Unily named ClearBox global intranet of choice 2021

Feb 17, 2021

Unily has been selected as ClearBox Consulting’s 2021 Intranet Choice - Global following an in-depth review of more than 200 vendors. The Independent Intranets Report serves as a comprehensive guide to off-the-shelf intranet software, with badges awarded to the vendors that ClearBox recognizes as the most compelling options on the market for prospective buyers.

ClearBox global intranet of choice 2021 award

Standing out in a crowded space

ClearBox Consulting’s Independent Intranet Report is an essential guide for organizations developing their digital workplace strategies and assessing intranet platforms and service providers. It is one of the most comprehensive reports on offer to prospective intranet buyers, providing a truly independent analysis of all products on the market.

The ‘Global’ badge reflects those products that have a strong presence in North America and Europe in particular, but also have partners or a good spread of customers across the world. According to ClearBox, “High scores, a detailed roadmap, and value for money were also factors as part of our consideration." With Unily selected as Intranet Choice - Global, it reaffirms our platform’s status as a leading intranet software and employee experience solution for enterprises across the globe.

The first of its kind: why independent intranets?

For the last 5 years, ClearBox has been known in the industry for their annual SharePoint Intranets In-a-box report; the buyers’ guide to intranet products for SharePoint and Office 365. Unily featured in this report consistently until 2020 when our product outgrew its status as a ‘Sharepoint Intranet’.

For a long time, SharePoint had been the go-to intranet foundation of choice – in fact Unily was originally launched as a SharePoint layer designed to overcome some of the technology's shortcomings as a usable internal communications tool. However, in the last decade technology has come on leaps and bounds. This means many intranet solutions, including Unily, no longer think of themselves as SharePoint intranets.

“It was great to see ClearBox recognize this shift in the industry with their report, and even better to be one of the first to be recognized as a global leader,” comments Tom French, Unily’s Head of Product Marketing.

"Since the launch of Unily, our focus has been on creating a platform in our own right, which empowers users to create solutions in a more flexible and dynamic way than had previously been possible. We want to give enterprises the ability to align their own aspirations with evergreen technology that has the capacity to evolve with them. Whilst independent, we recognize the significant value of the Microsoft 365 stack and maintain a close partnership with Microsoft to offer customers the best of both worlds."

Tom French - Head of Product Marketing at Unily

Always at the forefront of the latest workplace technology trends, ClearBox’s decision to launch a new report in 2021 reflects changes in the marketplace and the rising appetite for stand-alone intranet solutions. The Independent Intranets Report marks a significant milestone in the evolution of employee experience technology. With rising demand for next-gen engagement platforms, the report is a much-needed resource for leaders who are looking to enhance employee experience in the digital age.

From shortlist to winner

When ClearBox Consulting’s Independent Intranets Report was first released last month, the consultancy selected Unily as one of just 16 vendors to fully feature, determined by market presence, visibility, and user base.

Following the initial inclusion, ClearBox Consulting has now awarded Unily with a ‘Choice’ badge, designed to indicate products they feel should be at the top of any prospective buyer’s shortlist. Unily has received ClearBox Consulting’s award in the category of Intranet Choice - Global. In addition to coming out on top internationally, this title indicates that Unily is particularly suited for global enterprises and the challenges they face.

"Being recognized as a globally leading independent intranet is a huge achievement and we are honored to have our hard work building enterprise-grade employee experience solutions recognized. Our mission is to unite enterprises across the globe, and this award confirms that what we are doing is really solving challenges that enterprises encounter, and giving employees everywhere the tools to do their best work and have the best digital experience at work."

Matthew Boyd - Product Evangelist at Unily

Why did Unily stand out?

With all of the choices on the market, how did ClearBox Consulting come to the conclusion that Unily offered the most compelling intranet solution for global enterprises? The independent consultancy took a deep dive approach, reviewing every product across ten scenarios such as finding information and user experience. Vendors were then rated based on their proficiency in each category.

Stand out features of Unily platform included:

Outstanding search experience complimented by a strong integration framework
Flexible platform that enables agility
Attractive user experience
Social features that promote networking and community
Scalability

Unily performed well across the board, earning distinction in several scenarios including user experience and visual appeal, social engagement and collaboration, information finding, and enterprise-scale. These distinctions helped secure Unily’s win in the 2021 Intranet Choice - Global category.

As one of the leading independent digital workplace consultancies, ClearBox Consulting is a resource for leaders who are looking to create better and more productive workplace experiences. Given their standing as a trusted source of expertise, being recognized as a leading intranet provider is a great honor.

A comprehensive review process

There are many reports that analyze intranet solutions available, but ClearBox’s are known for being the most thorough and credible on offer. This is due to the comprehensive nature of the review process, which includes deep dive products demonstrations and access to a sandbox environment that lets reviewers experience the solutions firsthand.

"The effort from the ClearBox team to really understand the nuances of each vendor really stands tall and is obvious in both the quality and depth of the product analysis."

Matthew Boyd - Product Evangelist at Unily

The market for intranet software and employee engagement tools has become increasingly crowded and differentiating platforms is becoming an increasing challenge for enterprises seeking out new solutions. With more than 200 options to consider, ClearBox Consulting’s new report offers potential buyers a detailed guide to assist in weighing up out-of-the-box options.

Discover what Unily's award-winning intranet platform has to offer

If ClearBox Consulting’s newest report has piqued your interest in exploring independent intranet options, get in touch with our digital workplace experts to find out more about how our employee experience platform can improve experience at your enterprise.