Chatbots set to dominate customer service channels by 2027
A survey conducted by Gartner has found that chatbots will become the primary customer service channel for about a quarter of the world's organisations by the year 2027, having evolved over the past decade into a critical technology component of a service...
Companies turn to multi-factor authentication as fraudsters target call centres
There has been a significant increase in call centres looking to move away from knowledge-based authentication (KBA) to multi-factor authentication (MFA) to boost security without compromising customer experience. The move comes on the back of a growing incidence of...
What if you could speak to an AI you actually like?
If your mobile phone is due for an upgrade, you probably know already. Maybe you love tech and have been eagerly anticipating getting your hands on the latest offering from your favourite manufacturer. By Ryan Falkenberg, co-CEO of Clevva Maybe you've noticed your...
Call centres still a smart career choice – despite AI
An often-overlooked career option for South African school leavers is that of becoming a call centre operator. Given recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), some may now even discard this idea out of hand because of mistaken perceptions about machines taking...
Clickatell announces Chat Commerce Platform as a Service
Clickatell has launched a Chat Commerce Platform as a Service (CCPaaS) that empowers brands to capitalise on the opportunity of Chat Commerce, the emerging next wave of digital commerce. This ground-breaking platform enables businesses to seamlessly connect, interact...
Virtual agents help contact centres deal with unreachable customers
Ask the average South African how load-shedding is affecting businesses, they’ll probably mention mining and industry or small businesses (such as hairdressers and restaurants) that rely on a consistent flow of energy. But the impact of the power outages that have...
Contact centre integration key to meeting Millennial expectations
Contact centres have evolved significantly over the years because of changes in technology, business needs and customer expectations. By Navinder Singh, GM of In2IT Technologies While voice remains a critical component, many customers now prefer to interact via email,...
Will ChatGPT kill the customer service agent?
ChatGPT, the latest artificial intelligence (AI) application, has grabbed the world's attention. You may have seen ChatGPT write new song lyrics in the style of your favourite artist (something they don't always appreciate) or read that it's passing MBA exams. By Ryan...
Is automation making contact centre agents redundant?
If you watch the customer service space closely, you may have noticed that in late November, US-based low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines shut down its customer service phone line. Anyone with a query or dispute has to now rely on a chatbot on the airline's website, a...
Virtual agents reduce costs and improve the success of outbound campaigns
When it comes to outbound sales, the traditional ways of doing things have mixed success at best. By Ryan Falkenberg, CEO of Clevva A leading mobile network, for instance, might require its outbound call centre to work through huge lists of prospects, all for a...
Zoho launches Blended Conversations for Zoho Desk
Zoho has launched new tools for Zoho Desk, the anchor application in the company's customer service platform, to help customer service teams evolve with the changing needs of customers and meet heightened business expectations. Zoho Desk, which has achieved 40%...
Aragon Research positions Avaya as a Leader in Intelligent Contact Centre Solutions
Avaya it has, for the fourth consecutive year, been named as a Leader in The Aragon Research Globe for Intelligent Contact Centres (ICC) 2022, for the Avaya Experience Platform. According to the report, authored by Aragon Research CEO and lead analyst Jim Lundy, the...