Google, Microsoft, Sprinklr, Verint, Zoom… the contact center technology market is awash with high-profile entrants.
Many of these new-age providers have generated fresh perspectives on managing customer conversations, favoring cloud-first approaches.
They've also emphasized digital interactions, which – in many respects – has helped to push the market forward.
But, as these entrants scale, they will likely encounter blockers beyond their core platforms. Delivering customized solutions in highly regulated sectors, developing regional partnerships, and establishing global carrier relationships… all of this takes time.
The latter is especially significant, as a robust voice proposition is critical to almost all CCaaS buyers.
As such, buyers should scrutinize a vendor's voice services, ensuring they go above and beyond to work with the optimal carriers across mission-critical regions.
However, there’s much more to consider in the new, competitive CCaaS market.
Given these dynamics, here are three mission-critical questions to ask prospective CCaaS providers.
1. Which Company Can We Talk to That Has Successfully Done This?
Several CCaaS providers will make outlandish promises to fend off the competition and secure a signature on the dotted line.
For this reason, referenceability is crucial. Contact centers need assurances that these promises are genuine and that the prospective platform will safely transition them to the cloud, which is a daunting proposition.
Moreover, once there, they want to know it will consistently perform.
Making this point, Nerys Corfield, Director of Injection Consulting, previously told CX Today:
“What we're seeing more and more is buyers asking for case studies and requesting to speak with existing customers early in the process. They want to hear the real "warts and all" stories from those who've experienced the product. I think it's a very sensible approach.”
Additionally, by engaging with fellow customers, contact centers learn vital process and people lessons that may assist their roll-out.
2. Are You Going to Use This Data to Train Your AI?
Many AI-based customer experience platforms are popping up, using third-party technologies that are easy to white-label.
As such, contact centers should become increasingly cautious about where that AI comes from, how it’s trained, and what data it’s using.
Simon Adnett, VP of Sales UK&I / EMEA at Enghouse Interactive, makes this point and warns:
“Many vendors use customer data to train their AI, often without proper consent, which is a shortcut that can have legal and ethical ramifications.
“I think it’s safe to say that there will be more awareness and controls as the use of AI in contact centers continues to evolve,” he continued.
Recent lawsuits against Patagonia and LegalShield for sharing their customer data with their CCaaS vendor – which then use it to train its AI models – embolden Adnett’s take.
"All providers in this space must take a careful approach to how they train their AI solutions, by building models and learning systems without relying on customer data," Adnett concluded.