Customer service and contact center
Customer service refers to the support organizations give customers after a purchase, and contact centers are the points where organizations can manage these interactions. Keep tabs on the evolution of customer service and contact center technologies and best practices to maintain service strategies properly.
Top Stories
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Feature
14 Aug 2024
The ultimate guide to contact center modernization
Advanced technologies, omnichannel support, agent performance, data security and ROI are keys to modernizing contact centers, but AI integration and customer personalization dominate. Continue Reading
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Answer
12 Aug 2024
10 must-have contact center skills for agents in 2024
Contact center agents must have a wide range of interpersonal and technological skills to interact with customers and resolve their issues in a timely and empathetic manner. Continue Reading
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Tip
09 Aug 2024
10 best practices for contact center quality assurance
To ensure quality and results in the contact center, businesses must define clear metrics, use real-time analytics, seek customer feedback, upskill agents and automate everywhere. Continue Reading
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Report
09 Aug 2024
15 essential contact center features
Today's multifunctional contact centers must cut through the product hype and incorporate software features that meet customer demands for fast, seamless and personalized service. Continue Reading
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Definition
05 Aug 2024
What is a 360-degree customer view?
The 360-degree customer view is a comprehensive approach to understanding customers by compiling their individual data from various touchpoints into a single view. Continue Reading
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Tip
01 Aug 2024
8 contact center metrics to improve agent performance and CX
These metrics measure and report on productivity and effectiveness at the contact center agent level to ensure performance aligns with the overall mission of the organization. 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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Feature
31 Jul 2024
7 contact center trends for 2024 and beyond
As contact centers trend toward becoming viable profit centers, AI's influence is at the core of conversational analytics, omnichannel communications and a mobile-first strategy. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jul 2024
Contact center compliance checklist for modern workforces
A contact center compliance checklist can serve as a starting point for contact center managers as they seek to comply with internal and external requirements. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jul 2024
How to improve the contact center experience for customers
Customers want their contact center interactions to be fast, seamless, tailored and personal in the form of mobile apps, self-service, improved IVR and knowledgeable human agents. Continue Reading
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Definition
26 Jul 2024
What are virtual agents and how are they being used?
A virtual agent -- sometimes called an intelligent virtual agent (IVA) -- is a software program or cloud service that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, such as machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP) to provide automated services or guidance to humans. Continue Reading
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Definition
24 Jul 2024
What is first call resolution (FCR)?
First call resolution (FCR) is when contact center agents properly address a customer's needs the first time they call so there is no need for the customer to follow up with a second call. Continue Reading
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Tip
24 Jul 2024
12 top contact center platforms of 2024
Which came first: the evolution of the contact center or the evolution of its supporting software? It's the old chicken-and-egg debate. Either way, AI is the catalyst. Continue Reading
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Definition
22 Jul 2024
What is an abandoned call?
An abandoned call is a call or other type of contact initiated to a call center or contact center that is ended before any conversation occurs. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Jul 2024
8 contact center challenges in 2024 and how to overcome them
Multifunctional contact centers must meet the expectations of savvy customers, hire and maintain qualified agents, monetize data, safeguard information and modernize operations. 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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Definition
18 Jul 2024
What is an outbound call?
