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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				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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                Answer
                03 Aug 2023
                
                                    
                                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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                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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                Tip
                15 Jun 2023
                
                                    
                                How to evaluate top UCaaS providers and vendors of 2023
In a growing UCaaS market, there are many considerations to make when evaluating which providers best suit your business communications needs. 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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                Tip
                07 Feb 2022
                
                                    
                                How to manage remote call center agents
Managing remote call center agents can be difficult -- but with the right tools in place, supervisors can effectively lead their agents from a distance. Continue Reading
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                Feature
                13 Jan 2022
                
                                    
                                Call center vs. contact center: What's the difference?
Call centers and contact centers provide customer service in different ways. Decision-makers should understand which option best fits their organization's needs to optimize CX. 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