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What Does AI Have in Store for UC This Year?

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Strategic AI Deployments in Business are Happening

A Gartner survey indicates that 60% of organizations have integrated AI into their operations, with many using it to enhance decision-making and customer experiences using AI-enabled tools like virtual assistants.

Many business leaders are focused on identifying strategic AI use cases that support their organizational goals. AI, particularly generative AI, is poised to significantly transform unified communications (UC) in 2024 and in the years ahead. Consider the following key areas where AI can enhance your communication strategies:

  • AI Integration and Automation: AI will become more deeply embedded in UC platforms, offering features such as intelligent virtual assistants, predictive analytics, and advanced automation. These capabilities are expected to enhance efficiency by providing actionable insights, automating task creation, and streamlining scheduling processes.
  • Generative AI Applications: Generative AI will expand its role beyond simple tasks like meeting summaries and predictive text. It will be used to analyze real-time conversations, extract key data points, and provide actionable insights to decision-makers, thereby facilitating quicker and more informed decision-making.
  • Enhanced Security Measures: As cyber threats evolve, UC platforms will implement more sophisticated security measures, including advanced encryption methods and threat detection capabilities, to protect sensitive business communications.
  • Increased Use of Video Communication: With the rise of remote work, video communication will become even more critical. UC providers will enhance video conferencing capabilities, offering higher-quality video and audio, better connectivity, and more collaborative features.
  • Integration with IoT: The Internet of Things (IoT) will become more integrated with UC platforms, enabling new levels of connectivity and data sharing across devices. This integration will support remote monitoring, automation, and data-driven decision-making.
  • Data-Centric Communication Strategies: AI and data analytics will become central to UC strategies, shifting the focus from traditional communication channels to more data-driven approaches. This will enable more informed, agile, and responsive operations.

These advancements highlight the transformative potential of AI in Unified Communications, promising to make interactions more meaningful and workflows more efficient.

Embracing AI advancements will enable organizations to remain competitive and responsive in an evolving digital landscape. Start thinking about your potential use cases and fostering a culture that is open to integrating AI to enhance human capabilities and drive business outcomes.

Thinking about adding new technology and capabilities to get more from your UC platform? Talk to your local experts. Contact us today: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 



How Performance Analytics Offer UC and Network Insights for Better Business Performance

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Why Performance Analytics?

Many TCI clients have deployed Mitel Performance Analytics (MPA). It’s an intuitive, user-friendly fault and performance management application that monitors and manages your entire network, with a special focus on voice quality.

You can monitor the performance of your entire communications network – identifying real-time issues and rapidly alerting your IT team to adverse conditions.

Check out this 6:30 min. video MPA overview

Mitel Performance Analytics provides quick resolution tools like secure remote access and active testing capabilities that make it simple to manage locations seamlessly. Whether you have 8 or 8,000 users, voice quality stays crystal-clear and downtime is minimized.

MPA also lets you know when and where a problem occurs. Voice quality problems – delay, echo, and jitter, for example – can be caused by a variety of events, from congestion to improper configuration. For faster problem resolution, MPA monitors devices like routers and servers in the network infrastructure, in addition to your UC systems.

Your admins can access devices from anywhere, and devices can be moved easily between containers. Plus, data can be consolidated in one central place. Information can also be shared more easily among your locations. You can now monitor just about any device, anywhere in the world.

Mitel Performance Analytics is available as part of your Mitel Premium Software Assurance subscription. Stay current with the latest Mitel Platform software releases, bug fixes, and security enhancements, while having access to expert support services whenever you need them.

