8x8, a cloud-based service provider, announced an integrated cloud communications solution that amalgamates telephony, unified communications (UC) and contact center users across the organization using a common underlying platform.
The 8x8 Virtual Office/Virtual Contact Center integrated solution features:
- “Shared Presence” so agents can the status of anyone in the company to handle customer issues; corporate and contact center directories are integrated.
- Single Sign-On – enabling user to authorized tools including call center features, UC services for agent desktops, meetings, switchboards and mobile clients.
- Extension-to-Extension Dialing – providing click-to-call dialing and call processing between contact center users and other users in the organization
- Call Center Agent Hardware Endpoints – for agents who don’t use a soft phone solution (e.g. a remote IP phone) can make their device part of the contact center call flows and reporting.
- Streamlined Administration - Combined communications tools designed to reduce the amount of time required to manage the service.
Commenting is a statement of the latest 8x8 integrated solution, Keith Dawson, Practice Leader, Customer Engagement at Ovum said, "By integrating core business telephony and contact center functionality onto a single cloud-based platform with single sign on and shared presence, 8x8 has not only simplified the communications infrastructure that burdens so many businesses today, it has enhanced the value businesses derive from its solution set by providing a path to improved customer engagement.
8x8 CEO Vik Verma added, "The elimination of the gap between traditional contact center agents and regular employees will result in better customer service and improved productivity by enabling all employees within a business to interact with a customer in real time. The combination of these historically separate components will enable us to launch new features and capabilities that are not available in solutions that treat these technologies as separate, distinct platforms."
The new 8x8 platform will be offered starting with existing customers before the end of the first calendar quarter.