Tag: UC

Rich Messaging Apps: Supercharged SMS
Beyond SMS: Enter the World of Rich Messaging Apps

The history of WhatsApp and other RMAs is a fascinating reflection of the evolution of communication technology, especially in the context of smartphones.

RMAs have significantly impacted CX by offering features beyond SMS capabilities, allowing sending and receiving text, photos, videos, documents, and location and voice calls.

RMAs also offer encryption that SMS lacks, which is ideal for enterprise cloud environments. SMS also involves costs per message or depends on network provider bundles, depending on the user’s plan and country. The limits of SMS led to the development of RMAs.

Today, there are a host of RMAs, including WhatsApp Business, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, Apple Business Chat/iMessage, and Google Business Messages.

Customer adoption is impressive. According to research firm Statista, in 2022, the number of global consumers and companies using WhatsApp Business was estimated to surpass 1.26 billion users.

CPaaS Platforms Take SMS & RMAs To A New Level

Though SMS and RMAs are excellent communication tools, they require constant modifications and customisation for enterprises depending on the marketing and support situation. Besides that, SMS and RMAs offer excellent opportunities to mine customer data and analytics and significantly increase customer engagement.

That’s where CPaaS helps.

CPaaS consolidates SMS and RMA apps into one dashboard, providing businesses an integrated platform to orchestrate omnichannel strategies rather than managing individual channels. Companies that offer CPaaS solutions include Webex Connect, Twilio, Bird (formerly MessageBird), Plivo, Sinch and Infobip and Vonage.

Better still, CPaaS handles an impressive range of backend delivery infrastructure, automated workflows, analytics, and more. It provides actionable data and tools around two-way messaging absent in standalone RMAs. Some provide the ability to integrate with the leading RMAs like Apple Message, Facebook Messenger, and Google Business Messenger.

Other benefits include:
- CPaaS offers a flexible development environment with software toolkits and APIs to customize communication products/services.
- It enables developers to build messaging capabilities into apps versus limited configuration with RMAs alone.
- Designed for enterprise-scale communication needs across large customer bases. It also offers more mission-critical guarantees around security, latency, uptime.
In summary, CPaaS solutions augment the capabilities of individual rich messaging apps to power more streamlined, scalable, and sophisticated B2C communication strategies for businesses with advanced requirements.

AI Rising: The Relentless Pursuit of Better CX

AI is becoming integral to CPaaS to enhance customer engagement within the SMS and RMA environment.

SMS and RMAs generate abundant conversational data from real-time, high-frequency customer messaging interactions. Whether customers are texting questions about an order or communicating needs over WhatsApp, every message input provides valuable insights.

When this data is integrated into a CPaaS platform leveraging machine learning algorithms, robust analysis unlocks a goldmine for businesses. Predictive models identify intent and patterns in customer language. Natural language processing classifies the topics, sentiments, and semantics mentioned across conversations over time.

Powerful segmentation and analytics around messaging data fuel hyper-personalization. Customers feel understood and heard when they receive tailored content or offers meeting their needs without having explicitly asked. AI remembers the context of prior discussions, mimicking human memory.

Chatbots leverage NLP to parse inquiries and handle common requests automatically through SMS or rich messaging apps. They personalize interactions, gauge customer satisfaction with sentiment analysis, recommend products, and answer questions seamlessly. Virtual assistants feel more helpful by retrieving and responding with specific details using the customer’s same natural language. Humans step in easily when needed.

Overall, AI augmentation enables companies to scale mass personalization through messaging. The right message, right channel, and right time become possible. Combining smart automation with the trust of SMS & RMAs creates sustainable one-on-one engagement between brands and customers.

AI is no longer an option. One way or another, AI will find its way into every area of the enterprise, especially in the contact centre. It’s still early in the game. The AI hype cycle will be with us for some time to come. In the meantime, CPaaS companies will continue to refine and develop new solutions to harness the power of ML and NLPs. These models will become more refined from expanding datasets (driven by SMS and RMAs), resulting in more meaningful tools to improve CX.

