Contact center as a service
With the UC and contact center markets converging, learn about the advantages of integrating UC and contact center infrastructures, how to support communication between agents and employees across the business and key technologies to support contact center as a service.
Top Stories
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News
16 Oct 2024
AWS' Amazon Q in Connect adds more contact center GenAI
AWS updates its contact center-specific version of its generative AI-powered agent, Amazon Q, for the company's Connect Contact Center as a Service platform. Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2024
Zendesk upends pricing for AI in customer service
As it embeds generative AI into its customer service and employee service platform, Zendesk tries a novel idea: outcomes-based pricing based on tickets resolved. Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2024
Google rebrands contact center tech, adds more AI
Google adds faster, more lightweight generative AI processing as it rechristens CCAI as Customer Engagement Suite. But Google's privacy protocols have been questioned in lawsuits. Continue Reading
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Definition
17 Sep 2024
What is a virtual contact center?
A virtual contact center (VCC) is a type of call center in which an organization's representatives are geographically dispersed, rather than situated at workstations in one location. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Sep 2024
Benefits and challenges of contact center benchmarking
Contact center benchmarking can help organizations allocate spending and improve CX. Yet, common pitfalls, such as a lack of qualitative data, can negatively affect efforts. Continue Reading
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Definition
05 Sep 2024
What is a contact center?
A contact center is a central point from which organizations manage all customer interactions across various channels. Continue Reading
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News
29 Aug 2024
Salesforce and Genesys discuss CX strategy, coopetition
Competing tech companies are partnering up to give customers what they need faster. Salesforce and Genesys share how they're doing just that in the contact center market. Continue Reading
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News
27 Aug 2024
FTC Click to Cancel, other regs coming to CX tech
The FTC, FCC and DOT are flexing their muscles to help consumers. Some rules are regulatory law; other proposals await the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Aug 2024
How to manage today's remote contact center agents
Technologies like agent analytics, video conferencing, collaboration tools, workforce management applications and cloud software can help manage remote contact centers. Continue Reading
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News
01 Aug 2024
SupportLogic acquires xFind for customer service experience AI
Startup SupportLogic buys xFind to add generative AI to its service analytics platform, and in the process takes on much larger competition such as Qualtrics, Medallia and Verint. Continue Reading
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Definition
19 Jul 2024
What is an inbound call?
An inbound call is typically initiated by a customer to a call center or contact center. Continue Reading
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News
17 Jul 2024
Salesforce to release autonomous AI customer service agents
Salesforce's next generation of customer service chatbots will use sharpened AI tools -- and, in theory, wits -- to choose their own adventure among Flows and actions. Continue Reading
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News
28 Jun 2024
AWS' Amazon Q adds Connect contact center integration
Amazon Connect, AWS' contact center platform, takes aim at solving the customer service agent's biggest problem: app switching during customer calls. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Jun 2024
Call center vs. contact center: What's the difference?
Call centers still live and die by the phone, while time and technologies have demanded more complex contact centers that service customers over multiple channels of communication. Continue Reading
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Definition
14 Jun 2024
contact center schedule adherence
Contact center schedule adherence is a standard metric used in business contact centers to determine whether contact center agents are working the amount of time they are scheduled to work. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 May 2024
How CPaaS improves CX operations and efficiency
Organizations have ramped up their use of communications platform as a service and APIs to expand communication channels between customers and contact center agents. Continue Reading
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News
23 May 2024
Salesforce Service Cloud adds Einstein generative AI tools
Salesforce Service Cloud will soon get generative AI tools that contact centers could theoretically use to turn CX from a cost center into a profit center. Continue Reading
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News
15 May 2024
Avaya looks ahead with acquisition, cloud CX, RingCentral deal
Rumors of Avaya's demise have been greatly exaggerated, CEO Alan Masarek assures longtime customers while making acquisitions, partnership deals and building a SaaS CX stack. Continue Reading
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News
14 May 2024
Genesys debuts customer service GenAI, journey management
Customer journey management and a bevy of generative AI tools, including more trademark empathy detection, were added to Genesys Cloud's contact center platform. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 May 2024
How to enable a Teams-contact center integration
Explore the three ways Microsoft supports integrating a contact center with Teams to enable more advanced calling and collaboration features for agents. Continue Reading
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Tip
18 Apr 2024
Will AI replace customer service reps?
