Shows
Always On CX:EX22. The Brain Behind the Call: Call Automation, Teams Phone, and Intelligent Voice Agents with Sean Keegan (Microsoft)When your contact center is responsible for supporting reps, customers, and the technology that holds it all together, stability is essential. In this conversation, host Josh Chronister welcomes Sean Keegan from Microsoft to talk all things Azure Communication Services: from integrating communication methods like voice, video, chat, and SMS, to the powerful, low-latency audio streaming API that enables new real-time experiences. Hear how the platform lets organizations build programmable call flows, enable real-time transcription and translation, and use AI for smarter routing and sentiment analysis. The discussion highlights practical scenarios in healthcare, government, and beyond, always coming back to...2025-06-1231 minAlways On CX:EX21. Teams Phone Extensibility and Unify—A New Era for Contact Center IntegrationBetween supporting your contact center reps, your customers, and the tech that keeps the contact center stable, the pressure to deliver an uninterrupted customer and employee experience is higher than ever. Host Josh Chronister is joined by Tom Arbuthnot and Gidi Adlersberg for an in-depth conversation focused on Microsoft Teams contact centers, Teams Phone extensibility, the Unify integration model, and how these pieces come together with Azure Communication Services. The discussion covers the significance of Microsoft’s new certification paths, how third-party solutions work alongside Teams, and why tight integration and reliability matter when it comes to delivering 99.999% uptime. Li...2025-05-2931 minAlways On CX:EX20. UNIVERSITY CONTACT CENTERS AT SCALE — Keith Honaker on Evolving Tech, Microsoft Teams & Managing Multiple DepartmentsIn this episode of Always on CX:EX, host Josh Chronister talks with Keith Honaker, voice engineer and lead contact center architect at the University of Central Florida (UCF). They explore how Keith’s team manages large-scale contact centers across multiple departments, the transition to new communication technologies like Microsoft Teams, and strategies for ensuring agents and supervisors are well-trained and empowered.=================================Best Moments:(01:21) Keith’s background and role at UCF(02:44) Evolution of contact centers and integration with Microsoft Teams(04:01) Handling multiple contact centers across different university departments(0...2025-03-2737 minAlways On CX:EX19. The Growth of MultiCaaS: Brent Kelly on the Trend of UC and CCaaS IntegrationsIn this episode of Always On CX:EX, host Josh Chronister interviews Brent Kelly, a principal analyst at Omdia, about the growing trend of MultiCaaS in the unified communications and contact center industry. Brent shares insights on the key drivers behind MultiCaaS solutions, market dynamics, pricing, and the future trends shaping this space.Best Moments:(00:00) Introduction to MultiCaaS and its definition(02:42) Key drivers behind the trend towards MultiCaaS solutions(05:50) Critical factors to evaluate when choosing a MultiCaaS vendor(10:48) Current market dynamics and competitive landscape in the MultiCaaS space2025-03-1334 minAlways On CX:EX18. Clarity in the CCaaS Jungle: 5 Steps to an Informed CCaaS Buying DecisionIn this episode of Always on CX:EX host Josh Chronister speaks with Peter Broeckx and Gidi Adlersberg about navigating the Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) market and making informed decisions when selecting a CCaaS solution. They dive into crucial factors like uptime, implementation strategies, unified communications (UC) and CC consolidation, CRM integration approaches, AI in contact centers, and various pricing models.============================================================Best Moments:(00:00) Introduction and the importance of reliable customer experience(05:01) Why feature tables are insufficient for choosing CCaaS solutions(09:05) The significance of uptime and implementation in CC...2025-02-2751 minAlways On CX:EX17. From Telecom to TechCo: How Voiceflex is Shaping the Future of CXIn this episode of Always On CX:EX, host Josh Chronister speaks with James Arnold-Roberts, CEO of VoiceFlex, about the evolving landscape of customer experience and contact center technology. James shares insights on VoiceFlex's shift from a telecom company to a tech company, the impact of Microsoft Teams, and how AI is reshaping the future of customer interactions.Best Moments:(01:52) James' career journey in the telecom industry(08:38) VoiceFlex's shift from telco to tech co(15:28) Microsoft Teams' impact on customer interactions and collaboration(21:10) Trends in conversational AI for customer experience2025-02-1339 minAlways On CX:EX16. The Key to Building Strong Customer RelationshipsIn this episode of Always On CX:EX, host Josh Chronister welcomes Jeff Ward, Client Director at AudioCodes, to discuss the transformative power of relationships in customer experience (CX). They explore how trust, employee engagement, and relationship-building lead to superior customer service and share actionable strategies for rebuilding trust when things go wrong.=================================Best Moments:(00:38) Introduction of Jeff Ward and the episode's focus(01:30) Jeff's background and passion for relationship building(03:11) How great relationships lead to serving customers well(07:37) The connection between employee experience and customer experience2025-01-3022 minAlways On CX:EX15. 5 Steps to Creating & Testing Custom Customer Service Call FlowsIn this episode of Always On CX:EX, host Josh Chronister interviews John Wesselman, a contact center expert from AudioCodes, about the intricacies of designing and implementing effective call flows in contact centers. They explore the essential components, common mistakes, and best practices for creating seamless customer experiences.