Cybercriminals are employing “vishing” (voice phishing) tactics to target Microsoft Teams users, as reported by Trend Micro.

These attackers impersonate clients during Teams calls, using social engineering to gain remote access to victims’ systems. The attack typically begins with a flood of phishing emails to overwhelm the victim’s account. The cybercriminal then follows up with a phone call, posing as a tech support assistant and offering to “resolve” the problem they had triggered. This tactic exploits the victim’s frustration and urgency to fix the problem, tricking them into granting access or sharing sensitive information. In a recent incident, an attacker convinced a victim to download AnyDesk, a remote access tool, which was then used to deploy DarkGate malware—a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) that enables unauthorized control over the infected system. Although the attack was halted before any data was stolen, it highlights the growing sophistication of cyberattack strategies. This incident adds to a series of cybersecurity challenges for Microsoft, which has been enhancing its security infrastructure following high-profile breaches.

Read more at UC Today.

Goldman Sachs’ latest report highlights that AI adoption in U.S. companies remains relatively modest, with only 6.1% integrating AI into production processes, up slightly from 5.9% in the previous quarter. The finance and insurance sectors lead in AI usage, while industries such as IT, manufacturing, and education have seen declines. Larger companies with over 250 employees report higher adoption rates of around 10%.

Despite slow uptake, organizations using generative AI have reported significant productivity gains, including a 23% increase in academic research output, with some areas experiencing up to a 30% improvement. Additionally, the semiconductor industry is set for rapid AI-driven growth, with sales predicted to increase by 37% by 2025. The AI hardware market is expected to grow to $139 billion, contributing significantly to the U.S. GDP.

The report underscores the gradual progress of AI adoption but highlights its potential to boost productivity and spur investment in key industries. More detail is available at Seeking Alpha.

According to a December 11, 2024, report by Gartner, 30% of Fortune 500 companies are expected to offer customer service exclusively through a single, AI-enabled channel by 2028. This unified channel will facilitate seamless communication across text, image, and sound, simplifying customer interactions and enhancing satisfaction. The shift is driven by the complexities and costs associated with multichannel service models, which often result in fragmented customer experiences and decreased retention.

Advancements in voice-enabled conversational AI are central to this transition, enabling effortless transitions between communication modes within the same interaction. Gartner also forecasts that by 2028, 70% of customer service journeys will commence and conclude via conversational AI assistants integrated into mobile devices, such as Apple AI and Google Gemini. This trend reflects consumers’ preference for quick, seamless solutions over traditional service channels. However, Gartner warns of a potential 300% increase in fraud attempts by 2027 compared to 2023 levels, as fraudsters exploit conversational AI tools. To mitigate this risk, organizations are advised to implement robust identity verification and multi-layered security measures.

Learn more by visiting SmartCustomerService.

Five9 has launched an innovative integration between its cloud contact center platform and Microsoft Teams, marking a significant step in contact center technology. This integration enables seamless collaboration between customer service agents and back-office teams, leveraging Microsoft Teams’ widespread adoption in businesses. The goal is to streamline workflows, enhance communication, and improve customer experiences by bridging the gap between contact centers and broader organizational resources.

The solution allows agents to use Teams for internal consultations while handling customer inquiries, improving resolution efficiency and quality. The integration also includes advanced features such as unified directories, presence indicators, and click-to-dial functionalities. This development further solidifies Five9’s position in the CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) market, enabling it to support diverse business needs and integrate with other enterprise platforms​

For more details, you can explore the article at CX Today.

Verint has acquired Cogito, integrating its advanced AI capabilities to enhance customer experience solutions. Using Cogito’s technology, Verint introduced the “CX/EX Scoring Bot,” which evaluates over 200 real-time conversation signals to score customer interactions and guide agent performance. This innovation complements Verint’s existing AI solutions for contact centers, enabling streamlined operations and better decision-making. The acquisition strengthens Verint’s competitive edge in the AI-driven contact center market, offering versatile tools for workforce and customer management.

Learn more at CX Today.

Kore.ai has unveiled its Agentic AI platform, “AI for Work,” designed to transform enterprise operations. This no-code platform lets organizations create autonomous AI agents to streamline tasks, automate workflows, and integrate with over 100 pre-configured connectors. Key features include advanced RAG-based search, multi-agent collaboration, and a Universal Orchestrator for complex workflows. The platform offers pre-built agents and templates for HR, IT, and more. Kore.ai aims to democratize AI innovation, empowering organizations to boost efficiency and reimagine workplace productivity.

Learn more at CX Today:

For more information on the use of AI in Cloud Communications, check out our AI Guide.

The FTC is investigating Microsoft for alleged antitrust practices, including restrictive software licensing terms and dominance in cloud computing and AI markets. Competitors claim Microsoft locks customers into Azure and imposes steep costs for migrating to other platforms. The probe, initiated by FTC Chair Lina Khan, also examines cybersecurity and AI integration in its products. Outcomes remain uncertain under a potential Trump administration, though historically, Microsoft has benefited from certain federal policies. The investigation signals increased scrutiny of Big Tech’s market power.

Learn more at Reuters.

Zoom recently secured its largest-ever Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) deal with Agencia Tributaria, Spain’s National Revenue Service, involving over 20,000 seats. This milestone reflects Zoom’s growth in the EMEA region and a significant 82% year-over-year increase in CCaaS customers. The company’s rebranding as “Zoom Communications” highlights its shift beyond video conferencing to an AI-first platform offering broader enterprise solutions. Revenue rose by 4% in Q3, driven by enterprise services, while churn rates hit record lows.