AI can streamline customer interactions and save organizations money, but will it replace customer service agents? Maybe, but customer service will always require a human touch. Continue Reading
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Tip
12 Apr 2024
How agent assist technology works in the contact center
Contact centers that invest in agent assist technology can help their agents become more productive and eliminate tedious tasks to make their jobs easier. Continue Reading
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News
01 Apr 2024
AWS, Google release contact center GenAI tools
AWS releases contact center workforce management features and post-call summaries powered by GenAI; Google previews its own for Contact Center AI Platform. Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2024
Avaya simplifies contact center line, inks Zoom partnership
Zoom to work natively in Avaya hardware-software work collaboration environments; Avaya revamps contact center lineup to reflect changing CX landscape. Continue Reading
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News
26 Mar 2024
Talkdesk releases on-prem AI contact center automation suite
Contact center as a service users have a leg up on generative AI integrations because of the nature of cloud infrastructure, but on-premises customer service will get theirs. Continue Reading
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News
26 Mar 2024
Cisco releases Webex AI Assistant for office, contact center
Cisco brings AI Assistant for Webex to Enterprise Connect. Analysts break down the timing and potential for the new features available for office collaboration and contact center. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Mar 2024
How AI is transforming the BPO industry and contact centers
Everyone is talking about AI, but which organizations are adopting it? BPOs are a great example, especially AI for internal CX strategies and contact centers. Continue Reading
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Opinion
30 Jan 2024
How contact center modernization plays into AI strategies
Contact center workers want to work in different ways, so more leaders are experimenting with GenAI. ESG research explores the maturity of contact center tech. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Jan 2024
4 ways to support contact center calling redundancy
Cloud-based unified communications systems offer more reliability, but that doesn't mean they're immune from system failures. Learn how to safeguard your contact centers. Continue Reading
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Tip
04 Jan 2024
How to evaluate top UCaaS providers and vendors of 2024
Organizations have many considerations to make when adopting UCaaS. Learn how to evaluate key capabilities from top UCaaS providers, including mobility, security and integrations. Continue Reading
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Opinion
15 Nov 2023
Microsoft Ignite highlights future of AI, customer success
Advancements in AI will affect businesses and customers alike. Learn about the future of AI from Microsoft Ignite's Analyst Day, and how it will affect CX and app development. Continue Reading
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News
24 Oct 2023
Cisco unveils Webex AI tools for hybrid work, contact center
The vendor's new Webex AI offerings include Real-Time Media Models to track users' voices and movements and Webex AI Assistant tools for making, altering and suggesting messages. Continue Reading
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News
31 Aug 2023
8x8 releases conversational AI tools for the contact center
The cloud-based UC vendor releases voice technology to enable CX workers to connect self-service and agent-assisted workflows and receive conversation context from voicebots. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Aug 2023
Genesys offers workforce management tool to measure EX
A contact center management firm uses a Genesys tool that collects information about employees' experience to uncover organizational weaknesses and identify ways to improve. Continue Reading
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Tip
03 Aug 2023
Customer experience strategy: 5 tips to build a valuable CX
The best CX strategy should provide value to both the customer and the business. However, it requires support from leadership and significant investments in technology. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Jul 2023
RingCentral healthcare mends health center's phone system
Consolidating phone systems enabled Sun River Health to provide flexibility to clinical staff, expand reporting in its call center and improve the patient experience. Continue Reading
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Answer
29 Jun 2023
Is it time to automate customer satisfaction surveys?