============================================================Best Moments:(00:54) Definition and components of a call flow(03:22) Coordination required for creating call flows(07:22) Five-step process for creating a call flow(10:56) Integrations essential for call flows(15:42) Testing call flows, especially with sensitive data(20:29) Common...2025-01-1028 minAlways On CX:EX14. Practical AI Strategies for Microsoft TeamsIn this episode of Always On CX:EX, host Josh Chronister welcomes Melanie Azagury from AudioCodes to discuss practical uses and strategies related to AI in customer experience and contact centers. They explore the adoption of AI, its applications in Microsoft Teams meetings, and its impact on customer interactions and agent experiences. The conversation also delves into the challenges of implementing AI and the importance of choosing the right tools and partners. The episode concludes with a fun discussion about gimmicky and practical uses of AI in everyday life.============================================================Best Moments:(01:57) Enterprise Connect...2024-10-2447 minAlways On CX:EX13. Pioneering Unified Communications: AudioCodes' AI InnovationsIn this episode of Always On CX:EX, we bring back Gidi Adlersberg, Voca CIC Business Line Manager at AudioCodes, for a webinar he appeared on with Evan Kirstel, B2B TechFluencer and Industry Expert. They discuss AudioCodes' evolution, its partnership with Microsoft, and its ventures into AI and contact center solutions.============================================================Best Moments:(00:03) - Introduction to AudioCodes and its history(01:02) - Evolution of AudioCodes' partnership with Microsoft(03:22) - AudioCodes' role in the Microsoft phone ecosystem(05:58) - AudioCodes' expansion into AI and contact center solutions(07:55...2024-10-1020 min
What's Up with Tech?Pioneering Unified Communications: AudioCodes' AI Innovations, Seamless Microsoft Teams Integration, and Future Contact Center SolutionsInterested in being a guest? Email us at admin@evankirstel.comDiscover how AudioCodes became a pivotal force in the Microsoft ecosystem, navigating the shift from OCS and Skype for Business to a dominant position with Teams. Ivan from AudioCodes shares the company’s journey from media gateways and session border controllers to AI-driven innovations and conversational AI contact centers. Tune in for an in-depth look at AudioCodes' comprehensive portfolio, including direct routing, certified phones, meeting room devices, compliance recording, and contact center solutions, and see how they’re helping enterprises transition to Microsoft Teams Phone seamlessly....2024-09-3023 minAlways On CX:EX12. Successfully Integrating Microsoft Teams and Contact CenterIn this episode of AudioCodes' Podcast, host Josh Chronister discusses the integration of Microsoft Teams and contact centers with guests Irwin Lazar from Metrigy and Gidi Adlersberg from AudioCodes. They explore the convergence of unified communications (UC) and contact centers (CC), Microsoft's offerings in the customer experience market, and the role of AI in contact centers.============================================================Key Discussion Points:(00:00:35) UC and CC consolidation trends(00:04:13) Microsoft's Qs app and Dynamics 365 contact center(00:09:07) Features driving adoption of contact center capabilities in Teams(00:12:18) Evaluating competing Teams-certified contact centers(00:17:24...2024-09-1921 minAlways On CX:EX11. Everything You Need to Know About an Azure-Native Teams Contact Center IntegrationIn this episode of Always on CXEX, host Josh Chronister is joined by Gidi Adlersberg, Director of Voca Conversational Interaction Center at AudioCodes. They discuss the relationship between Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Teams in the context of contact center integrations.===========================================================Best Moments:(01:11) Why Azure is crucial for modern contact center solutions and its impact on scalability(04:07) Insight into which business units can maximize efficiency with these integrations(10:00) Discussion on how Microsoft is positioning itself in the contact...2024-09-0532 minAlways On CX:EX10. Integrating CX Capabilities Beyond the Contact Center: Sales TeamIn this episode, host Josh Chronister interviews Marie Vassilatos, Director of Contact Center Sales at AudioCodes, about integrating customer experience capabilities into sales departments.They discuss how improving CX for sales teams leads to better customer satisfaction and loyalty, share real-world examples & use cases, explore relevant metrics & KPIs to track, and talk about future CX trends in AI and conversational interactions.============================================================Best Moments:(02:39) How simplifying tools and platforms for sales agents improves both internal employee experience as well as external customer experience2024-08-2239 min
