SMBs May Struggle with ROI for Microsoft UC, Analysis Shows

Costs for small businesses to implement Microsoft unified communications can run as high as $180 per user per month and therefore may jeopardize ROI, according to a study by Ferris Research.

The UC cost analysis study, sponsored by Unison Technologies, examines the direct costs for organizations with 50, 500 or 5,000 employees in deploying and maintaining Microsoft's latest offering, which consists of Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 and a third-party PBX system. Typical costs were found to be as follows:

• 50-user organization = $180 per user per month
• 500-user organization = $60 per user per month
• 5,000-user organization = $30 per user per month

"While these costs are more affordable for larger enterprises, SMBs may find it difficult to justify the investment — especially at a time when IT budgets are under greater scrutiny," said David Ferris, president of Ferris Research. "Our research focused on the total direct costs associated with Microsoft UC, including staff time, hardware and software, providing SMBs and larger companies with a broad indication of the investment involved."