
(EXCEEDS REQUIREMENT)
• Vendor oers hardware
replacement beyond
one-year term.
How much physical maintenance
is needed when managing the
devices?
When vendor support is needed,
is it a paid service?
Are there time or geographic
limitations to support?
Key Takeaway – From management tools to support services and hardware replacement — all are
part of the holistic maintenance programs. Use this section as an ecient means to represent your IT
administrators needs to best support your VC investment.
COVID-19 Context – As an outcome of the pandemic, expect your video conferencing footprint to be
widely distributed, with more remote work deployments and potentially more conference rooms. Partner
maintenance programs need to not only be holistic but accessible to all your devices wherever they may
be deployed.
• Devices have management
steps that need to be performed
in person by an IT sta, such as
confirmation of connections or
inventory of peripherals.
• Vendor provides support, but
in-depth troubleshooting may
require additional maintenance
contracts.
• Geographic coverage or
business hour limitations may
play into the pricing of support
services.
• Devices are capable of
reporting all status to remote
management consoles and
have adequate remote
capability to address
needed changes.
• Provides free support that is
not limited by geography or
tied to service contracts.
©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
7
IT Buyers as a stakeholder – what will it take to procure the technology for a
distributed workforce?
PROCURE
dozen dierent buildings on the same campus.
Beyond just price and terms, the ideal video conferencing partner should have solutions
that are procurable through a variety of purchase channels and can reach your distributed
workforce. This should hold true if your end-users are in a dozen dierent countries or a
TOPICS FOR
CONVERSATION
Are the products available where
your end-users are?
Are there diverse channel options
to support your IT buyer’s vendor
management strategy?
Key Takeaway – Be sure you can easily procure the devices in all of
your geographic regions. Keep in mind that your IT buyer likely has a
procurement strategy, and a partner with diverse purchase options
and delivery capabilities can help this stakeholder achieve their
goals, too.
COVID-19 Context – COVID19 has not only spurred incredible growth
in the remote workforce but Wainhouse has seen evidence that
companies are also utilizing satellite oces to lessen oce density
and support safe hybrid working environments. Expect an increase
in locations for which your IT buyer will need to procure video
conferencing devices.
(MEETS THE REQUIREMENT)
• Vendor has limited geographic
availability.
• Relies on multi-tier distribution or
extra shipment fees to deliver
products to all areas.
• Only available through one type
of distribution partner (VARs, for
example).
VENDOR
PARTNE R
(EXCEEDS REQUIREMENT)
• Partner has adequate
distribution of products
to match your business
footprint.
• Is available through diverse
types of purchasing channels
– VARs, System Integrators,
specialized online retailers,
even consumer or prosumer
retail channels.
40k
DOES REMOTE ALWAYS
MEAN WORK-FROM-HOME?
In Japan, a 40,000person study conducted
by the Ministry of Land
Infrastructure, Transport and
Tourism concluded that the
most common location for
those who worked remotely
was a satellite oce.
8
©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
Logitech: A Trusted Partner for Video Conferencing
Based on the key stakeholder framework, Wainhouse Research considers Logitech to be a stellar example
of a video conferencing technology partner. In short, Logitech has the portfolio breadth to support any
business size, whether it be a small business with a few home oces or a global enterprise with thousands of
conference rooms. Their solutions are not only aordable and scalable; they deliver exceptional audio and
visual video experiences, as well.
Wainhouse Research ran Logitech through the framework presented in this article and found the key
highlights listed below.
Adaptability – Logitech Video Conferencing Solutions Can Accommodate Changes
in the Organization’s Needs
ADAPT
workflows they already know. There’s no need to “forklift” in new hardware every time a new use case
presents itself (like remote working), or a new UC suite is being considered.
• Logitech has a broad portfolio of video conferencing solutions – From the home oce to the huddle room,
from the desktop to the board room, Logitech has a video conferencing solution for a variety of use cases.
Wainhouse is impressed not only with the comprehensive coverage of personal and group use cases, but
that Logitech oers both dedicated PC-based conferencing and bring-your-own-device (BYOD) video
conferencing solutions.
Logitech has shown over the years that they understand both personal and group use cases
for video conferencing. Their devices are platform-agnostic and can be configured with
a variety of video conferencing services. Moreover, they allow end-users to work within UC
• Large ecosystem of partners with earned admiration for quality – Logitech has been a key player with
industry leaders like Microsoft, Zoom, and Google for years. These trusted relationships have created
in-depth industry knowledge that allows Logitech to provide an even better video experience than others
with similar partner programs.
• Works across dierent operating systems and video conferencing services – The Logitech video
experience is not tied to one operating system. It is compatible with top software and service platforms
such as MacOS, iOS, Windows 10, and Android to support your preferred choice.
Engagement – The Logitech Portfolio Is a Trusted Name for End-Users
One of the first things that stands out for Logitech is that the brand is known at all levels of an
ENGAGE
• Meets or exceeds end-user expectations – As more end-users use video conferencing solutions in their
everyday work, they expect it to be flawless, comfortable, and familiar across all the places they work –
home, oce, and remote. Logitech has packaged its proprietary audio and video technologies to deliver
a consistently high-quality experience across all of these use cases.
