Evolution from Old Call Centers to Modern Contact Centers
1) Introduction The evolution from traditional call centers to modern contact centers represents a significant evolution in customer service, driven by technological advancements, changing consumer expectations and the need for more efficient communication. What once started as simple telephone-based support centers have now evolved into sophisticated hubs of digital communication, as a result of advancements in technology and changing customer expectations. Traditional call centers often associated with rows of agents sitting at desks with telephones, were the backbone of customer service for decades. These centers focused on handling incoming calls from customers, resolving issues, and providing information about products and services. While effective in their time, they often faced challenges such as long wait times, limited operating hours, and difficulty in managing peak call volumes. With the advent of digital technology, call centres began to undergo a significant transformation. The introduction of email support, live chat, and social media platforms allowed customers to interact with businesses through multiple channels, providing greater convenience and accessibility. This shift towards digital communication not only improved customer satisfaction but also enabled call centers to handle a higher volume of inquiries more efficiently. 1) Key aspects of the evolution 2.1. From Voice-Only to Omnichannel Communication Old Call Centers: Primarily handled inbound and outbound phone calls. Image Source: AI generated New Contact Centers: Support omnichannel interactions which include email, live chat, SMS, social media, video calls, and messaging apps (WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc.). Image Source: AI Generated Reason for the shift: Customers now expect seamless service across multiple channels, not just phone support. 2.2. From Reactive to Proactive Engagement Old Call Centres: Mostly reactive, agents waited for customers to call with their issues. New Contact Centres: Use AI and analytics to predict customer needs and reach out proactively (e.g., appointment reminders, outage alerts, payment follow-ups). Image Source: AI generated Reason for the shift: Proactive service improves customer satisfaction and reduces call volumes. 2.3. From Manual Tasks to AI & Automation Old Call Centres: Relied heavily on human agents for carrying out repetitive tasks. New Contact Centres: Use AI chatbots, IVR (Interactive Voice Response), and RPA (Robotic Process Automation) to handle routine queries, freeing agents for complex issues. Reason for the shift: Automation reduces costs, speeds up resolutions, and improves efficiency. 2.4. From Basic Metrics in the Reports to Advanced Analytics Old Call Centres: Tracked simple KPIs like call duration and wait times. Image Source: https://www.pk-anexcelexpert.com/investor-relations-kpi-dashboard-in-excel/ New Contact Centres: Leverage real-time analytics, sentiment analysis, and predictive modelling to optimize performance. Image Source: https://medium.com/pathway-to-data-analysis/call-center-dashboards-key-metrics-and-insights-2049ab9d7fb3 Reason for the shift: Data-driven insights help personalize interactions and improve decision-making. 2.5. From On-Premises to Cloud-Based Solutions Old Call Centres: Used bulky, on-premises hardware with limited scalability. Scalability required more physical hardware and management. New Contact Centers: Operate on cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Microsoft Azure, Five9), enabling remote work, scalability, and faster updates. Reason for the shift: Cloud solutions offer flexibility, cost savings, and disaster recovery. 2.6. From Scripted to Personalized Interactions Old Call Centres: Agents followed rigid scripts. Greetings and openings with customer details samples: Hello, [Customer Name]. This is [Agent Name] from [Company Name]. We're excited you chose to join our community. How can we serve you today? Welcome, [Customer Name]. We're happy you chose [Company Name] for [product/service]. What can I help you with today? Hi [Customer Name], thank you for choosing [Company Name]. I see you recently [purchased/inquired about/etc. Product/Service Name]. Is this what you're calling about today? New Contact Centres: Use CRM integrations (Salesforce, Zendesk) to access customer history and personalize conversations. Image Source: https://infraon.io/blog/20-best-helpdesk-ticketing-systems-tools/ Reason for the shift: Customers demand a tailored experience, not just one-size-fits-all service. 2.7. From Cost Centric to Customer Centric Old Call Centres: Focused on minimizing call handling time. New Contact Centres: Prioritize customer experience (CX), even if it takes longer for the issue to resolve. Reason for the shift: Happy customers lead to higher retention and brand loyalty. 