Read more on CX Today here.

UC Today reports on a widespread outage affecting Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Exchange, with users experiencing issues such as Teams Calendar access problems and email attachment failures. Microsoft attributes the disruption to a recent change, which they are rolling back to resolve the issue. Users are advised to check the Microsoft admin center for updates.

For more details, visit UC Today.

Technavio predicts the global contact center market will expand by $208.2 billion by 2028, growing at a compound annual rate of 10.7%. Key factors driving this growth include advancements in AI, increased adoption of cloud-based systems, and the rise of virtual work environments. Among the key insights:

• AI Transformation: AI is revolutionizing contact centers by enabling faster responses and personalized interactions.
• Virtual Systems & Self-Service: Remote work and virtual tools are growing, enhancing convenience but requiring robust training and system upgrades.
• Shift in Communication Trends: A decrease in voice-based systems is expected, with text and social media interactions gaining prominence.
• Operational Challenges: Managing resources effectively to meet average speed of answer (ASA) goals is a top challenge.

More detail is available at Smart Customer Service.

For more information on Cloud Contact Center, check out our Cloud Design CCaaS Guide.

8×8 has unveiled an update to their logo and emphasizing their alignment “around your success, customer experience, goals, and ambitions.”

Learn more in the 8×8 blog.

Mitel recently introduced its new Mitel CX platform, leveraging generative AI to transform the customer experience landscape. This platform enhances customer interactions by utilizing AI for personalized, efficient communication across multiple channels. Key features include advanced AI-driven chatbots, predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs, and seamless integration with existing systems to streamline workflows.

The generative AI component is designed to improve customer engagement by understanding and responding to complex queries in real-time, reducing the reliance on human agents while maintaining a high-quality experience. This development represents a significant shift in Mitel’s strategy, positioning the company to compete in the evolving contact center market by focusing on innovation and customer satisfaction​.

Learn more at No Jitter.​

Cognigy has launched Agentic AI, a solution for enterprise contact centers that blends its conversational AI engine with large language models (LLMs). This innovation offers real-time decision-making, hyper-personalization, and seamless integration with enterprise tools. With advanced memory features and APIs, the AI Agents deliver dynamic, humanlike interactions and streamline customer service. Cognigy claims the solution outperforms competitors, simplifying scalability while meeting stringent compliance standards.

Learn more at CX Today.

For more information on the use of AI in Cloud Communications, check out our AI Guide.

Zoom’s AI Companion 2.0, unveiled at Zoomtopia 2024, is now available to enhance collaboration and productivity. Integrated into Zoom Workplace, it offers features like summarizing conversations, synthesizing information, and initiating actions for efficient decision-making. The platform includes customizable add-ons tailored to organizational needs and is free for paying subscribers. Zoom plans further updates, including broader query support and faster response times, to expand the AI’s capabilities.

For more details, visit UC Today.

The article on No Jitter discusses emerging legal risks in the use of AI within customer communication services (CCaaS) and unified communications as a service (UCaaS). With privacy concerns at the forefront, the article highlights a recent lawsuit where customers allege data misuse due to AI handling personal communications. It underscores the importance of transparency in data use and regulatory compliance, especially as more litigation surfaces around AI’s role in customer data processing. Businesses are advised to review data practices to mitigate privacy risks.

For full details, you can view the article here.

Microsoft is increasing the price of its Teams Phone service, raising the cost for various plans starting April 2025. Teams Phone Standard will go from $8 to $10 per user per month, while other packages will also see hikes. Microsoft attributes this increase to “continuous innovations.” Additionally, a new monthly billing option will carry a 5% premium over the annual rate for flexibility. These adjustments affect multiple Microsoft 365 services, including Teams Phone, Dynamics 365, and Copilot plans.

For further details, visit UC Today.

Avaya announced another round of layoffs shortly after the retirement announcement of CEO Alan Masarek, who had overseen restructuring efforts post-bankruptcy. The company framed this workforce reduction as a move to align resources and focus on customer-centered strategies, following a prior layoff in July affecting about 3% of its workforce. Avaya’s new CEO, Patrick Dennis, intends to guide the company through its next phase, with these layoffs aimed at supporting restructuring into regional divisions.

For more, see the full article here.

The 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for CCaaS evaluates cloud contact center providers across four categories: Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries, and Niche Players. Leaders like NICE, Genesys, AWS, and Five9 excel in delivering comprehensive solutions for global enterprises, emphasizing innovation, scalability, and support. Cisco stands as a Challenger with strengths in hybrid integrations. Visionary Talkdesk focuses on industry-specific offerings, while Niche Players like Content Guru and 8×8 cater to specialized markets but face limitations in scope or regional coverage.

Learn more here.

The 2024 Gartner UCaaS Magic Quadrant highlights Microsoft as the top leader, emphasizing its enhanced telephony features but noting gaps in contact center solutions. Cisco advances with strong AI capabilities, challenging other leaders like RingCentral and Zoom. Meanwhile, Dialpad moves to the Niche Players quadrant, and Google remains the sole challenger. Vendors like GoTo and Sangoma focus on SMBs, while others navigate market consolidation. The report underscores the evolving roles of AI, telephony, and collaboration tools in unified communications.

Read more here.

For more information on UCaaS, check out our Cloud Design UCaaS Guide.