AI is setting new standards for CX, and Microsoft Teams is everywhere—but few SPs are monetizing it effectively, Intermedia Podcast

Telecom Reseller / Technology Reseller News

The Platform That Isn’t Just a Platform: Intermedia’s 360° Formula for Service Provider Growth, AI is setting new standards for CX, and Microsoft Teams is everywhere—but few SPs are monetizing it effectively “You don’t need to rip and replace. You don’t need to lock in. You just need a partner who’s truly in it with you,” says Patrick Sheehan, Vice President of Channel Development, Intermedia. As the channel moves into the heart of 2025, service providers are at a crossroads. Legacy platforms are draining resources, AI is setting new standards for CX, and Microsoft Teams is everywhere—but few SPs are monetizing it effectively. In a recent Technology Reseller News podcast, we sat down with Patrick Sheehan of Intermedia to learn how the company’s 360-degree approach is helping partners solve those challenges without heavy upfront investments, long-term contracts, or technical headaches. “You don’t need to rip and replace. You don’t need to lock in. You just need a partner who’s truly in it with you.” — Patrick Sheehan, Vice President of Channel Development, Intermedia What’s Holding Service Providers Back? Sheehan doesn’t mince words: today’s service providers are seeing churn rise, ARPU fall, and win rates slide. It’s not just voice—customers want integrated, AI-enhanced UCaaS and CCaaS, not siloed tools. Add in the need to market more effectively in a crowded space and support aging platforms, and many providers are facing a serious growth headwind. “If your platform isn’t innovating fast enough to meet customer expectations—especially with AI and Teams—you’re going to feel it in churn and margins,” said Sheehan. Intermedia: A Partner-First Playbook Intermedia has built its model around partner success—not vendor lock-in. That starts with a month-to-month, no-minimum-commitment agreement, enabling providers to enter the UCaaS and CCaaS space without sacrificing their brand, their network, or their business model. “Almost 95% of our business goes through partners. We’re not here to compete—we’re here to help them win,” adds Sheehan. Service providers can white label Intermedia’s platform, maintain their own PSTN footprint, or leverage Intermedia’s national network. The tech stack—including UCaaS, CCaaS, a new Teams integration, and an AI-ready data lake—is 100% owned and operated by Intermedia. That translates into true speed-to-market and scalability. Fast Start, Full Support Launching with Intermedia doesn’t take a year—or even months. With dedicated onboarding teams, SPs can be deploying customers within weeks. Intermedia supplies pre-configured plug-and-play phones, operational support, and guided productization. The result? Minimal friction, maximum velocity. The Industry’s First Teams Integration—Built for SPs One standout development is Intermedia’s embedded Microsoft Teams integration, which lets SPs offer a fully monetizable, branded Teams experience—a key differentiator in the increasingly Teams-centric workplace. “It’s more profitable and more compelling than other options. And if you want, you can even source Microsoft licenses directly through us,” Sheehan explained. Marketing, Migration & Margin Intermedia supports partners with: Channel marketing experts who build and execute campaigns Sales engineers who assist in complex deal cycles Migration support to minimize churn and retire legacy platforms 5x9s SLAs and J.D. Power-certified technical support It’s all part of what Sheehan calls the “360-degree approach to service provider success.” No single vendor in the UCaaS/CCaaS space offers this combination of product flexibility, technical enablement, and go-to-market support—all aligned around one goal: partner revenue growth. Ready to Kick the Tires? For SPs exploring new growth paths, Sheehan has a simple message: “You don’t need to spend a year and a million dollars to launch something new. You can get started today.