UC TodayUnleash the Power of UCaaS & CCaaS in Your Microsoft EcosystemUC Today's David Dungay speaks to Benny Matityahu, VP, UC & Collaboration, AudioCodes and Gidi Adlersberg, Voca CIC Business Line Manager, AudioCodes.In this session, we discuss the following:Why are customers purchasing UCaaS and CCaaS together as part of a consolidated platform?What are the big challenges around trying to buy UCaaS and CCaaS together?What are the new opportunities and use cases for customers looking to bring UCaaS and CCaaS together in the Teams environment?2024-08-0721 minAlways On CX:EX9. A Practical View of What’s Trending with Microsoft, Contact Center, & AIIn this episode, guest-host Jon Zoltie is joined by Tom Arbuthnot, a leading Microsoft specialist, to discuss practical insights on what's trending with Microsoft Contact Center and AI.===========================================================Best Moments:(03:54) Exploring the latest developments in Microsoft Teams telephony and UC, including AI integration with Copilot.(09:18) Insights into the contact center landscape within the Microsoft world, including certified partners and the impact of AI.(13:17) The decoupling of Microsoft's Contact Center offering and the new Dynamics 365 Contact Center announcement.2024-08-0120 minAlways On CX:EX8. How to Design User Experience with ALL Users in MindIn this episode, Josh Chronister joins Jon Zoltie to discuss designing great user experiences for contact center agents, supervisors, and customers. They cover topics like IVR design, agent and supervisor interfaces, omni-channel capabilities, and how enhancing internal experiences ultimately improves customer satisfaction.===========================================================Best Moments:(02:43) Importance of involving agents in IVR design since they best understand customer pain points(08:43) Key elements of good agent interfaces: simplicity and choice(13:30) Giving supervisors self-service capabilities to update things like hours and routing frees up IT staff for...2024-07-1127 minAlways On CX:EX7. Unveiling the Architecture and Design of Modern Contact Centers on Microsoft TeamsIn this episode of Always On CX:EX, Josh Chronister talks with Manoj Priyankara, Director of Solution Architecture at AudioCodes, about designing and architecting Microsoft Teams contact centers. They discuss the differences between Teams-based contact centers vs. standalone contact centers, scalability of a cloud solution, omnichannel customer interactions, and the role of AI in agent experience.===========================================================Best Moments:(01:48) Benefits of consolidating UCaaS and CCaaS onto Microsoft Teams(11:37) How a Teams contact center can quickly scale to handle peak periods of demand2024-06-2038 minAlways On CX:EX6. Inside Look: How You Can Deliver Better CX with Microsoft TeamsIn this episode of Always On CX:EX, host Josh Chronister talks with Jasper Filon, a contact center expert at AudioCodes, about how logistics companies can improve customer experience with Microsoft Teams.They discuss the benefits of Teams as a cloud-based platform, integrating contact center features into Teams, using AI for automation, and best practices for implementation.============================================================Best Moments:(01:33) Benefits of Teams as a cloud platform — higher uptime, access from anywhere(07:30) How to improve customer and employee ex...2024-06-0632 minAlways On CX:EX5. 5 Crucial Factors of a Microsoft Teams CCaaS You Need to KnowNot all contact center integrations for Microsoft Teams are built the same.- Some are certified by Microsoft, and some aren't. - Some have built-in Conversational AI, and some don't.- Some have an Azure-native integration with Microsoft Teams, and some don't.You get the idea!In this episode of Always On CX:EX, Jon Zoltie breaks down the top 5 questions you need to ask, and details you need to understand about a Teams contact center before you make the purchase for your...2024-05-1723 minAlways On CX:EX4. How to Build an IVR Your Customers Won’t HateDesigning an IVR your customers don’t hate isn’t as difficult and time-consuming as it sounds. And no, we’re not talking about another DTMF menu. No one likes waiting through a list of nine options to then forget what #3 was. We’re talking about speech-driven or conversational IVRs. You know, the ones that: - Callers are no longer limited to 10 options (10 keypad buttons), so you can fit in tens or hundreds of IVR destinations with a conversational IVR - Allow callers...2024-05-1732 minAlways On CX:EX3. Why Consolidate Your UC & Contact CenterThere’s been a lot of talk in the market about UC and contact center consolidation. But is it just talk, or could this be a viable long-term strategy? The benefits can’t be denied – more knowledgeable agents, CX abilities for employees beyond the contact center, cost savings, etc.But sometimes these two communication platforms don’t fit like a glove. How do you know if consolidation is the right fit for your organization? In this month’s session of Always On CX:EX, Peter Broeckx (Regional Sales Dire...2024-05-1630 minAlways On CX:EX2. Why Voice is Still the Leading Support ChannelThere’s been significant development in digital support channels like Chat and Email, but Voice remains the surefire channel for providing exceptional customer support. Leading with Voice requires the right mix of Conversational AI for handling mundane tasks and knowledgeable Agents for complex issues.But how do you know if you are using the right mix of Voice support to provide an unrivaled experience for all your callers?In this month’s session of Always On CX:EX, Brandon Smith and Josh Chronister discuss why voice is still the leading support channel and...2024-05-1640 minAlways On CX:EX1. Where Teams Voice Ends and Contact Center BeginsMicrosoft Teams' growth as a collaboration tool has led organizations to use the platform as a base for improving customer experiences. However, the basic Teams Contact Center capabilities limit organizations in providing a high-level service experience for callers. Does this mean the only other option is a larger CCaaS vendor with many features that most of the market doesn’t need? In this month’s session of Always On CX:EX, Gidi Adlersberg (Director of Business Development) and Josh Chronister (Product Marketing Manager) discuss how to address where MS Teams Voice ends, and t...2024-05-1632 min