An outbound call is one initiated by a contact center agent to prospective customers and focuses on sales, lead generation, telemarketing and fundraising. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jul 2024
How knowledge management benefits customer service
As knowledge management helps employees and customers find answers, it can improve customer service. Benefits include effective self-service and increased customer satisfaction. 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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Feature
16 Jul 2024
10 types of contact centers explained
Contact centers are the front line of communication between the enterprise and customers. But no two facilities are alike, so it's best to know which type fits business goals. Continue Reading
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Definition
16 Jul 2024
contact center burnout
Contact center burnout refers to physical, emotional and mental exhaustion experienced by contact center employees. Continue Reading
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Definition
10 Jul 2024
contact center agent (call center agent)
A contact center agent is a person who handles incoming or outgoing customer communications for an organization. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Jul 2024
5 key contact center AI features and their benefits
As multifunctional contact centers evolve in complexity and importance, AI and GenAI integration are advancing self-service chatbots, customer insights and agent monitoring. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Jul 2024
8 benefits of a modern contact center
Contact centers and their multifunctional capabilities can provide businesses with a competitive edge through improved agent performance, customer engagement and brand loyalty. 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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News
11 Jun 2024
RingCentral pushes AI deeper into sales tech, integrates Teams
Among other new features, RingCentral pushes its RingSense conversational intelligence deeper into the sales market with new integrations, where it meets a crowd of tech competitors. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2024
Pegasystems' Blueprint enables automation with no code
Pegasystems uses generative AI to simplify previously difficult development tasks that unite back-office and front-office data, and launches a GenAI-led learning system. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jun 2024
Build or buy fintech AI? To Mastercard, the answer is 'both'
Mastercard's operations CTO discusses the company's data principles, global contact center outlay, and its rubric for building vs. buying AI -- not just the generative kind. Continue Reading
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Tip
30 May 2024
12 benefits of customer retention
Customer retention can help organizations better understand their current customers' needs, issues and desires, so they can better support them and target more prospects. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 May 2024
Knowledge management metrics: How to track KM effectiveness
Measuring knowledge management effectiveness requires quantitative and qualitative data. Metrics like the balanced scorecard method can help organizations improve their strategies. 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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Opinion
21 May 2024
Generative AI's role in the rebirth of knowledge management
Generative AI could help organizations realize the tacit knowledge-sharing benefits that were touted in the late 1990s for the discipline of knowledge management. 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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News
07 May 2024
Sprinklr's AI digital twin for CX emulates whole companies
Sprinklr CEO Ragy Thomas 'bets the company' on its moonshot digital twin technology that emulates a whole customer's organization, with AI assistance, to complete CX tasks. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 May 2024
Why your -- and everyone else's -- customer service stinks
Frustration with customer service teams isn't new. But there are some reasons why it is seemingly getting worse. Continue Reading
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Definition
01 May 2024
chatbot
A chatbot is a software or computer program that simulates human conversation or "chatter" through text or voice interactions. 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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News
25 Apr 2024
Salesforce Financial Services Cloud gets GenAI for banking
If Salesforce can talk the highly conservative, highly skeptical and highly regulated financial industry into adopting GenAI, the company could win over a lot more customers. Continue Reading
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News
25 Apr 2024
Oracle expands generative AI across its CX applications
Oracle beefs up its Fusion Cloud Customer Experience applications with GenAI tools for users of its sales, field service, marketing and contact center. Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2024
HubSpot embraces GenAI with Service Hub updates and more
A reimagined, generative AI-infused Content Hub leads the way for a passel of HubSpot updates for users of its sales, service, marketing and digital payment platforms. 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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News
16 Apr 2024
Zendesk users get generative AI infusion for customer service
Zendesk customers get their shot of GenAI, which comes in the form of agent tools, self-service workflow assistants and workforce management features. 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
05 Apr 2024
Why Alphabet might acquire HubSpot: Data, data and more data
If Alphabet were to buy HubSpot, it would come with a hefty price when interest rates are high. Experts discuss what HubSpot assets might interest Google's parent company most. 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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Tip
01 Apr 2024
How to find the customer journey moments of truth
A moment of truth can turn a potentially positive experience into a negative one, and vice versa. Understanding moments of truth requires a complete knowledge of the customer journey. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Mar 2024
IT leaders curb GenAI enthusiasm at Enterprise Connect
IT leaders at Enterprise Connect expressed enthusiasm for GenAI experimentation in customer experience as well as circumspection that vendors should take on board. 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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Feature
27 Mar 2024
18 real-world use cases of the metaverse, plus examples
Use cases for the still-developing metaverse are growing as the technologies that enable this next iteration of the internet mature. Here are 18 enterprise and consumer examples. 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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News
22 Mar 2024
Salesforce Field Service users get generative AI helpers
Salesforce launches Einstein 1 Field Service Edition. Field technicians get a generative AI boost to help navigate through scheduling and technical content. 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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News
13 Mar 2024
Zendesk to acquire AI customer service bot startup Ultimate
Zendesk continues its acquisition spree with plans to buy partner Ultimate, making way for more straightforward integration of virtual agents. Continue Reading
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News
21 Feb 2024
GenAI chatbots for customer care create new level of liability
Air Canada found liable for promises its chatbot made against the airline's policy; CX leaders discuss best practices for using generative AI in chatbots. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Feb 2024
What does a knowledge manager do?