3) New trends in the contact centre space in 2025 The trends in Modern contact centre space are being driven by rapid advances in artificial intelligence, cloud technology, and evolving customer expectations. The Key developments include: 3.1. AI-Powered Agent Assistance and Agentic AI Enhanced Support: Instead of replacing human agents, AI now acts as a “copilot” to help agents by summarizing call data, suggesting responses, and predicting next-best actions. This allows agents to focus on solving more complex problems while routine tasks are automated. Proactive Engagement: AI tools are increasingly making autonomous decisions (agentic AI) to proactively guide customers through troubleshooting and decision-making processes.\ 3.2. Omnichannel and Mobile-First Experiences Seamless Interactions: Contact centers are moving beyond voice, integrating email, live chat, SMS, social media, and even extended reality experiences so that customers can switch channels without losing context. Mobile Optimization: With most customers and agents relying on mobile devices, solutions are now being designed with mobile-first principles to ensure quick & efficient interactions. 3.3. Enhanced Self-Service and Personalization Advanced Chatbots and IVRs: Next-generation conversational AI and IVR systems offer more sophisticated self-service options that can resolve many queries without human intervention. Data-Driven Personalization: Contact centres are leveraging predictive analytics and deep data insights to personalize customer interactions anticipating needs and tailoring responses based on a customer’s history and behaviour. Image Source: https://www.nextiva.com/blog/what-is-average-handle-time.html 3.4. Cloud Migration and Unified Communication Scalability and Flexibility: Cloud-based contact centre solutions (CCaaS) are now the norm, enabling businesses to scale rapidly, support remote agents, and integrate easily with other systems (like CRM and agent management tools). Integration of UCaaS and CCaaS: This convergence allows agents to access comprehensive dashboards and real-time data, streamlining workflows and boosting overall efficiency. 3.5. Focus on Agent Experience and Agent Optimization Upskilling and Empowerment: To reduce burnout and improve productivity, contact centres are investing in tools that provide real-time feedback, gamified training modules, and AI-driven insights to help agents perform better. Remote Work and Flexibility: Continued emphasis on flexible and remote working models not only attracts top talent but also enables a geographically diverse workers that can respond quickly to customer needs. 3.6. Security and Data Privacy Enhancements Voice Biometrics and Multi-Factor Authentication: With growing concerns over data breaches, contact centers are increasingly implementing robust security measures such as voice biometrics for user authentication and enhanced data governance practices. End-to-End Encryption: As more customer data is handled across digital channels, securing that data with comprehensive encryption and compliance frameworks is paramount. 3.7. Integration of Voice of the Customer (VoC) Programs Actionable Insights: Modern contact centres are integrating Voice of Customer (VoC) initiatives with AI-powered analytics to capture and act on customer feedback in real time (Using NLP, Automated data collection and Predictive analytics). This helps in continuously refining processes and proactively addressing issues before they escalate. Feedback Loop: By unifying data from multiple channels, businesses can better measure satisfaction and adjust strategies for improved customer loyalty. 4) Summary The evolution represents how organizations manage customer interactions. In the past, call centers were largely voice-based operations with limited channels and a heavy focus on handling incoming and outgoing calls. Today, modern contact centers offer omnichannel support integrating email, live chat, SMS, social media, and even video so customers can engage through their preferred communication medium without losing context. The shift is a result of focus on omnichannel support, advanced analytics, and technology-driven solutions, modern contact centers which not only meet but often exceed evolving customer expectations, thereby driving improved customer satisfaction and business outcomes.
Green Blocky Glitch on Shared Screen in New Teams Meeting
I have a user on New Teams that repeatedly has trouble with screens being shared in meetings by other people showing up as a Green Blocky mess on her end. So far we have cleared cache, uninstalled and reinstalled New Teams, updated graphics drivers, tested her internet connection (measured at 300Mbps down by 35Mbps Up and she is the only user on it) performed normal system maintenance (SFC, D.I.S.M, CHKDSK), and restarts galore. No luck. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.One Year Update: Only constant is change...
