In the age of connectivity, we’ve come to expect continuously better ways to communicate. No longer bound to a corded desk phone we now have preferred ways to communicate, from our laptops to mobile devices with chat, email, video or voice call options. To support this, businesses have to ensure that promising new technologies will interoperate successfully within the existing communications network. Networks are becoming increasingly more complex, supporting multi-vendor solutions.

This puts a premium on interoperability testing to verify that new solutions and even upgrades to newer versions will in fact work. Microsoft understood this back in 2007 when it turned to independent testing lab tekVizion to validate its communications solutions. In fact, tekVizion has verified Microsoft interoperability with hundreds of other vendor solutions as well as services from Microsoft partners. Microsoft has awarded tekVizion with its Microsoft Gold Communications Competency four times.

Since tekVizion launched our new #tekVizionVerified program, many partners within the Microsoft ecosystem have leveraged the test guarantee for a competitive edge in sales. Based on customer feedback, tekVizionVerified provides a new level of assurance that technologies tested in the lab will in fact interoperate in a business environment. The guarantee specifically covers deployments that exactly match the configuration tested, including application versions. Meaning that a Skype for Business verification would not cover an earlier version of Microsoft Lync 2013, for example.

The tekVizionVerified guarantee already applies to more than 100 business communications solutions that include Microsoft technologies. Microsoft continues to expand its portfolio and grow its partner ecosystem, we expect more interoperability testing to prove solutions’ value. We are already seeing more service providers and other vendors seek guaranteed interoperability verification with Microsoft products.

In fact, we suggest businesses request proof of interoperability from their vendors and service providers upfront. Ask for independent testing. Better yet, make it a requirement in your business communications RFPs to ensure a solution that works. It can save you a great deal of money and time to know upfront. Then spend those saved resources on optimizing your solutions for better communications that lead to better business.