From CPaaS innovation to new contact center marketplaces, here are some extracts from our most popular news stories over the last seven days.
Microsoft Extends Its CPaaS Platform with New Email APIs
Microsoft has added email APIs to Azure Communication Services, its CPaaS platform.
CPaaS allows businesses to inject real-time communications channels into online or in-app customer journeys with oven-ready APIs.
Now, Microsoft offers these APIs for email, alongside voice, SMS, and video.
The new Azure Communication Services Email APIs leverage the broader Microsoft suite – namely its Power Platform and Azure Logic Apps – to offer low-/no-code capabilities.
Moreover, Microsoft offers embedded analytics and engagement tracking, which allow businesses to continually optimize their communication strategies.
Yet, perhaps most interestingly, the move means that email will likely soon come to the Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service solution – its CCaaS platform.
After all, Azure Communication Services provides its underlying infrastructure, which is becoming increasingly feature-rich.
Now, with a comprehensive set of email APIs, developers can send emails en masse quickly and securely, with multi-media content including images, videos, documents, and audio.
Other nifty features include the capacity for bring your own domain, sender authentication, and multi-sender support. The latter will enable enhanced branding and a consistent customer experience, Microsoft claims.
Google to Start Adding Apps Into a New Contact Center Marketplace
Google will soon add the first applications to a new marketplace explicitly built for its CCaaS solution: the Google Contact Center AI Platform.
Despite only launching late last year, several organizations are already working with Google to deploy the cloud contact center.
These include Fitbit, OneUnited Bank, and Segra, with the latter implementing the CCaaS platform across 90 facilities.
Segra noted several of the platform’s native functionalities as fundamental in its decision to work with Google. These included its intuitive UI, agent workspace, and IVR call management capabilities.
Yet, to win more business, Google must establish additional tight integrations with various enterprise solutions – such as CRM, UCaaS, and ERP platforms.
Close ties with specialist platforms for WFM, QA, and reporting are also necessary for the many enterprises that like to mix and match solutions from best-of-breed contact center vendors.
Recognizing this, Google will hope to attract an array of vendors into its marketplace, with some familiar names already securing their places, including TTEC and Verint.
Sprinklr Celebrates 11 Seven-Figure CCaaS Wins
Sprinklr has lifted the lid on its CCaaS growth after a promising first year in the market.
In that time, it secured 11 deals worth over $1MN for its Sprinklr Service platform, formerly known as “Modern Care”.
Now, Sprinklr seems to be building on that momentum. Indeed, CCaaS now drives 40 percent of its bookings – up from one-third last quarter.
Moreover, Ragy Thomas, Founder, Chairman, and CEO at Sprinkr, revealed during an earnings call:
Sprinklr supports 75,000 call center agents with 30 new deployments happening with large brands around the world as we speak.
There is seemingly lots of room for growth too, with Sprinklr’s social suite implemented in many global businesses. As such, a land and expand strategy could work well.
Also, with many brands signing three-year CCaaS contracts at the beginning of the pandemic, there is likely lots more business for Sprinklr to compete for in the coming months.
Yet, as a relatively new entrant, Sprinklr must build its presence in a crowded market and push its innovation forward to rival brands at the top end of the market.
Unveiling 145 new CCaaS features and enhancements during its latest release wave is a clear sign of its intent to do.
Cognigy and Avaya Form Conversational AI Alliance
Cognigy and Avaya have extended their partnership to form a conversational AI alliance that serves Avaya’s contact centre customers.
Describing itself as the “market leader in conversational AI”, Cognigy announced its expanded partnership with Avaya at the leading enterprise communications conference and exhibition, Enterprise Connect 2023, which took place in Orlando, Florida, between 27-30 March.
Cognigy’s conversational AI and generative AI solutions are being integrated with the Avaya Experience Platform, allowing Avaya’s customers to create next-generation customer experiences and increase efficiency and employee engagement.
Hardy Myers, SVP Business Development and Strategy at Cognigy, said:
Our partnership with Avaya marks a new era of AI-powered customer service for enterprises.
“By combining Avaya’s expertise in communication and collaboration with Cognigy’s innovative Enterprise Conversational AI technology, enhanced with Generative AI, we will transform the way businesses interact with their customers, providing unparalleled personalized and efficient experiences that exceed expectations.”
Cognigy’s Enterprise Conversational AI platform, called ‘Cognigy.AI’, provides personalized service experiences over voice and chat.
The intelligent service can run 24/7 and be scaled to fit the size of the business.