Performance Analytics at a Glance

  • Continuous performance monitoring
  • Real-time alerting for fast problem detection
  • SIP voice quality (R Factor Rating per Call), valid for Mitel 6800, 6900 SIP phones, and MiCollab mobile and desktop softphones
  • Secure remote access and testing tools mean problems are fixed faster
  • Shifts support model from reactive to proactive, detecting and preventing problems before users are impacted
  • Proven in thousands of customer networks
  • End-to-end network performance management of your Mitel services AND the surrounding network

Key Benefits

  • Faster problem detection and resolution for more reliable network performance
  • Simplified management of large distributed networks
  • Improved user satisfaction and adoption
  • Better use of IT resources
  • Secure remote access

Key Features

  • Intuitive multi-tenant data-rich dashboards
  • Network-wide voice quality reporting and analysis, including softphones
  • Comprehensive testing tools and secure remote access
  • Network diagram integration
  • Reporting tools that add value
  • Scheduled backups

Reliable Unified Communications network performance improves the user experience and makes better use of an organization’s IT resources.

Contact your local TCI team today to learn more about MPA: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

NEC Phases Out Phone Systems & Support… TCI Can Help You Move Forward

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If you’re using a NEC SL2100, SV9100, or 3C System, this transition will occur over the next few years, with key dates to keep in mind:

  • December 31, 2024: Last day to order new NEC systems
  • March 31, 2025: Final date for NEC to ship ordered hardware
  • March 31, 2026: End of technical support from NEC

Given this timeline, you’ll want to start planning your transition to new communication solutions. Here are some key considerations:

  • Assess current needs: Evaluate your organization’s communication requirements and how they may have evolved since implementing your NEC system.
  • Explore alternatives: Research the latest unified communications (UC) platforms that offer features like VoIP, video conferencing, and mobile integration.
  • Consider hybrid and cloud-based solutions: Many businesses are moving to a mix of premises and cloud or fully cloud-based phone systems for greater flexibility and scalability.
  • Plan for migration: Develop a timeline for transitioning to a new system before NEC support ends in 2026.
  • Budget accordingly: Factor in costs for new hardware, software licenses, and potential infrastructure upgrades.

Special Offers for NEC Customers

While NEC is exiting the UC business, there are opportunities to find cost-effective alternatives. TCI and Mitel have special pricing available for you now – including significant discounts for upfront purchases or monthly subscription plans.

When selecting a new system, consider factors beyond just price:

  • TCI offers UC and Contact Center platforms that outperform NEC
  • Flexible deployment models (On-Premises, Private/Public Cloud, partner/IaaS hosted)
  • Scalability to accommodate future growth
  • Integration capabilities with existing business applications
  • Reliability and uptime guarantees
  • Choice of payment (CapEx or OpEx)
  • A local partner for service and support
  • Partner stability – TCI has over 40 years in the UC business
  • Expertise in Vertical solutions (e.g., Associations, Finance, Hospitality)
  • Incentive programs that deliver investment protection

Your local TCI team can assess your current Voice environment and recommend suitable solutions. By planning ahead and exploring your options now, you can ensure a smooth transition from your NEC system to a communication platform that better meets your organization’s evolving needs.

Let’s get started: Contact us at: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

How Modern Unified Communications Elevate the Hospitality Industry

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As hospitality leaders gear up for the busy summer season, plenty of technological tools are available to streamline operations and provide an overall improved and immersive guest experience.

Whether it’s enabling multimodal technology for frontline workers, AI-powered tools, or hybrid cloud solutions, investing in modern UC solutions is something every property manager should take time to consider.

Enabling Hospitality Staff with Modern Tech

Hospitality thrives on exceeding guest’s needs and expectations, and modern technology infrastructure plays an integral role in attaining that outcome. In today’s environment, guests expect quick, personalized, and effortless communication, which can put a lot of pressure on frontline hospitality employees.

Modern UC solutions allow properties to combine frontline, back office, and vertical workflows, ensuring the entire workforce is on the same page. Whether working on-site or remotely, multimodal technology allows staff to collaborate seamlessly on guest requests through the best medium for the situation – voice, video, chat, SMS, or a combination.

For example, an on-the-go property manager can carry a wireless DECT handset, which offers a reliable signal anywhere on a property. Fully integrated into the property’s communications solution, it ensures secure access to voice calls, interactive messaging, and critical alerts from colleagues at the front desk or an off-site contact center.