Knowledge managers use technical skills to maintain knowledge base software and interpersonal skills to encourage employees to share best practices with each other. Continue Reading
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Tip
31 Jan 2024
Field service management software vendors to know in 2024
The world of hybrid work turned nice-to-have field service features -- like remote project management and automation -- into vital capabilities. Learn which features vendors offer. 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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News
24 Jan 2024
Pegasystems unveils AI assistant for knowledge management
The workflow automation vendor aims to simplify informational querying processes with an iterative conversational interface that can automatically search all data sources. Continue Reading
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Definition
19 Jan 2024
conversational AI (conversational artificial intelligence)
Conversational AI (conversational artificial intelligence) is a type of AI that enables computers to understand, process and generate human language. 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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News
10 Jan 2024
Zendesk acquires Klaus for AI-backed quality assurance in CX
The customer service vendor acquires the vendor to build out its workforce management capabilities and bring a more integrated experience for users with both applications. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Dec 2023
The future of field service management and trends
Contactless, cashless and self-service abilities remain standards for field service. The future will bring more flexibility and convenience for workers and customers. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Dec 2023
Overview of RingCentral's RingCX AI-powered CCaaS platform
RingCentral's new contact center-as-a-service offering, RingCX, is poised to shake up the CCaaS market. Explore its benefits and features to see if it works for your organization. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Dec 2023
In 2023, generative AI made inroads in customer service
This year saw the rise of new intelligent capabilities for contact centers to support human and virtual agents in their abilities to deliver effective answers and services faster. Continue Reading
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News
28 Nov 2023
AWS Amazon Connect adds generative AI for the contact center
The tech giant unveils generative AI capabilities, reminding CX competitors that it has a long history with conversational AI and can offer many intelligent customer service tools. Continue Reading
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News
27 Nov 2023
AWS' remote work gambit: Amazon WorkSpaces Thin Client
AWS rolls out a computer in a Fire TV Cube box. The $195 device gives enterprises an inexpensive end-user hardware option for remote workers and promises tighter data security. Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2023
Microsoft adds more AI tools to Copilot for Sales, Service
The new capabilities let sales and service teams access customer information from apps such as a knowledge base or CRM system using natural language prompts in Microsoft platforms. Continue Reading
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News
08 Nov 2023
Zendesk unveils tools for agents to improve customer service
The customer service and CRM vendor unveiled no-code tools, including a layout builder to let teams customize agent interfaces for specific roles and workflows. Continue Reading
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Definition
02 Nov 2023
high-touch customer service
High-touch customer service is a category of contact center interaction that requires human interaction. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Oct 2023
6 key roles in a knowledge management team
Many organizations form dedicated teams to implement and maintain their knowledge management programs. Key roles include KM specialist, IT professional and knowledge champion. Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2023
SAP broadens CX offerings with new AI tools for Joule
The ERP software vendor brings AI-based tools to strengthen identity and data security as well as end-to-end personalization to highlight its customer experience offerings. Continue Reading
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Definition
25 Oct 2023
customer effort score (CES)
Customer effort score (CES) is a system for evaluating how much effort is required on the part of a customer to achieve satisfaction in their experience with a company. 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
16 Oct 2023
Talkdesk expands its AI offerings for the contact center
The cloud-based contact center provider adds more tools to monitor large language model-supported capabilities, which are becoming commonplace offerings for CX vendors. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Oct 2023
How generative AI can improve knowledge management
With generative AI, knowledge management teams can automate knowledge capture and maintenance processes. Explore how AI can improve knowledge management. Continue Reading
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Podcast
10 Oct 2023
