ShoreTel launches lowest TCO UC program

Looks like ShoreTel wants to start a price war in the unified communications (UC) market. Confident in the low total cost of ownership (TCO) of their UC system, the company has launched the ShoreTel Lowest TCO Guarantee Program which brings in third party data to determine how the cost of its system compares to competitors. If the total cost is higher, ShoreTel will lower its prices.

ShoreTel is inviting its resellers and customers to participate and use their data in determining the program cost comparisons. The TCO will be determined by comparing like-for-like competitor installations over a period of five years or longer.

The guarantee is compelling since being able to compare the TCO of competing offerings allows companies to determine the best bang for their CAPEX buck and if ShoreTel can match competing TCOs, their customers do not have to keep shopping. "According to Nemertes Research, 80 percent of organizations have flat or declining IT budgets, and 85 percent of IT expenditures require a pre-approved business case, therefore minimizing TCO is an essential requirement for a successful UC implementation," said Irwin Lazar, vice president of communications and collaboration research, Nemertes Research, in a release. 

For more:
- read the release

Related articles:
VoiceCon: IBM and ShoreTel team on Lotus Foundations collaboration
Shoretel furthers enterprise focus with Shoretel 10
ShoreTel first to get Skype for SIP