Rick Claus talks with Donovan Brown about a recent internal reorganization to build a team specifically pulled together to span the operations spectrum of folks who specialize in all types of infrastructure architecture, DevOps practices, DevSecOps specialties, virtualization platforms, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) principles and more. Regardless if you are on-prem only, hybrid or a cloud native team or organization, if you work in some form of IT operations space supporting your technical infrastructure used by internal end users, external customers or development teams - there are resources here for you to connect with.
A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO MIGROSOFT DIGITAL CONTACT CENTRE PLATFORM
Microsoft Digital Contact Centre Platform Microsoft DCCP is designed to enhance customer service by integrating various existing solutions into a comprehensive contact centre platform. This platform aims to deliver exceptional customer engagements and equip agents with the necessary tools to resolve issues quickly and provide personalized service. It supports omni channel interactions across voice, video, and other digital channels, allowing customers to self-serve or connect with virtual AI agents. 1) Key Components of the Platform: Microsoft Dynamics 365: Provides the workspace and numerous capabilities for customer engagement. Microsoft Teams: Facilitates communication within the organization, connecting agents and customers. Microsoft Power Platform: Offers low-code development, analytics, and automation. Nuance: Adds advanced conversational AI, security, and automation. Azure: Provides the cloud infrastructure for hosting Microsoft solutions and services. Image Source: Microsoft 2) Capabilities: Omnichannel Engagement: Customers can interact through various channels, including email, virtual assistants, chatbots, text messages, and social platforms. This ensures quick resolution of customer needs through self-service and automation, and intelligent connection to the best-suited agents. Personalized and Secure Interactions: AI and analytics are used to anticipate customer requests, predict intent, and provide rapid resolution. Biometric authentication and fraud prevention measures ensure secure interactions. Increased Agent Productivity: Agents are empowered with a 360-degree view of the customer, personalized conversational intelligence, and AI-recommended knowledge articles. This helps in faster case resolution and creating upsell and cross-sell opportunities. Enhanced Revenue and Acquisition: Real-time insights and analytics enable data-driven decisions, helping agents increase conversions and upsell through personalized offers and predictive targeting. Simple and Flexible Infrastructure: The platform simplifies the implementation of contact canter infrastructure, allowing for easy automation of tasks and workflows using no/low-code and pro-code experiences. Virtual chatbots equipped with conversational AI enhance customer interactions. Image Source: Microsoft 3) Benefits: Engagement: Meet customers on their preferred channels with tailored service options. Personalization: Connect with customers to personalize and secure interactions. Productivity: Help service agents resolve issues faster and create new revenue opportunities. Adaptability: Work from a single platform that provides insights and adapts to future needs. Licensing: The platform's licensing varies between products, with some licensed per-user and others by consumption. It can be customized with any combination of applications to meet specific requirements. Microsoft offers over 700 data connectors to integrate with existing systems, and potential users are encouraged to consult with a Microsoft partner to understand their needs and requirements. This platform is designed to streamline customer service operations, enhance agent productivity, and provide a seamless, personalized customer experience across multiple channels. Image Source: Microsoft 4) Difference between Dynamics 365 Contact Centre and Microsoft Digital Contact Centre Dynamics 365 Contact Centre is a cloud-based solution that utilizes Copilot and other AI technologies that gives the agents key insights of customer experience and the right analytics to ensure customer expectations are met in time and with minimum iterations. This results in smoother operations for supervisors, who benefit from a comprehensive view of each customer. The key difference lies in their architecture and focus: \ Feature Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Centre Microsoft Digital Contact Centre Platform Focus Standalone CCaaS solution Broader ecosystem for customer engagement Architecture Built on Microsoft Azure Leverages Dynamics 365, Teams, Power Platform, and Nuance Integration Integrates with various CRMs Integrates with Dynamics 365 and other Microsoft services Key Capabilities Generative AI, Omnichannel, Unified Routing Modern digital tools, AI-powered capabilities, collaboration 5) What’s new in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Centre The 2025 release wave 1 focuses on improving agentic, omnichannel, self-service, and extensibility capabilities. Key features include: 1) IVR Capabilities: Conversational IVRs powered by Microsoft Copilot Studio enable customers to self-serve using their voice, increasing containment and satisfaction while reducing costs. 