With automated customer surveys, organizations can get data in real time to improve their marketing, sales and customer service strategies. And AI's role is still growing. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2023
Avaya prioritizes slow migration from on-prem to the cloud
The longtime contact center vendor aims to rebound from double bankruptcy by focusing on highly regulated customers' needs, such as continuity of some on-premises communications. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Jun 2023
UCaaS vs. CCaaS vs. CPaaS: What's the difference?
It can be difficult to make sense of popular cloud communications service models. Compare UCaaS vs. CCaaS vs. CPaaS to understand their differences and how they can be used together. Continue Reading
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Answer
05 Jun 2023
How to calculate call center utilization rates
Customer service leaders use metrics like call center utilization rates to track performance and CX. Leadership must learn the effects of these rates and how to calculate them. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jun 2023
Explore UCaaS architecture options and when to choose them
The first step to a UCaaS migration is choosing the deployment architecture. Learn how to choose which UCaaS architecture best suits your organization's needs. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 May 2023
CPaaS brings cloud contact center features to on premises
Organizations with on-premises contact centers don't need to make a full cloud migration to modernize their systems. CPaaS can enable cloud features and drive key business metrics. Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2023
Zoom takes on Anthropic's AI assistant for Contact Center
The video and collaboration platform vendor has allied with OpenAI spinoff Anthropic and is integrating Anthropic's chatbot, Claude, for a decentralized approach to training AI. Continue Reading
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Opinion
03 May 2023
Absorb, acclimate and aspire at Enterprise Connect 2023
Innovation was the highlight of Enterprise Connect 2023, with advancements in interoperability, AI and CRM. But the conference also stressed where vendors must widen their reach. Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Apr 2023
Customer service drives retention, operational efficiency
In times like these, organizations often prioritize and invest in service and support, as they need technology that helps retain customers. New data shows it is happening again. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Apr 2023
Microsoft and Cisco certification deepens interoperability
These UC blogs review Microsoft's and Cisco's latest integrations and the business strategy driving them, as well as how to ensure collaboration security in the workplace. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Apr 2023
AI takes center stage in the future of contact centers
Generative AI has disrupted the technology world, and contact center vendors are already looking to add it to products. Here's what AI in contact centers could mean for agents. Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2023
Cisco updates Webex and RoomOS for better video views
The digital communications vendor injects virtual conferencing tech with higher-resolution video, enhanced user detection and AI-backed chat summary features. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Jan 2023
Microsoft's OpenAI investment to boost work productivity
This series of UC blogs examines Microsoft's investment in OpenAI, Amazon Chime's advancements that increase productivity and RingCentral DaaS. Continue Reading
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News
31 Jan 2023
Zoom adds chatbot virtual assistant to CCaaS offering
The Zoom chatbot uses conversational language and proprietary AI to assist people calling Zoom's contact center as a service. Zoom launched its CCaaS last year. Continue Reading
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News
29 Nov 2022
Amazon Connect users get Contact Lens AI chat analytics
Contact Lens expands into chat channels. Also on tap in Amazon Connect: Agent performance monitoring and expanded, machine learning-driven workforce management tools. Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2022
Zoom video, UCaaS offerings draw closer to Teams, Webex
Zoom introduced a slew of features for its UCaaS platform at Zoomtopia, including mail and calendar services and an informal virtual meeting place called Spots. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Nov 2022
What's the difference between WFM and WFO?
