8×8, a leading provider of integrated cloud contact centres and unified communications platforms, has announced new enhancements to its service.
These include 8×8 Engage for cross-organization customer engagement, Proactive Outreach for 8×8 Contact Centre and Unified Communications, and 8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams.
Other updates include improved analytics and reporting, usability and interface enhancements, and improvements to the 8×8 CPaaS Platform. The developments aim to boost customer and employee communication and collaboration experiences throughout the customer journey.
- 8×8 introduced enhancements to its integrated cloud contact centre and unified communications platform, including 8×8 Engage for customer engagement, Proactive Outreach for customer service, and 8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams.
- Key updates include improved analytics and reporting, usability enhancements for 8×8 Work, and interface improvements for Supervisor Workspace.
- Further enhancements include Smart Channel Routing, improvements to the CPaaS Platform, and the introduction of the LINE Official Notification channel for businesses.
Revolutionising Customer Engagement with 8×8’s Latest Innovations
In the world of unified communications and cloud contact, advancements come thick and fast. But the latest enhancements from 8×8 are definitely worth taking a moment to explore. Their integrated cloud contact centre and unified communications platform got a significant boost, with improvements designed to foster cross-organisational customer engagement, proactive outreach, and improved collaboration features.
A Closer Look at 8×8 Engage.
The first of these enhancements is 8×8 Engage, a solution powered by artificial intelligence crafted to foster cross-organisation customer engagement. The aim is to enhance customer experiences, build loyalty, and drive business success. 8×8 Engage has been intentionally engineered to cater to the unique needs of employees who interact with customers outside the contact centre, providing them with the right tools to deliver consistent, successful outcomes.
Proactive Outreach for Unified Communications and Contact Center Customers
Then there’s the Proactive Outreach for 8×8 Contact Center and Unified Communications. This feature leverages 8×8’s programmable SMS and WhatsApp capabilities to enhance cross-organisation customer engagement. It enables customer experience (CX) professionals to launch highly personalised mass messaging campaigns via 8×8’s campaign management platform. The features include scheduling, advanced routing, reporting, analytics, and more.
8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams
8×8 has also been certified as a provider of Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams. This means that 8×8 provides Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) calling through Microsoft Teams Phone, powered by Microsoft’s Operator Connect for approved third-party providers. The integration of this feature into the 8×8 for Microsoft Teams portfolio offers a reliable calling option that streamlines deployments through the Teams admin centre.
Enhanced Meeting Whiteboards and Official Notifications
The platform’s meeting whiteboards have been improved, with participants now able to contribute by drawing, writing, and connecting items. This facilitates more effective brainstorming and improves real-time collaboration. Additionally, the LINE Official Notification (LON) channel now enables businesses to send one-way notifications to customers in Thailand and Indonesia.
Further Enhancements to the 8×8 Platform
Further updates to the platform include improved analytics and reporting, usability and interface enhancements for 8×8 Work, and enhancements to 8×8 Smart Channel Routing. There have also been improvements to the 8×8 CPaaS Platform, including self-registration for WhatsApp Business account and SMS Sender ID on 8×8 Connect, intelligent routing in 8×8 voice solutions, and SMS integration with CleverTap.
“At 8×8, we understand that all innovations should be intentionally engineered to enable organisations to bridge gaps between channels and teams, both internally and externally, to drive superior customer experiences and business success,” said Hunter Middleton, Chief Product Officer at 8×8, Inc. “By introducing these recent enhancements to our integrated cloud contact centre and unified communications platform, which is now expanding beyond the traditional CCaaS and UCaaS definitions also to include 8×8 Engage, we are prioritising solutions and capabilities that will enable organisations to provide their customers and employees with exceptional communication and collaboration experiences at every step of the customer journey.”
Final Thoughts
8×8’s latest enhancements demonstrate their commitment to pushing the boundaries of unified communications and customer engagement. Integrating AI-powered solutions, proactive outreach capabilities and seamless integration with platforms like Microsoft Teams shows a clear focus on enhancing customer and employee experiences.
As businesses continue to navigate the digital landscape, these improvements offer promising opportunities for improved communication, collaboration, and customer engagement. It’s an exciting time in the world of cloud contact and unified communications, and 8×8 is clearly committed to leading the charge.
FAQ
Q: What is 8×8 Engage?
A: 8×8 Engage is an AI-powered, tailored solution that enables cross-organization customer engagement for enhanced customer experiences, fostering loyalty and driving business success.
Q: What is Proactive Outreach for Unified Communications and Contact Center customers?
A: Proactive Outreach for Unified Communications and Contact Center customers utilises 8×8’s programmable SMS and WhatsApp capabilities to enable cross-organization customer engagement further. CX professionals can launch highly personalised mass messaging campaigns through 8×8’s campaign management platform.
Q: What is 8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams?
A: 8×8 Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams provides PSTN calling through Microsoft Teams Phone, powered by Microsoft’s Operator Connect for approved third-party providers. It is the only Operator Connect provider with a native Contact Center Solution certified to integrate with Teams.
Q: What are the Meeting Whiteboards for?
A: Meeting participants can now contribute to a whiteboard by drawing, writing, and connecting items for more effective brainstorming, to better illustrate ideas, and to boost real-time collaboration.
Q: What is the LINE Official Notification (LON) channel for businesses?
A: Businesses can use the LINE Official Notification (LON) channel to send one-way notifications, such as order confirmations and payment reminders, to customers in Thailand and Indonesia.
Q: What enhancements have been made to 8×8 Work?
A: Enhancements to 8×8 Work include enhanced internal caller identification, a call details tooltip, voicemail log details, a toggle for app startup sound, a country-specific ringback tone, improved UI accessibility, optimised search, intuitive call forwarding, and more.
Q: What improvements have been made to the 8×8 Smart Channel Routing?
A: Enhancements to 8×8 Smart Channel Routing empower businesses with cost-effective message delivery, seamlessly routing SMS messages to specific telecom operators, delivering them via alternative channels such as Viber, and integrating new messaging channels.
Q: What is the 8×8 CPaaS Platform?
A: The 8×8 CPaaS Platform includes self-registration for WhatsApp Business account, SMS Sender ID on 8×8 Connect, intelligent routing in 8×8 voice solutions, SMS integration with CleverTap, and more.
Q: What do the 8×8 integrated cloud contact centre and unified communications platform offer?
A: The platform includes a contact centre, business phone, video meetings, team chat, and SMS capabilities in a single-vendor solution. It is built on a resilient, secure, and compliant platform with a financially backed 99.999% uptime SLA.