Frontline hospitality staff are essential to delivering memorable experiences. They often provide a guest’s first and last impression of a property. By giving them the right communication tools for their job, you empower them to do their best work while boosting the customer experience. This builds a property’s reputation as both a fulfilling place to work and an enjoyable place to stay.

AI and Unified Communications in Hospitality

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a popular topic today, but it is important to look beyond the hype and pinpoint its real-world value. That’s why it is essential to focus on opportunities to deliberately deploy AI to better serve guests. With modern UC solutions, this can be done through simple, integrated experiences built for the hospitality space.

Generative AI (GenAI) chatbots and voice bots can help streamline on-site customer service requests during busy and demanding times by handling simple but time-consuming tasks that would otherwise fall to frontline staff. If the bot cannot resolve the issue, an AI-powered agent assistant can smoothly transfer the call to a live agent along with call notes, ensuring the guest does not need to repeat information.

Besides streamlining workflows, the valuable data collected through AI interactions with customers can enhance the guest experience. For instance, when integrated into contact center platforms, AI can instantly transcribe and summarize calls and provide detailed call trends to supervisors. AI integration can also identify and track caller sentiment, which can be used to train staff for specific situations.

Augmenting UC solutions with AI is about more than finding efficiencies. It’s about quickly tapping into unique guest insights to deliver better personalization, ultimately leading to higher customer satisfaction.

Hybrid Cloud Solutions for Hospitality

For many properties, the decision between relying on legacy on-prem infrastructure that still delivers value and embracing the flexibility of the cloud is a real challenge. That is why hybrid cloud-based solutions are increasingly becoming the chosen route, as they are tailored and scaled to fit specific needs with size and budget in mind.

Hybrid cloud solutions are ideal for hoteliers who are not entirely ready to ditch their legacy infrastructure. They allow security and flexibility and offer a proven mix of private cloud, public cloud, and on-premises solutions. Hybrid cloud solutions are reliable and provide robust security features, data privacy, and regulatory compliance to ensure hospitality organizations protect themselves while streamlining communication. With the proper guidance from a trusted, vertical-focused UC provider, property managers can choose the best path for their needs.

Migrating to the cloud goes beyond a mere destination. It involves implementing solutions that offer maximum flexibility and ensuring that each property has the right communication tools to effectively support its customers, staff, and stakeholders now and in the future.

Let’s talk about new ways to elevate your property and serve guests better in your evolving marketplace. TCI hospitality experts are here to help: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

How DC Region Banks and CUs Improve Customer Experience with TCI & Mitel Technology

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Customer Experience that Your Bank or CU Can be Proud of

Creating a customer-first culture is about more than just client interactions. You need to provide tools that allow every part of your business to flourish. With happy, effective staff using secure, efficient communications, your organization can deliver the enhanced services your customers expect.

It pays to invest in Customer Experience (CX), but there’s a lot that needs to be addressed behind the scenes. Inconsistent service levels, outdated security, siloed staff, and narrow channels of communication are just some of the issues that get in the way of delivering exceptional customer service.

With local TCI experts and Mitel technology, you can develop the customer-first culture your business needs to thrive. Our suite of Financial Service Solutions help:

  • Improve customer interactions, whether in a branch or on a mobile app
  • Fulfill regulatory compliance
  • Strengthen security
  • Automate tasks to enhance operations
  • Enable employees or branch workers to be more responsive

For over 40+ years, TCI has empowered thousands of organizations to connect, collaborate and exceed customer expectations. Experience is why we partner with Mitel – a 50+ year global technology leader.

  • Mitel onboards 2 million+ New UC users per year
  • Mitel is #1 in Seven Core Industry Markets
  • Mitel operates in 100+ countries

Together, we deliver results.

TCI brings practical expertise, having served local financial services firms for decades. We’ll bring that in-depth knowledge to your organization – adding value to your UC investment and helping unleash your organization’s full potential.