CX and generative AI coexisting, carefully
Tech journalist Don Fluckinger talks to the Targeting AI podcast team about generative AI's potential for better customer service and how the technology falls short. Continue Reading
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News
03 Oct 2023
Zendesk offers more AI tech with AI for Voice, AI bots
The customer experience vendor released intelligent bots to quickly answer customers' questions and unveiled a tool to summarize transcripts of customer calls with agents. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2023
SurveyMonkey Forms has new templates, pre-built prompts
The vendor brings new capabilities such as pre-built question fields with Forms, an online form creation tool, to make it easier for businesses to collect data from customers. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Sep 2023
How to reduce customer service costs
As organizations adjust to today's economy, CX managers should implement new technologies and strategies to reduce customer service costs without sacrificing quality. Continue Reading
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News
18 Sep 2023
Zoom releases work management tools for the contact center
The video conferencing vendor expands its CCaaS offerings with its Workforce Engagement Management suite, which includes forecasting and scheduling tools for agents and managers. Continue Reading
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Definition
12 Sep 2023
omnichannel
Omnichannel -- also spelled omni-channel -- is an approach to sales, marketing and customer support that seeks to provide customers with a seamless and unified brand experience, regardless of which channel they use. Continue Reading
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Guest Post
07 Sep 2023
How AI can benefit CX and customer service
If you mix AI into your customer service strategy, you're more likely to keep customers satisfied and employees efficient. Check out three uses for AI in customer service. 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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Definition
29 Aug 2023
customer satisfaction (CSAT)
Customer satisfaction (CSAT) is a measure of the degree to which a product or service meets customer expectations. Continue Reading
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News
24 Aug 2023
Salesforce unveils new tools for field service workers
The CRM vendor's new tools for service workers include a virtual appointment scheduler and a platform to view details about customers' purchased products and service history. Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2023
Twilio's new CDP tool unites data for more personalization
Twilio's new tool uses its customer data platform, Segment, to connect real-time unified customer profiles with isolated data and boost marketing customization for better CX. 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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Feature
14 Aug 2023
Customer communications management key to CX success
Companies of all sizes are using the latest tech such as generative AI, online store apps, and collaboration tools like video calling to improve CX for B2B and B2C businesses. Continue Reading
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Definition
08 Aug 2023
multichannel marketing
Multichannel marketing refers to the practice of companies interacting with customers via multiple channels, both direct and indirect, to sell them goods and services. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Aug 2023
Banks aim to improve customer experience for users online
Tactics to increase digital interactions include improving contact center tools, prioritizing UX design and merging digital capabilities with real-time human service. 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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Tip
31 Jul 2023
7 account-based marketing tactics for your business
You can grow business revenue through an effective ABM strategy the complements lead-generation efforts. Here are 7 tactics to make your ABM program effective. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Jul 2023
What does a knowledge champion do?
Knowledge champions use communication and leadership skills to encourage their department or group members to adopt knowledge management best practices. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Jul 2023
Customer experience vs. customer service: How do they differ?
Customer experience and customer service are not the same, but they do have a shared goal: to ensure customers are satisfied and return for repeat business. Continue Reading
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Opinion
19 Jul 2023
Meta's Threads erupts as potential customer service channel
Threads may or may not be a Twitter-killer, but if 100 million people signed up for it in its first five days, your customer service team should consider supporting it -- and fast. Continue Reading
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News
19 Jul 2023
Qualtrics uses AI to analyze customer needs for better CX
Qualtrics unveils new generative AI tools to minimize time spent searching for and disseminating customer feedback and creating text responses to increase brand loyalty. Continue Reading
