Cloud Communications News & Updates

Forrester has released its 2025 Global Customer Experience (CX) Index, and the findings paint a challenging picture. For the fourth year in a row, customer perceptions of CX quality in the US and Canada have declined—hitting a new all-time low.

What’s driving the downturn? According to the report, contributing factors include poor employee experience, fading customer obsession, underwhelming technology rollouts, and broader economic uncertainty.

The report is based on insights from over 275,000 customers, evaluating 469 brands across 12 industries in 13 countries. In the US, 25% of brands saw a statistically significant decline in their CX scores between 2024 and 2025, while only 7% improved. Canada showed a similar pattern: 18% of brands declined, and just 1% made gains. Notably, a quarter of the North American brands that fell in 2025 also declined in 2024, indicating persistent challenges.

You can explore the full findings at Forrester.com.

As brands increasingly adopt AI voicebots within CCaaS platforms, Juniper Research projects a transformative surge of about 60% in contact center activity worldwide over the next four years. These bots are central to evolving customer engagement, providing cost-effective, scalable, and automated voice interaction solutions. Despite a decrease in traditional voice usage across telecom, AI voicebots are poised to significantly boost CCaaS scalability, efficiency, and customer service capabilities. Learn more at Juniper Research.

Mitel has successfully emerged from Chapter 11 restructuring after eliminating approximately $1.15 billion in debt, cutting annual interest costs by around $135 million, and securing an additional $125 million in funding. With this stronger balance sheet, the company is now poised to accelerate its hybrid-first strategy, focusing on AI-driven unified communications and contact center solutions, including a co-developed hybrid offering with Zoom and enhancements targeted at frontline industries. Despite the restructuring, Mitel maintained steady performance in its Q1 2025 results—including growth in Germany—and is now positioned to reinvigorate product investment, support long-term lifecycle needs for its global customer base, and re-establish itself as a dependable partner in the crowded UC market. Learn more at UC Today.

Zoom has introduced an “agentic” Virtual Agent to its Contact Center platform, shifting from scripted bots to AI capable of autonomously handling full customer journeys across voice and chat—processing returns, updating accounts, and booking appointments—without human escalation unless necessary. This advanced agent retains context across interactions, adapts tone to match a brand’s voice, and can intelligently decompose multi-intent queries. Accompanying the Virtual Agent are enhanced tools: AI Studio for fast agent deployment, CX Insights for near‑real‑time performance recommendations, AI-driven analytics for topic detection and automated quality management, plus conversational supervisor tools like “Ask QM” and AI‑powered scheduling. Together, these updates position Zoom to give enterprises an AI-first, low‑friction, cost‑effective contact center solution that enhances personalization, efficiency, and supervisor effectiveness. Learn more at UC Today:

Five9 announced the launch of Agentic CX, powered by its new Agentic Experience Engine built on the Genius AI Architecture. This offering introduces AI Agents capable of independently reasoning, deciding, and acting within customer interactions, with seamless escalation to human agents when needed. Key features include automated conversation summaries, advanced intent detection with entity extraction, knowledge-based responses using Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG), and tools like Code Crafter and pre-built industry templates to speed deployment. Complementing these are robust Trust & Governance capabilities—granular guardrails, threat and hallucination detection, prompt monitoring, and comprehensive dashboards—to ensure secure, reliable, and enterprise-ready AI operations. Learn more at Businesswire.

Qualtrics recently looked into the value of Customer Experience in brand relationship. They found a strong majority of consumers value premium experiences—and are willing to pay a premium—especially when those experiences enhance connection, convenience, and peace of mind. Companies that strategically optimize key touchpoints can turn those expectations into loyalty and brand trust.

72% of U.S. consumers are willing to pay more for a premium experience when interacting with businesses.

• 84% would spend extra for a better flight experience.
• 61% would pay more for improved care from their primary care provider.
• 68% are open to paying for enhanced customer service.