Real Solutions… Real Impacts

  • Reliable Mitel telephony for 99.99% uptime
  • Customer-based routing for more personalized service
  • screen pops for efficient agent empowerment
  • Suggested responses for faster, more consistent customer service

Customized industry solutions are why so many local banks and credit unions connect their institutions with Mitel Financial Services Solutions – designed, deployed, and supported by TCI.

Let’s talk about improving your Customer Experience. Contact TCI today at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

The Best of Cloud & On-Prem – 3 Big Advantages of Hybrid UC Deployments

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For years, the focus of IT and telecom decision-makers has been on moving communications to the cloud. Many accepted the idea that all communications would eventually be handled as a cloud-based service.

However, the notion of a “cloud utopia” starts to break down when you consider the significant investments that many organizations have made in on-premises solutions. There’s also a common perception that business communications are too important to relinquish total control.

As a business leader, you may be faced with the decision of whether to go all-in on the cloud or maintain an on-premises communications infrastructure. The good news is that there’s a third option that can provide the best of both worlds: a hybrid approach.

A hybrid solution allows you to leverage the benefits of cloud-based communications while still retaining control and customization over your on-premises systems.

3 Advantages of a Hybrid Solution for Business Leaders

1. Innovate Today, Migrate Tomorrow – The key benefit of a hybrid approach is that you can deliver enhanced communications capabilities, like video conferencing, mobility, and team collaboration, from the cloud while retaining your existing on-premises platform for telephony services. This allows you to manage your growth by deploying new UC and contact center (CC) solutions in the cloud with a flexible, OpEx-based model, while still leveraging your previous on-premises investments for long-term ROI. Additionally, you can expand communications to frontline workers using a serverless, cloud-based approach that integrates with your on-premises UC system, providing a consistent user experience.

2. Different Needs, One Platform – As a business with diverse locations and user requirements, the challenge of going “all-in” on cloud or on-premises is accommodating the exceptions. A hybrid architecture allows you to tailor your communications solution to meet the specific needs of your organization. For example, you can keep telephony on-premises at locations that require it for regulatory reasons or internet redundancy, while deploying cloud-based UCaaS at smaller remote sites. This mix-and-match approach ensures you can meet the unique requirements of your multi-location business.

3. Everything Has Its Place – Unified communications is often a suite of loosely integrated applications, which creates an opportunity for a hybrid approach. You can continue to deploy mission-critical call control on-premises while moving less critical applications to the cloud. Additionally, you can integrate cloud-based UC services, such as mobility and collaboration with your on-premises telephony to optimize virtual team meetings, enable remote access, and even allow for programmable communications through cloud-based APIs.

A hybrid communications approach can provide the flexibility, scalability, and control you need to meet your evolving communications requirements. By leveraging the strengths of both cloud and on-premises solutions, you can innovate today while maintaining your existing investments for the long-term.

Connect with our UC experts to discover new ways to customize communications that will future-proof your enterprise. Contact TCI today at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

TCI Makes Mitel Access Control Easy – Improve Your Building Security from Your Phone

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Much has been written about protecting customer and employee data, but what about protecting your customers and employees from physical threats?

Even more than a secure network, a secure facility provides peace of mind and protects customers and employees from bad actors who would do them harm. For that reason, security cameras have become standard equipment at schools, hospitals, hotels, and other businesses where the front and back doors represent a front line of defense.

There are dozens of security camera manufacturers today, ranging from inexpensive doorbell cameras to high-resolution surveillance cameras. While this freedom of choice gives businesses more flexibility, exterior cameras are often “outsiders” regarding business communications systems.

Specifically, organizations struggle to incorporate these video feeds into their broader unified communications (UC) platform, instead managing them as separate solutions. This can mean toggling back and forth between different screens and applications at a time when split-second decisions may be required.

Guard the Door While Sitting at Your Desk

Imagine, for a moment, how much easier it would be if you could manage building admissions right from your phone. Live video could be displayed directly on your video phone when someone approached your doors, with a live audio feed to communicate with them, and a pop-up button on your phone could either lock or unlock doors and even send out a notification to employees, students, or local police/fire departments in the case of an emergency. Well, a solution like this is no longer limited to the realm of imagination — it’s a reality that Mitel MiVoice Business customers can enjoy today.