2) Omnichannel Experiences: Organizations can connect with customers via live chat, SMS, voice, Microsoft Teams, and social channels, providing a seamless experience and valuable insights. 3) Service Representative Tools: A powerful, AI-infused desktop enhances service representative’s confidence and effectiveness, allowing them to deliver personalized experiences across any channel. 4) Supervisor Tools: Supervisors can monitor operations with key metrics, intervene when necessary, and customize data models to improve efficiency. 5) Unified Routing: AI-driven routing assigns service requests to the best-suited representatives, optimizing work distribution and operational efficiency. 6) Microsoft introduced Teams Phone extensibility for Dynamics 365 Contact Centre at Enterprise Connect: This integration allows customers to extend their existing telephony investment with Teams Phone into their contact centre operations. Starting April 2025, customers can use Teams Phone as a unified solution for calling across their UCaaS and CCaaS platforms, simplifying deployment, management, and billing. Key benefits include: Using existing Teams Phone licenses for Dynamics 365 Contact Center users. Simplifying telephony system configuration and administration. Leveraging Teams Phone's broad geographic availability and enterprise features. A study by Forrester Consulting predicts reduced integration service fees, lower telephony consumption costs, and a significant reduction in infrastructure management time. ISV solutions leveraging Azure Communication Services will support this integration, offering flexibility and enhancing the Teams Phone platform's value. Certified ISV solutions include Anywhere365, AudioCodes, ComputerTalk, Enghouse, IP Dynamics, Landis, and Luware. Public preview for Teams Phone extensibility begins in April 2025. These enhancements aim to elevate customer satisfaction and streamline contact centre operationsNew Teams client suddenly not allowing specific characters from M365 Group naming policy
Since we deployed Teams a few years ago, we have had an M365 Group naming policy that appends " (UserCreated)" as a suffix for anything created by an end user/non-admin. There have been no changes since. Starting a few days ago, we got reports that users were getting an error of The team prefix or suffix is incorrect, please try again whenever creating a new team. After testing myself and reproducing the problem what I found is that if you're using the v2 client ("new" Teams on Windows/macOS, or https://teams.microsoft.com/v2 for the web client), it kicks back with the above error. If using a classic/v1 desktop client or the non-updated web client, the issue is not reproducible. v2 client + no parentheses in naming policy = SUCCESS - https://imgur.com/a/fun0klN v2 client + parentheses in naming policy = FAILURE - https://imgur.com/a/ZeADI6E v1 client + parentheses in naming policy = SUCCESS - https://imgur.com/a/jYae7l8 Currently unaware if this is a bug or new behavior that went unannounced, but there's at least a few other recent complaints of the same out in the community. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msteams/forum/all/naming-teams/ebb29b25-20df-4642-8fcf-ffc67896e9f5
Microsoft Teams Rooms Technical Solutions Professional Exam and Training
For those working on Microsoft Teams Rooms, Microsoft has recently released a specific exam for Microsoft Teams Rooms Technical Solutions Professionals, aimed at technical roles in Partners working with Microsoft Teams Rooms. This follows the Microsoft Teams Rooms Solution Sales Professional Exam The exam (or “Mission” as they are called) is on Microsoft Expertzone . It’s free to take and you can sign in with your Microsoft 365 account and the training is available on the Microsoft Partner Readiness hub Links to exam and resources here on my blog if you are interested: https://tomtalks.blog/microsoft-teams-rooms-technical-solutions-professional-exam-training/ Have you taken it yet? Got any thoughts? Tom