Companies that seize this opportunity and are willing to experiment with AI in an agile way could gain significant revenue, profits, and a loyal customer base. There’s no going back. AI is here to stay.
02/26/2024
SMS: Customer Engagement 140 Characters At a Time
“The advance of technology is based on making it fit in so that you don’t really even notice it, so it’s part of everyday life,” Bill Gates.

Digital transformation has pushed life to hyperspeed. The more we rely on digital technologies, the quicker the pace and the more we need to stay in touch. We need fast, reliable, and simple ways to connect. Thank heavens for SMS.

SMS is not unlike electricity. We assume it’s there when we need it. And it usually is. Better still, it’s simple to use, amazingly effective, and it keeps our daily lives humming along. It’s a basic, widely accessible, and straightforward means of communication. Its universal reach and simplicity have made it an indispensable tool. And it’s an indispensable platform for B2C.

It’s the lingua franca of the digital age, allowing users with different platforms to connect, share, and transact business across different mobile devices, operating systems, and networks. It doesn’t require a smartphone or a high-speed internet connection, making it accessible to a wide range of users worldwide.

SMS: The Unseen CX Workhorse

Since its first message in December 1992, the short-burst SMS has evolved to be one of the most effective customer experience (CX) tools.

The online digital lifestyle publication Earthweb reports that more than 2 trillion SMS messages were sent in the US in 2023. Globally, it was reported that 8.4 trillion SMS messages were sent in 2021, according to a Forbes magazine article.

With over 86 percent of the global population possessing a smartphone, and SMS clocking in with hundreds of billions of messages daily, the SMS ecosystem will remain a rich field for companies across all industries.

A 2021 report from Mitto, an omnichannel solutions provider, offers important insights on using SMS as a tool to build brand loyalty:
- SMS has a click-through rate of 19 percent compared to landing on the first page of Google search engine results page (SERPs), which is at 34.36 percent, email marketing (four percent), and Facebook (one percent). (SMS Comparison, 2022)
- 41 percent of consumers prefer receiving brand updates via SMS versus email (22 percent). Meanwhile, 66 percent of consumers prefer receiving text service notifications. (Yotpo, 2020)
- About 80 percent of people worldwide will be using smartphones by 2023. It’s also estimated that there will be 7.52 billion mobile users by 2026. (Ericsson & The Radicati Group, 2022)
- Ninety-five percent of text messages tend to be read and responded to within the first three minutes when they’re received. (SMS Comparison, 2021)
The SMS ROI: It’s Hard to Ignore

Further to the Mitto report, brands implementing omnichannel strategies, including SMS solutions, had the following results:
- Four times more likely to report loyal customers. 
- Three times more likely to have significant increases in revenue growth.  
- Three times more likely that customer experience was rated an ‘A.’ 
- Three times more likely they will increase their investment in CX. 
- Two times more likely to respond to customers in real-time or less than an hour. 
Follow the Numbers To Follow The Money

SMS is a real workhorse for customer engagement. Its usefulness can hardly be in doubt.

Its compatibility across devices and networks makes it a linchpin in the omnichannel toolkit, driving CX and brand loyalty. Its reliability and simplicity make it a fundamental, universally accessible communication tool critical for B2C interactions.

Its impressive usage statistics underscore its effectiveness, and with reports highlighting its superior click-through rates and consumer preferences, SMS’s role in fostering real-time connections and loyalty is undeniable. And its proven impact on revenue growth, customer loyalty, and investment in CX further makes its indispensable technology in enhancing customer-brand relationships.
02/20/2024
Clouds of Change: AI’s Role in Revolutionizing Cloud CX in 2024
“AI is the new electricity. Electricity revolutionised all industries and changed our way of life, and AI is doing the same. It’s reaching into every industry and discipline…”

Andrew Ng, Founder of deeplearning.ai, Co-Chairman and Co-Founder of Coursera, and Adjunct Professor at Stanford University.