The Mitel Access Control solution was developed in response to a clear need from our customers to integrate security cameras with their UC platform and IP desk phones. Offered as a customized solution through TCI and Mitel Professional Services, the Access Control setup integrates any H.264-compatible phone that uses the real-time streaming protocol (RTSP) with Mitel 6900 IP Phone Series, MiVoice Business, and, optionally, Mitel Revolution mass notification system. Together, these components create a new solution to the age-old problem of guarding the gates against intruders.

Our solution improves communication between visitors and staff and assures the security of your employees, customers, and students. You can view, talk, and take action from your Mitel IP phone.

Let’s look at an example of the Mitel Access Control solution in action:

  • A visitor arrives at the front, back, or delivery door and rings the video doorbell camera.
  • This triggers a call to the receptionist’s IP phone.
  • The phone’s video screen displays a real-time video feed with text indicating which door is the source of the call, and a voice connection is made.
  • After a brief conversation, the receptionist may choose to open the door via an on-screen button or, if they feel danger is imminent, they can select the “evacuate” button to notify security or emergency services and, if they have Mitel Revolution, send out a mass text notification to a distribution list right from their IP phone.

Stay Ahead of Potential Threats

The Mitel Access Control solution is just one example of how TCI and Mitel Professional Services can combine different technologies to create a unique solution to a specific problem. In developing this solution, Mitel extended the functionality of its existing products by integrating them with third-party solutions and services.

On the Mitel portfolio side, MiVoice Business ties voice, video, and messaging together, the Mitel 6900 IP Phone Series supports real-time video feeds and touch-activated prompts, and Mitel Revolution supports text-based messaging for emergency and non-emergency situations.

Beyond those components are third-party products that TCI and Mitel Professional Services can bring into your UC environment, such as the video cameras, screen-capture software (e.g., VLC media player), SIP-enabled remote access control system, application server, and local alarm service (e.g., F24).

TCI and Mitel can turn your IP phone into a security command center that controls communication, identification, and notification by tying everything together.

Contact your local TCI team to get started: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 

Simplify the Banking Experience to Earn Customers for Life

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In the DC region’s highly competitive financial services industry, banks must ensure customers enjoy an easy and efficient experience at each journey stage. There’s simply too much risk that poor experiences will tarnish the bank’s reputation, turn away customers, and harm the bottom line.

Today’s communications solutions and technologies empower banks to break down unnecessary walls between their internal processes and customers. With these barriers removed, banks have new freedom to increase transparency, build trust, and foster personal experiences that help them earn customers for life.

Engage in Meaningful Interactions Every Step of the Way

To engage each customer more effectively in the right way at the right time, banks must seamlessly blend digital and human interactions. According to McKinsey & Company, banks that shifted to a more integrated, multimedia approach to customer communications have had convincing results, including:

  • Double the number of digital sales to customers
  • Three times more success in cross-selling bank services
  • A 40% increase in customer activities with the bank
  • One bank even reduced its cost to serve customers by two-thirds.

How to deliver technology-driven Banking Experiences that streamline every step of the Customer Journey:

Make it Fast and Easy to Navigate the Process

Initiating a new loan application with a bank can be very intimidating for people, especially when it’s their first time making a significant purchase, such as a house. They’re unfamiliar with the bank’s processes or what will be required.

When customers can easily set up a new account online and apply for a mortgage in minutes, it helps alleviate stress. User-friendly online forms and virtual agents answering questions along the way can efficiently step customers through the application requirements.

To further accelerate the process, customers can upload supporting documents such as bank statements and identification documents without leaving the user interface.

Connect with Customers their Way

Even with the most intuitive online forms, helpful virtual agents, and proactive communications, your customers sometimes need the reassurance and conversational exchanges that a person can best provide.

While AI is fast and helpful, customers want to communicate using their preferred media, which can mean connecting with a human. Collaboration apps put personalized text, voice, and video communications with bank agents at your customers’ fingertips.