• Logitech delivers experiences rather than features – Instead of focusing on product features, Wainhouse
finds that Logitech continues to reinvent video collaboration and create experiences that feel natural
and familiar for every business and individual. For example, it is not about auto framing. It’s about
RightSense technology that lets the end-user forget about adjusting a handful of camera options and
focus on the meeting at hand.
organization. End-users are looking for brands that are pleasing to use and that address their
needs, such as better lighting, camera angles, and noise reduction. Logitech is one of the few
video conferencing partners who can combine user satisfaction with enterprise needs.
©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
9
• Simplified installation features translate into approachable devices – Logitech has taken the idea of
easy-to-install, ready-to-use conferencing products to heart. The result is a frictionless installation for
IT and enjoyable experience for end-users. Multiple mounting options combined with discreet cable
management features allow the devices to be conveniently located within the room and appear very
minimal, clean in design.
Support – The Uncomplicated and Straightforward Nature of Logitech’s Video
Conferencing Devices Enables IT Admins to Provide Higher-Quality Support
SUPPORT
• Logitech Sync provides remote management that is easy to use – Sync is a sharp tool that allows IT sta
to provision and manage conference rooms, devices, and software from anywhere. Wainhouse also likes
the tool’s agnostic capabilities on the video conferencing platform, which allows you to manage devices
holistically.
• Logitech has free, global support – Not many video conferencing partners can make such a claim. From
our point of view, this means that when the situation calls for the remote IT sta or even the end-user to
troubleshoot devices, Logitech will provide accessible support to them anytime, anywhere in the world.
Hybrid working means IT is helping out in the meeting rooms and oces they know as well as
in homes and single workstations they don’t. Logitech designs their products in a way that is
eortless for employees to adopt and easy for engineers to support.
Procurement – Logitech Has Global Product Availability in 100+ Countries and
Distribution with 3,000+ Resellers
PROCURE
IT buyers are likely to find Logitech to be one of the most straightforward video conference
partners to procure. In testing of procurement options, Wainhouse was able to find purchasing
options for Logitech video conferencing solutions in every country or region we checked.
• Logitech has product availability virtually everywhere – Products are distributed in more than 100 countries
worldwide through strategic partnerships with top-tier PC manufacturers.
• Product accessibility through multiple channels means options to meet your procurement strategy –
Products are available through numerous channels such as retail, DMRs, and VARs.
Summary and Next Steps
Remember this key stakeholder framework is intended to be an initial filter for video conferencing technology.
As you can see with Logitech as our example, Wainhouse recommends this approach as an ecient way
to find video conferencing partners that can help you achieve larger business objectives and goals.
Given this valuable information, it’s important to do the following:
• Engage these four stakeholders early in this process
• Add more exploratory questions as they suit your situation
• Include video conferencing partners that help you achieve your business goals and objectives in the next
level of your vendor review process
If you are interested in Logitech video conferencing solutions, you can start that process by visiting https://
www.logitech.com/vc for resources and support.
1
Wainh ouse Research, Octo ber 2 019
2
“Livi ng, worki ng and COVID-19: First findin gs – Ap ril 2020,” European F ound atio n for th e Imp rovement of Living an d Work ing Condit ions, Publ ished 6 May
2020, https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/report/2020/living-working- and-covid-19-first-findings-april -2020
3
“Remote Wor k Increas ing Ex pone ntially D ue to COVID -19,” Netskop e, Publ ished Mar 16 20 20, https://www.netskope.com/blog/remote-work-increasing-
exponentially-due-to-covid-19
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©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
ABOUT LOGITECH
Logitech designs products that have an everyday place in people’s lives, connecting them to the digital
experiences they care about. More than 35 years ago, Logitech started connecting people through
computers, and now it’s a multi-brand company designing products that bring people together through music,
gaming, video, and computing. Brands of Logitech include Logitech, Logitech G, ASTRO Gaming, Streamlabs,
Ultimate Ears, Jaybird, and Blue Microphones. Founded in 1981, and headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland,
Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq
Global Select Market (LOGI). Find Logitech at logitech.com, the company blog or @Logitech.
ABOUT WAINHOUSE RESEARCH
Wainhouse provides in-depth research and analysis that helps you gain a clear perspective on the market,
technology, and services for workplace communications and collaboration. Wainhouse analysts are industry
experts in enterprise voice, video, team collaboration, and streaming applications, services, and devices.
Our expertise is backed by one of the most comprehensive data sets and models in the world. Our domain
expertise and market data combine to deliver in-depth forecasts, enterprise insight, and objective product
evaluations that frame the industry’s current state and anticipated direction. Services include syndicated
market insight, custom research, and sales enablement. Content and additional detail is available at
https://insight.wainhouse.com/ and www.wainhouse.com/intro
ABOUT THE RESEARCHER
Craig Durr is a Senior Analyst at Wainhouse Research with a focus on Meeting Room Collaboration technologies
and solutions. He provides research on market sizing and forecasts, product and service evaluations, market
trends, and end-user and buyer expectations. Craig brings nineteen years of experience in leadership roles
related to product development, strategic planning, P&L management, value proposition definition, and
business development of security, SaaS, and Unified Communication oerings. Craig’s experience includes
roles at Poly, Dell, Microsoft, and IBM. You can contact Craig at cdurr@wainhouse.com.
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©2020 Wainhouse Research, LLC
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