Avaya has recently announced significant changes to its contact centre licensing model, requiring a minimum commitment of 200 seats for its Avaya Experience Platform (AXP) by the 30th of June 2025. This shift has left many small businesses in a difficult position: either pay for unnecessary extra seats, terminate their subscriptions, or wait for yet-to-be-disclosed alternative solutions. For many, this sudden change undermines trust and forces them to reassess their options.

For years, Avaya has been a trusted name in the contact centre space, but its recent focus on larger enterprise customers signals a departure from supporting small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). With layoffs, leadership changes, and strategic pivots, SMBs must now consider alternative solutions that cater to their needs without unnecessary complexity or cost.

What Small Businesses Need from a Contact Centre Solution

While enterprises may seek AI-driven automation and analytics-heavy solutions, SMBs typically require straightforward, reliable contact centre features to ensure customer satisfaction. Here are some core needs for small businesses when choosing a contact centre solution:

  • Ease of Use: A simple, intuitive interface that requires minimal training for agents.
  • Omnichannel Support: Customers expect to reach businesses via voice, email, web chat, and SMS.
  • Call Routing & Queuing: Features like skills-based routing, queue position notifications, and automated callbacks improve customer experiences.
  • Scalability: SMBs need a system that grows with them, allowing them to add or remove seats as needed.
  • Remote Work Compatibility: With hybrid and remote work becoming the norm, agents should be able to work from anywhere using softphones or WebRTC-enabled browsers.
  • Affordable Pricing: No hidden fees, excessive seat minimums, or forced enterprise-scale pricing models.

Alternative Solutions for Small Businesses

Horizon Contact: A Scalable and Integrated Cloud Contact Centre

For SMBs looking for a reliable alternative, Gamma’s Horizon Contact presents a strong option. Unlike Avaya’s new model, Horizon Contact offers:

  • Seamless Integration: Designed to work in conjunction with Horizon and Collaborate, providing a unified experience for front and back-office teams.
  • Omnichannel Communication: Supports voice, email, and webchat interactions, ensuring customers have multiple touchpoints.
  • Automated Call Back & Queue Management: Reducing wait times and improving customer satisfaction.
  • Easy Deployment & Scalability: No need for major hardware investments; businesses can scale from 2 to 500 seats as needed.
  • Work from Anywhere: WebRTC support enables agents to operate from any device with a supported browser.
  • End-to-End Supplier Control: No third-party services, ensuring better quality and streamlined communication.

Wildix Call Centre: A Cloud-Based Contact Centre for SMBs

Wildix offers a modern, cloud-based phone system designed to bring businesses and customers closer together. With its browser-based functionality and seamless integrations, Wildix provides SMBs with a flexible and scalable contact centre solution that meets their needs without unnecessary complexity.

  • Work from Anywhere: Wildix operates entirely in the cloud, allowing agents to take calls via mobile, desktop, and softphones from any location.
  • Omnichannel Communication: Customers can reach businesses through chat, video, file sharing, SMS, and call recording- all from a single screen.
  • Seamless Website Integration: Wildix enables businesses to personalise customer experiences by integrating chat, call, and video functions directly into their websites.
  • Flexible Licensing & Pricing: Wildix offers customisable plans with flexible licenses, allowing businesses to scale up or down as needed.
  • Fast Setup & Ease of Use: Designed to be intuitive, Wildix requires minimal training and can be set up quickly.
  • Secure & Reliable: Hosted on AWS, Wildix ensures enterprise-level security and reliability while offering UK-based support for businesses.
  • Centralised Management: The Wildix Management System allows for easy user management across multiple office locations, enabling seamless communication without additional costs.

Conclusion

Avaya’s decision to shift its focus to larger enterprises may leave many SMBs searching for an alternative. Instead of waiting for an unclear future, businesses can explore flexible, scalable solutions like Horizon Contact and Wildix that cater specifically to their needs. By choosing a contact centre provider that prioritises SMBs, businesses can ensure continued growth, seamless customer interactions, and cost-effective solutions without being forced into enterprise-scale commitments.