A conversation may start with a voice or video call. Those communications can be followed up with text and email messages that provide additional support and links to more information.

Provide Timely Updates and Guidance

As the loan application moves through the bank’s internal processes, it’s crucial to keep customers informed about its progress and help them take full advantage of technologies that further accelerate the process.

When customers instantly receive text or email notifications confirming their application has passed through each process stage, the bank builds confidence. When customers can track the status of their application in real-time through a secure online portal, that trust is further strengthened.

Providing support and guidance is essential. This support can include walking customers through the steps to provide electronic signatures and providing clear, easy-to-follow instructions to access the bank’s secure online portal.

Timely communications will help customers successfully navigate their digital interactions without a trip to the bank or triggering a delay in their application.

Deliver Exceptional Banking Services with TCI

When banks and other financial institutions dramatically simplify their services, they eliminate many of the unknowns and fears around banking processes for their customers.

TCI takes the same approach when helping its local customers choose, deploy, and integrate the communications solutions and technologies needed to deliver exceptional banking services. It’s one key reason DC Metro banks and financial institutions trust TCI to help make their customer experience vision a reality.

Together with our Mitel-powered financial services solutions, TCI provides everything required to deliver the seamless, personalized customer experiences described above, including:

  • Secure, end-to-end Unified Communications services
  • Contact center solutions that incorporate advanced technologies, such as Google Cloud Contact Center AI and desktop co-browsing capabilities
  • Electronic signature solutions
  • Biometrics solutions for secure identity verification
  • Multimedia collaboration and meeting applications
  • Integration of communications solutions with the third-party applications banks depend on

If your bank is looking for communications technology that will support your efforts to earn customers for life, contact TCI today at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 


Safeguard Your Customers and Data with Advanced Unified Communications Security

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The bad guys will not stop… Cybersecurity challenges are never-ending.

This is a big concern in virtually every industry, especially those where most interactions have gone digital to meet customer preferences for self-serve and engagement through the channels they prefer – at the time they want.

While this is convenient for customers, it has created significant operational and cybersecurity challenges for contact centers. To provide excellent customer service experiences, contact centers must authenticate a customer’s identity, address questions and concerns, and process transactions quickly and efficiently.

Throughout the process, customers must feel like every interaction is secure, and companies must ensure they protect customer privacy during and after a call. With the proper unified communications (UC) tools, organizations can streamline and secure all contact center conversations to meet omnichannel service expectations before, during, and after a customer connects with a live agent.

Voice Authentication personalizes Service and Reduces Fraud

Large and small organizations are implementing digital transformation strategies designed to streamline contact center interactions. Since only some customers need the help of a contact center agent, these efforts are focused on automating processes with self-serve channels that lower costs. For example, chat and voice bots are being introduced to act as virtual agents, deliver services, promote new products, and provide personalized customer experiences — all without connecting the customer to an agent.

But regardless of which digital self-serve path is available, chances are that a caller will eventually want to go beyond simple questions to discuss a specific account. At that point, a live connection with an agent will be needed. When that happens, the agent must be assured of the caller’s identity before dealing with personal account information. While security questions were enough to protect the customer and the business in the past, today’s cybersecurity landscape is a lot more complicated. A disembodied voice on the other end of the line may not be who it claims to be.

Speech recognition systems can be integrated with existing UC platforms to add a layer of cybersecurity protection. These systems can identify the caller’s intent, authenticate the customer using voice biometrics, and then segment and route the call to the best agent to handle the request. With these digital workflows, companies can streamline the call management process and enable a more personalized interaction because the agent will spend less time authenticating the person on the other end of the call and more time dealing with the customer’s specific questions.

Integrated Voice Response and Recording Capabilities enable Advanced Cyber Protection

TCI offers contact center solutions that include an embedded, self-service Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system with an optional speech recognition feature that enables authentication before an agent is connected. With our customized UC platforms, businesses get a complete communications, collaboration, and customer experience solution designed to maintain the security of contact center interactions for any organization.