“AI is the most profound technology humanity is working on. More profound than fire, electricity, or anything that we have done in the past.”

Sudar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, Google’s parent company.

2024 will be another good year for the cloud. According to a Gartner report, global spending on public cloud services is forecasted to grow by 20.4% to $678.8 billion. That’s up from $563.6 billion in 2023. 

Coincident with this growth, artificial intelligence will continue to escalate in demand, and it will continue to shape the cloud landscape, most especially in customer experience.

It’s more than cost, time, and efficiency. The cloud is now a catalyst for innovation, agility, and success across diverse industries – much of it spurred by AI.

Consider NICE, a CXaaS company specialising in improving customer experience. NICE has shifted its entire focus to AI-based tools.  Why? Because they see the obvious. AI is here. And at an astonishing rate, it will be even more capable and intelligent. NICE and dozens of other cloud solutions firms are augmenting their product portfolios with AI. Those companies that harness it and provide useful and meaningful solutions for customers will attain remarkable market dominance. 

With NICE, AI has augmented its tools for tasks like social listening, digital CRM analytics, intelligent call routing, understanding caller intent, and analytics in quality monitoring. These AI-driven tools help reduce average handle time, increase first-contact resolution and enhance overall customer satisfaction.

2024 will be a robust year for cloud companies. AI’s impact will continue to influence how companies and their customers interact. It all comes down to improving customer experience.

Companies in the Customer Experience as a Service (CXaaS) space are at the forefront of this AI integration.

These companies employ AI to transform contact centers, enhancing customer interactions through advanced AI tools. 

Integrating AI in these platforms is not just about automating tasks; it’s about creating a more intuitive, responsive, and personalised customer service experience.

The surge in AI-powered virtual assistants has provided a view of the future, revolutionising customer interaction and offering automated yet personalised responses. 

CXaaS companies that have already deployed advanced AI capabilities include:
- Zoom: Known for its video conferencing solutions, Zoom has been integrating AI features to enhance the user experience, which can be applied in contact centre scenarios.
- CallCabinet: known for its complete product offering to capture data, track voice calls, and ensure high security and compliance requirements, it utilises AI algorithms to analyse call data. This can include sentiment analysis, speech analytics, and keyword detection, which help understand customer interactions more deeply and improve the overall customer experience. 
-       Simplify360: Specializes in AI-driven customer support and marketing, using chatbots with Natural Language Processing (NLP) and machine learning for personalized, efficient service across multiple channels.
- NICE: Capabilities include full journey orchestration with advanced analytics, automation, machine learning and predictive algorithms for enhancing customer interactions and operational efficiency
- RingCentral: This platform provides AI-driven insights and analytics for contact centres, helping to improve customer interaction and operational efficiency.
Key developments and trends in AI features. Now till 2029.
1. Emotion detection and sentiment analysis will become highly accurate. AI will be able to detect subtle voice inflections and word choices to determine how customers truly feel with over 90 percent accuracy. This will enable companies to deliver ultra-personalized service and support.  
1. Predictive analytics will anticipate customer needs. By crunching massive datasets, AI will foresee problems and predict optimal solutions for customers, sometimes before the customer is even aware of the issue. This proactive care will wow customers.
1. Chatbots and virtual assistants will handle increasingly complex queries. With advanced natural language processing capabilities, virtual agents will resolve up to 70 percent of customer support tickets with no human involvement required. This will slash costs while also providing 24/7 assistance.
1. Full omnichannel integration will anticipate needs. AI will combine data from all channels (voice, chat, email, etc.) to discern customer intents, emotions, and expectations. It will then direct outreach to the ideal channel for each situation. This contextual care will build strong loyalty. 
1. Hyper-personalization will feel like working with a friend. With full customer insights, CX platforms will enable authentic personalized small talk, thoughtful gestures like discounts, and spot-on anticipatory problem-solving, making customers feel genuinely cared for. This human-like treatment will elicit intense customer loyalty.
By 2029, AI may handle nearly all routine inquiries, freeing humans to focus solely on complex issues. 