WFM and WFO systems can automate employee schedules. However, WFO platforms include contact center features, such as call recording, to improve agent performance. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Oct 2022
5 benefits of workforce optimization in contact centers
In an industry with high turnover, contact center leaders must engage with their agents. Workforce optimization tools can help improve employee satisfaction and productivity. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Oct 2022
Top 8 workforce optimization software tools to consider
Workforce optimization platforms combine scheduling features with gamification tools to help contact centers boost productivity. Top tools include Nice CXone, Genesys and Five9. Continue Reading
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News
26 Aug 2022
Zoom updates Contact Center, but features lag rivals
Zoom has added new Contact Center tools for supervisors and agents, giving management better insight into metrics while offering agents more ways to help customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
21 Jul 2022
Contact centers evaluate CPaaS vs. CCaaS benefits
The contact center-as-a-service market is ripe for growth as businesses move to the cloud. That's inviting a new crop of vendors -- among them CPaaS providers -- to pitch products. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Jun 2022
Compare pros and cons of live chat vs. phone support
Phone support offers personalized experiences, but live chat agents can answer simple inquiries more quickly. See how these service channels stack up against each other. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 May 2022
5 upcoming CCaaS trends to watch
As organizations plan to increase CX spending over the next few years, they should pay attention to CCaaS trends, like agents changing workspaces and integrations with UCaaS. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Apr 2022
How the convergence of UCaaS and CCaaS affects businesses
The UCaaS and CCaaS markets began to converge so organizations could handle internal and external communications on one platform. But integration requires planning and consideration. Continue Reading
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Feature
21 Apr 2022
UCaaS vendors take on cloud contact center market share
As the UC market matures, vendors are looking for new ways to attract customers. Some vendors have set their sights on CCaaS, but getting executive buy-in could be a challenge. Continue Reading
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News
22 Mar 2022
Amazon Connect updates contact center workforce management
AWS's Amazon Connect contact center as a service platform adds machine learning workforce optimization to predict customer contact volume, as well as staffing numbers to cover it. Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2022
Google, Twilio release CCaaS tools and integrations
Google Contact Center AI Platform bundles its own tech with partners' for a complete contact center package. Twilio, meanwhile, releases Flex Conversations. Continue Reading
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News
24 Feb 2022
Zoom takes its video service to the contact center
Zoom has entered the contact center-as-a-service market. The company's product offers video calling as companies seek a more visual interaction with customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Feb 2022
UCaaS and CCaaS unite as organizations embrace the cloud
The UCaaS and CCaaS markets are converging as vendors and end-user organizations alike integrate cloud-based contact centers with communications platforms. Continue Reading
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News
23 Jul 2021
Zoom-Five9 deal to offer all-in-one cloud contact center
The Zoom-Five9 deal could deliver a product portfolio capable of satisfying businesses' contact center needs while providing communications for a hybrid workforce. Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2020
Avaya wants CCaaS to be included in RingCentral partnership
Avaya will attempt to expand its partnership with RingCentral to include its upcoming CCaaS offering. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Dec 2019
Enhancing communications with a UC-contact center integration
The divide between contact centers and the rest of the business is shrinking. The demand for UC and contact center integrations is reshaping the contact center vendor landscape. Continue Reading
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Answer
26 Sep 2019
What are the benefits of a UC and contact center integration?
UC offerings that include contact center integration provide more seamless communications and engagement between office workers and contact center agents. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Apr 2019
UCaaS vs. CCaaS: Weighing communications architecture integrations
More organizations have a need to integrate UCaaS and CCaaS to support office and contact center workers. Two elements, in particular, will affect integration options. Continue Reading
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Answer
27 Mar 2019
How does the cloud offer new contact center capabilities?
Moving from on premises to a cloud contact center comes with a litany of changes. Learn what contact center capabilities you should factor into your CCaaS migration planning. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jan 2019
Boostability gains agent insight with new contact center platform
What do you do when your contact center doesn't provide the data and features you need? One company decided to deploy a new platform that could support current and future needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Jan 2019
Improve the contact center experience with 3 key integrations
Organizations that want to offer a modern contact center experience can turn to AI, messaging apps and UC to improve agent productivity and customer service. Continue Reading
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News
14 Mar 2018
Putting the contact center in the cloud blurs lines with UC
The line between unified communications and the contact center is blurring as organizations look to bring both technologies together via cloud adoption. Continue Reading