Organizations that want additional cyber protection for contact center calls can opt for Interaction Recording (IR) to record all calls and then search for, play, and interrogate call recordings for security and privacy regulation compliance. Advanced speech analytics capabilities built into the system enable companies to analyze recordings for potential fraud, categorize calls as “high risk,” and then suggest countermeasures that can be taken to avoid losses.

TCI’s advanced solutions can be applied to support both centralized contact center operations and decentralized organizations with multiple branch offices that manage customer calls.

Privacy Features that ensure Regulatory Compliance

Of course, in addition to maintaining a high level of cyber protection for all contact center interactions, companies must also comply with data protection regulations designed to protect the privacy of customer data. The changing and complex regulations surrounding data privacy and security compliance have created another challenge for both centralized and decentralized operations.

TCI offers solutions built to protect personal data captured during a call by contact center agents either on an agent’s screen or a voice recording. For example, information collected by workflows can be masked to protect personal data as it is being collected. To control access to stored data, information required by the system to perform certain functions (name, phone number, email address, and voice and multimedia transcripts) can be automatically deleted when no longer required to provide service. Plus, multi-level security privileges can be applied to limit access to all data based on user profiles.

Enable Great Customer Service while optimizing Cybersecurity

Ultimately, the cybersecurity protection that businesses build into their contact center processes should be seamless and efficient. Self-serve options should authenticate a customer’s identity before connecting to a live agent. Agents should be able to address customer questions and manage transactions quickly and efficiently without being bogged down by cybersecurity protocols. UC tools enable enterprises to achieve this level of protection without compromising omnichannel service objectives.

Learn how TCI can help your contact center thrive in the digital age, improve your bottom line, and adhere to security, compliance, and fraud mitigation requirements.

Call us today at (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.
 


Position Your SMB for Success with the Latest UC Capabilities… Connect Your Employees & Customers

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As we look toward the new year, small business owners have a lot to consider…

  • After navigating a global pandemic and high inflation, small business owners know they need to be ready for the next unexpected business disruption.
  • Customer expectations have reached an all-time high, and delivering an optimal customer experience has become more critical than ever.
  • Employee needs have also changed, with many desiring more flexible and fulfilling work options.

These increasing demands present new challenges for SMB owners and IT professionals who now must develop a strategy for connecting a distributed workforce while interacting with customers wherever they happen to be.

The SMBs that will be the most successful are implementing the latest Unified Communication (UC) tools to provide resilience over the long term.

Today’s UC tools are integral in streamlining business processes by combining features like Team messaging, AI-powered chatbots, Video chat, and Third-party app integrations.

  • Delivering an Optimal Customer Experience – UC solutions provide SMBs with the flexibility to connect with customers on their preferred channels – whether it be contact center, SMS, Web chat, email, social media, or even virtual agents. SMBs need UC solutions that easily follow a customer conversation from virtual chat to phone to email.
  • Providing Flexibility to Employees – 98% of employees want to work remotely at least part of the time. As your workforce moves toward a hybrid work model, long-distance collaboration will be essential. A single easy-to-use UC interface simplifies this process for both employees and IT departments bringing together phone, chat or messaging, audio and video conferencing, web collaboration, and more.
  • The Cost Consideration – Lost productivity from poor communications strategies can cost SMBs significant dollars – funds that small business owners can’t afford to lose. They need reliable UC tools that are scalable and can grow and change with their business. Their UC deployment models must adapt to what’s best for business – whether that’s on-premises, in a private or public Cloud, or hybrid arrangement.

Plan Now for a More Prosperous 2024

As many SMBs prepare for the new year, there’s no better time to start implementing UC tools into business practices. Customers will spend money with businesses that are easy to communicate with and can solve any issues that may arise, quickly and efficiently.

Prospective employees looking for a new opportunity will also be attracted to businesses with systems that make their jobs and lives easier.

Let’s talk about your challenges and goals and map out a plan that will move your organization forward. Contact us today: (703) 321-3030 or GetHelp@tcicomm.com.