Three core criteria are dominating the reasons IT and CX leaders select a service provider—and decide when it’s time to change their providers, according to Metrigy’sBuying Strategies for Communications Services 2026-27global study of 203 companies.
The three factors — integration capabilities, pricing, and AI <a href="https://bitcomme.com/use-of-ai-backfires-on-an-expert-witness-at-trial-they-have-biases-2/” title=”Use of AI backfires on an expert witness at trial: "They have biases"”>expertise — are causing more to lean toward platform providers over any individual type of channel partner. In the past, factors such as managed services, existing relationships, and geographical reach were much more significant.
The research findings document that all types of providers must excel in these areas, but many are not. For example, platform providers often treat integration as a professional-services line item instead of delivering it from within the product itself, while channel partners leave AI expertise to the platform providers because, after all, it’s complicated. At the same time, enterprise decision-makers must re-evaluate their provider to ensure aggressive pricing to accompany increasing demands for integrated platforms, systems, and applications, along with AI expertise.
The value gap nobody’s talking about
Most companies are now buying directly from platform providers or from both platform and partners, vs. just channel partners. Small businesses (the biggest category) are heading directly to platform providers’ websites and purchasing small numbers of contact center seats, along with bundled AI capabilities.
Ask companies which provider type delivers the greatest value, and the platform provider wins individually, at 32.4%. Respectable — until you add up every channel type companies use: technology services distributors (TSDs), service providers/carriers, managed service providers (MSPs), systems integrators, cloud marketplaces, independent software vendors (ISVs), and value-added resellers (VARs). Combined, the channel wins 67.6% of the vote. Individually, though, the closest to the platform provider are TSDs, at 15%.
Many platform providers are fine with this because they prefer selling and managing accounts through their channel. However, customers are increasingly finding frustration with the channel providers, who may be able to integrate services but lack AI expertise and/or charge too much.
It’s imperative for platform providers to audit which certified partners are elevating their value vs. quietly cashing in on their brand while under-delivering. I’ve seen too many strong platforms get dragged down by a weak partner nobody has vetted for the past two years.
With growing AI complexity, integration is top criterion
Integration capabilities rank as the No. 1 reason companies value a provider type, cited by 44.4%, ahead of pricing (35.2%) and AI expertise (33.8%). Combined, those three outrank managed services, multi-vendor management, existing relationships, security expertise, and vertical expertise — combined.
Not only are integration capabilities most important today, but they’re also the top area that CX buyers expect to increase in importance within the next two years: 59.8% of companies say platform providers’ integration role will become more important over the next two years, and 62.0% say the same of channel partners.
My advice to any provider: Prioritize prebuilt integrations, marketplaces, and workflow orchestration into the core product. And for CX buyers: Find companies that prioritize integration because if it’s not already, it will become your top priority.
AI expertise is no longer a nice-to-have
We’ve all seen “AI” added to virtually every product roadmap, keynote, website, and sales presentation during the past few years. But buyers increasingly want more than AI features; they want AI expertise.
More than half (50.7%) of companies say AI already has changed their vendor-selection requirements. When selecting a provider, 62.7% say AI integration is vital—the highest rating of any selection criterion — and another 31% call it somewhat important. Only 5.6% say it isn’t important.
What’s particularly telling: Among companies that changed their purchasing method, 65.7% did so because of AI expertise. Integration capabilities followed at 50.5%, with pricing at 45.7%.
Platform providers are starting from a position of strength. When we asked companies whom they rely on most for AI technology, 53.5% say their platform provider, compared with 19% relying on a channel partner and 24.6% on internal IT.
But platform providers shouldn’t get too comfortable. When buyers evaluate individual AI applications, specialized AI providers lead in areas including AI agents, AI receptionists, AI governance, and AI analytics. UC and contact center platform providers lead in agent assist. In most companies, one provider will not own the entire AI stack. And that’s precisely why integration expertise becomes so important.
Don’t forget about price
With all the focus on AI, pricing sometimes gets treated like yesterday’s issue. Buyers clearly disagree.
Pricing is the No. 2 reason companies select the provider type that delivers the most value. And for global voice services, it’s No. 1, cited by 63.4% of companies. But “price” increasingly means total cost, not simply the license price.
CX leaders must account for AI consumption charges, integrations, implementation, professional services, managed services, support, and the core platform itself. As providers pile new AI pricing models on top of already-complicated communications pricing, figuring out what something actually will cost becomes an exercise in frustration. Providers don’t necessarily have to be the cheapest. But they do need to make their pricing understandable and predictable — and demonstrate that the business value justifies the expense.
The bottom line: Customers want a simple solution addressing multiple, complementary needs
Enterprises increasingly will buy directly when the platform provider can deliver the technology, integration, AI expertise, and support they need. They’ll bring in partners when those partners provide specialized capabilities the platform provider can’t deliver — or can’t deliver as well.
And partners whose primary value is facilitating a transaction or negotiating a contract for technology customers can easily buy themselves? Their position is going to get increasingly difficult to defend.
The winners will be the providers — platform or channel — that can simplify increasingly complicated CX environments, in terms of integration, AI expertise, and straightforward pricing structures. Ultimately, buyers are becoming pretty pragmatic about all of this. They’ll buy directly when direct makes sense. They’ll use partners when partners add meaningful value. And many will do both.