 

We’re Not in Kansas Anymore

In 2024, the landscape of cloud computing will continue to be reshaped by AI. Not just as a technological trend but as a customer-centric revolution, redefining how businesses interact with and serve their customers. Its ease of access, provided by leading CXaaS providers, will dramatically impact the intelligence of digital interactions.

Unlike the advent of electricity, AI is evolving much faster and becoming more powerful without our intervention. Who knows what the AI-powered customer experience will look like in 10 years? The focus today remains on balancing innovation with security and compliance.

The future looks incredible. AI is here to stay. Stay tuned.
12/26/2023
2024 Outlook in Cloud Communications: AI’s Impact in Three Areas
“It is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself.”

Charles Darwin, “Origin of the Species”.

As 2024 begins, all of us can take inspiration from Darwin’s observation. In this era of hyper-change, if we skilfully adapt, we have a good chance of thriving – and enjoying the process. After all, collectively, we face the most dramatic and consequential changes in human history (economic uncertainty, AI, war, political upheaval, and climate change). Darwin’s “changing environment” is clocking at a pace like no other. Despite everything, some industries and technologies, like cloud-native business communication platforms (or cloud communications platforms) for instance, steadily continue to adapt and evolve.

AI and ChatGPT appeared all of a sudden, or so it seemed. But in fact, AI has been evolving for decades out of the mass consumers’ spotlight. Then it arrived; a powerful technology like no other. Our first seemingly self-aware companion, offering up answers tirelessly in response to our endless queries. And beyond the hype cycles and buzz about AI, businesses worldwide will continue to focus its impact on three crucial areas of their digital communications deployments. Those are bolstering security, ensuring regulatory compliance, and delivering a seamless customer experience (CX).

These three areas are not just individual goals but intertwined elements that will collectively shape the future of cloud-native communications platforms.

Security: The Unwavering Pillar of Cloud Communications

In the era of rampant cyber threats, security remains a top priority for cloud communications providers and adopters. This coincides with the rise of remote and hybrid work, which have increased security threat levels significantly.

According to a report by Cybersecurity Ventures, cybercrime damages are projected to cost the world $9.5 trillion annually by 2025, making security risks an existential threat to businesses and organizations. And, with the widespread use of multi-channel communications and its high volume of video, voice, text, and whiteboard communications, digital cloud systems must address its relative challenges.

Cloud communications solutions will continue to incorporate advanced security tools like end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, and AI-powered threat detection systems. AI – powered by machine learning (ML) and natural language processing – are becoming a critical part of advancing and improving security, and compliance platforms, according to an article in UC Today.

Below are some of the ways innovative platforms are elevating security:
- Data Encryption: Optimizing encryption methods with AI based on the type of data and its usage patterns, and automating the complex process without manual intervention or performance compromise.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Utilize machine learning to predict potential data breach scenarios by analyzing patterns in data usage and access.
- User Access Controls: Advanced systems can use AI to analyze user behaviour to identify deviations from normal patterns, enhancing security by detecting potential threats or compromised accounts.
The UC Today article also mentions quantum cryptography as a valuable emerging technology, as it introduces the most sophisticated encryption to date, safeguarding data transmissions against advanced threats.

Compliance: Steering Through Regulatory Landscapes

Compliance with regulatory standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and various national privacy laws is a significant challenge for cloud communications providers.

Consider the $1.8 billion (US) fines against Wall Street firms in 2022 for failure to abide by compliance regulations. The trend continued in September 2023 when the U.S. Security Exchange Commission (SEC) fined five broker-dealers $79 million for “failures to maintain and preserve electronic communications in violation of federal laws.”

