No Jitter Roll: CCaaS Updates, New Facebook Portal Devices

This week we share announcements around a CCaaS platform, contact center employee training, video calling devices, a UC management acquisition, and BYOC connectivity.

 

Lifesize this week announced omnichannel support and workforce engagement management (WEM) updates for its CxEngage CCaaS platform, as part of its Summer 2021 product release cycle. Omnichannel updates for CxEngage include video pivot from one channel to another, rich text messaging for chatbots, and chat SDK enhancements, Lifesize said. For WEM, Lifesize has extended the ability to evaluate agents to two additional channels: SMS and Facebook Messenger.

 

As part of this announcement, the company also unveiled new CxEngage packages, which include video, voice, and digital channels, as well as WEM capabilities, Lifesize said.

 

In a recent Genesys survey, 67% of consumers said they preferred empathetic customer service over quick resolutions, while only 9% of contact center agents cited empathy and listening as greatest strengths. Looking to help close the gap, Genesys this week announced BeyondCX, an e-learning program designed to teach soft skills to contact center agents and supervisors.

 

Through a series of video episodes, BeyondCX delivers short, immersive training courses to build agent soft skills that engender customer trust, Genesys said.

 

The first series of BeyondCX learning modules is available via subscription, with additional language support to be announced later this year.

 

Facebook this week unveiled two new models in its Portal video calling device line, announced upcoming support for Microsoft Teams, and introduced a Portal service for SMBs.

 

The new 10-inch Portal Go — the first portable in the line — features a 12-megapixel camera, integrated handle, long battery life, and an ultrawide field of view to move immersive video calls from room to room, Facebook said. The new Portal+ features the same camera and ultrawide view as Portal Go, but also doubles as a portable speaker.

 

Portal Go and Portal+, now available for pre-order, will begin shipping on Oct. 19 for $199 and $349, respectively. This December, support for Microsoft Teams will be available on these two devices, as well as all other touch-based Portals, Facebook said.

 

The new service, called Portal for Business, will provide access to video calling and collaboration on Portal. SMBs will be able to manage Facebook Work accounts, with this new type of account due in the next year, Facebook said.

 

UC and collaboration platform management provider Voss Solutions this week announced that it has acquired LayerX Technologies, a provider of advanced data analytics and monitoring software. Voss said it intends to leverage LayerX’s expertise in analytics, reporting, performance monitoring, and management to improve support for in-office and remote employees.

 

To complete the acquisition, as well as to position itself for additional expansion, Voss raised $15 million from existing investors and shareholders, the company said.

 

Pexip this week announced that its cloud video platform, Pexip Service, now supports Oracle’s enterprise session border controller (E-SBC). With this bring-your-own-carrier (BYOC) connectivity, users will be able to make external phone calls from any video endpoint registered on the Pexip Service via the Oracle E-SBC, Pexip said.

 

As noted in the Microsoft 365 roadmap, Microsoft will move the Operator Connect BYOB option announced earlier this year from public preview to general availability at the end of September. Operator Connect, an alternative to Microsoft Direct Routing, enables PSTN calling for Teams by Microsoft-certified carrier partners Teams administrators can choose among these carriers, and provision phone numbers, from within the Teams Admin Center, Microsoft added.