As these regulations evolve, and they evolve quickly and constantly, cloud communications providers must adapt and even future-proof compliance to avoid penalties and maintain customer trust.

Here’s how cloud communications platforms are enhancing their compliance tools with AI, machine learning and automation:
- Archiving and Record-Keeping: Classify and index records with AI, and using the same system for quick retrieval based on AI assistants.
- Compliance with Regulations: Training AI systems to update to the latest regulatory changes and automatically adjust as needed. Teams can also utilize machine learning for ongoing risk assessments and ensure the compliance standards of data handling.
- Audit Trails: Utilize machine learning to sift through vast amounts of log data to identify patterns, anomalies and other signs of potential issues.
RingCentral, Cisco Webex, Zoom, NICE, Microsoft Teams, CallCabinet and other firms are a few of the many companies that are integrating advanced compliance tools into their platforms.

Seamless CX: The Holy Grail

The quality of customer experience is a measure of how well a company embraces agile processes. One that deftly adapts to unexpected events – such as the pandemic – will thrive. Consider the pandemic. A Deloitte report indicates that with customers in the pandemic lockdown, omnichannel communications suddenly became the de facto method to enhance customer loyalty, even as restrictions have lifted. Customers demanded it. They want brands to deliver a consistent, positive experience at every touchpoint. Technology solutions need to align with customer values and anticipate their needs.

AI tools have already begun to improve CX on cloud communications platforms. For example, with AI, speech analytics assesses emotional intent, leading to more personalized and effective service. Leading technology and analytics vendors that provide AI solutions to help companies improve and transform customer engagement and experience include:
- Salesforce – Salesforce offers Einstein AI capabilities across its platforms.
- Adobe – The Adobe Experience Cloud integrates Adobe Sensei AI engines for capabilities like automated customer journey mapping, and predictive analytics.
- SAP – SAP C/4HANA is SAP’s suite of customer experience solutions leveraging machine learning.
- Microsoft – Microsoft Dynamics 365 AI uncovers customer insights that help sales, marketing and service teams better align with customer needs.
- Verint – Verint offers AI-infused omnichannel customer engagement including areas like journey orchestration, contact centre intelligence, automated quality management and advanced text and speech analytics.
The future looks bright with AI. It can enhance and transform CX by understanding language, analyzing unstructured data like customer feedback, recommending relevant offers or information, and even conducting increasingly natural conversations.

The push for advanced personalization experiences opens up new disciplines in data and lifecycle management. Within a decade, AI bots could be so powerful that they will help guide a customer through even considerably nuanced dilemmas that require unique solutions.

Conclusion: Bit by Bit, Things Get Better. Not in Leaps.

Cloud communications platforms and solutions will continue improving incrementally,  driven by customer demand, technological innovation, and an ever-demanding customer.

As we navigate through 2024, the cloud communications landscape is being reshaped by the collective forces of security, compliance, and seamless CX and enhanced by careful and practical AI innovation.

These are not standalone goals but interdependent objectives that must be pursued together for businesses to thrive in the dynamic cloud communications market. As these technologies evolve, they hold the promise of transforming not just communication strategies but the very fabric of customer and business interactions.
01/11/2024
Need to Set-Up Operations in Emerging Markets? It’s Not a Moon Shot

In 1969, when the NASA space program sent its Apollo 11 astronauts to land on the moon, they faced a colossal set of unknowns. After all, no human being had ever landed on the moon, much less walked on it. Fortunately, the technology and the systems held. Apollo 11 was a success.

Today, global enterprises that want to set up cloud-based operations in hard-to-reach markets can take a lesson from Apollo 11. It’s a remarkable insight into teamwork and extraordinary deadlines while taking huge risks – while relying on cutting-edge technology to go to unknown regions far from headquarters.

So when it comes to the complex question of how to set up reliable and compliant cloud-based operations in hard-to-reach markets, it certainly isn’t like going to the dark side of the moon. Far from it.

Setting Up Operations in Hard-to-Reach Markets

Multinational companies have operations that span from Angola, India, Brazil, to Thailand. Will a CIO ever be able to get an accurate picture of his global enterprise?

Successfully expanding your operations in emerging markets is no longer a journey to the dark side of the moon. But it’s no small feat either.

While each market presents unique challenges, several key considerations apply universally. Global enterprises need the assurance that their cloud-based operations far from the Western hemisphere will operate with the same performance and reliability with equal capability.

Local Partnerships Are Essential

Partnering with established local telecom and technology providers is crucial. They understand the local situation and can help navigate complex regulatory and infrastructure issues.

For example, ULAP Networks has an impressive track record assisting global enterprises in launching cloud-based operations across emerging markets like Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Leveraging the expertise of ULAP and its infrastructure ensures your systems will be compliant and built to withstand unpredictability.

Compliance at Every Level

Maintaining data security and privacy compliance is mandatory. Be sure to fully understand GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA, and other relevant regulations. Implement systems to keep data protected and segmented by geography. Utilise technologies like AI and analytics to closely monitor for anomalies and generate audit trails. For example, leading providers like ULAP Networks offer solutions to simplify compliance across borders.

Flexible, Redundant Infrastructure

Bandwidth limitations and power instability are common challenges. Build redundancies to mitigate downtime risks. Consider a hybrid model combining cloud and local infrastructure. This balances cost efficiency with more control. Leverage technologies like SD-WAN to optimise network traffic and enable policy-based application access.

Omnichannel Customer Experiences

Today’s consumers expect seamless omnichannel interactions. Offer consistent experiences across channels like voice, chat, SMS, social media, and messaging apps popular locally. Cloud contact centres from providers like Genesys, NICE CXone, and Simplify360 offer the flexibility to scale channels easily.

Real-Time Analytics and AI

Harness the power of data to monitor operations and quickly address issues. With limited on-site staff, analytics and AI bots can provide visibility. Prioritise key operational metrics like system uptime, call volumes, wait times, CSAT scores and more. Tools like Salesforce Service Cloud and Zendesk incorporate these capabilities.

Monitor Agent Burnout In BPOs Before It Burns Up Your Customers

Agent burnout leads to low customer satisfaction scores. Dissatisfied customers can and do post bad reviews. It’s a downward slope of lost revenue.

Where possible – with the cooperation of the BPO – use AI and analytics tools to improve data gathering in BPOs. Speech and text analytics software can monitor and evaluate agent-customer interactions to score performance, identify areas for improvement, and feed into training programs. AI chatbots also log details of customer inquiries that can be mined for insights.

However, adoption is limited as most offshore BPOs are focused on cost reduction versus innovation. They can be reluctant to invest in new technologies. So, when setting up a relationship with a BPO, insist on data transparency, even if it means partnering with a call compliance company like CallCabinet, which offers advanced analytics and AI solutions.

If they could land on the moon, expanding to emerging markets is easily achievable by comparison. Conduct due diligence to understand requirements and risks. Partner with ULAP for resilient infrastructure leveraging cloud and local networks. Prioritise compliant, omnichannel customer experiences backed by advanced analytics and AI tools from CallCabinet.

With the right partner, your global footprint can successfully grow. Because it’s no longer a moon shot to reach emerging markets.

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About us
ULAP Networks has assisted Fortune 500 companies with our coverage in over 113 countries, specializing in cloud solutions for complex jurisdictions.

We work with leading SaaS platform vendors, including CallCabinet, that provide AI-driven business insights and sophisticated emotional sentiment analysis to help global enterprises connect with their remote operations.

Visit our ULAP for CallCabinet webpage or contact our business consultants to see how you can use advanced features in your global network at info@ulap.net

10/06/2023