Isabelle Zdatny of Qualtrics XM Institute emphasizes that businesses delivering exceptional experiences—particularly those centered on human connection—can reap significant rewards. In uncertain times, consumers tend to gravitate toward trusted brands, offering these companies an opportunity to deepen relationships. Learn more at Qualtrics XM blog.

NICE has unveiled a strategic rebranding initiative, introducing “NICE Enlighten” as its new brand identity. This move underscores the company’s commitment to integrating advanced artificial intelligence into customer interactions, aiming to deliver more personalized and efficient experiences.

The “Enlighten” brand encapsulates NICE’s vision of harnessing AI to provide intelligent insights and solutions that enhance customer service. By rebranding, NICE seeks to position itself at the forefront of AI-driven CX innovation, reflecting its dedication to transforming customer engagement through technology. This rebranding is more than a name change; it signifies a strategic shift towards a more modern and innovative image, aligning with the evolving landscape of customer experience management. NICE’s focus on AI integration aims to set new standards in the industry, offering businesses the tools to better understand and meet customer needs.

For a deeper dive into NICE’s rebranding and its implications for the future of customer experience, you can read the full article on ZDNet.

Salesforce has officially agreed to acquire Informatica for approximately $8 billion, marking a significant move to enhance its data management and AI capabilities. This acquisition aims to integrate Informatica’s robust data integration, governance, and quality tools into Salesforce’s AI platform, Agentforce, thereby strengthening its position in the enterprise AI market.

Key Highlights:

• Strategic Acquisition: Salesforce will purchase Informatica at $25 per share, representing an 11% premium over its previous closing price. The deal is expected to close early in Salesforce’s fiscal year 2027.
• Enhancing AI Capabilities: By incorporating Informatica’s data management solutions, Salesforce aims to improve the functionality of its AI offerings, particularly Agentforce, facilitating more autonomous and goal-driven AI agents.
• Financial Implications: Salesforce anticipates that the acquisition will be accretive to profits starting in the second year post-acquisition, with cost synergies estimated at over 15%.
• Investor Reactions: Despite strong quarterly earnings, Salesforce’s stock experienced a 7% drop following the announcement, reflecting investor concerns over the company’s shift from organic innovation to growth via acquisitions.

Read more at UC Today.

Microsoft is set to roll out a new “Prevent Screen Capture” feature in Teams starting in July 2025, aiming to enhance security during virtual meetings. This feature will block users from capturing screenshots of meeting content by turning the screen black when a capture attempt is detected. It will be available on Teams desktop apps for Windows and Mac, as well as mobile apps for iOS and Android. Users on unsupported platforms will automatically be placed in audio-only mode, ensuring the confidentiality of sensitive information shared during meetings.

For IT leaders, this update presents both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, it provides an additional security layer to protect confidential data, aligning with broader industry trends toward stricter privacy controls. On the other hand, it may impact user experience, especially for those on unsupported devices or platforms. Organizations may need to implement training and communication strategies to ensure users are aware of the new functionality and can effectively navigate any limitations it introduces. Learn more at UC Today.

Talkdesk has introduced Talkdesk Express, a cloud-based customer experience (CX) solution specifically designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). This platform aims to provide SMBs with enterprise-grade contact center capabilities without the associated complexity and cost.

Key Features of Talkdesk Express of Talkdesk Express include rapid deployment, omnichannel support, user-friendly interface, scalability, integration to CRM tools like Salesforce and HubSpot, advanced analytics and self-services administrative/configuration tools. For more detailed information, you can read the full article on No Jitter.

A recent lawsuit has been filed against Genesys, a major Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) provider, highlighting growing concerns over the use of customer data in AI training. The lawsuit alleges that Genesys used customer calls without proper notification or consent to train its AI, raising ethical and legal issues.

Industry analysts, including Liz Miller from Constellation Research, Zeus Kerravala from ZK Research, and Keith Kirkpatrick from The Futurum Group, warn that such lawsuits are likely to increase due to unclear data usage policies and inadequate customer notifications in the CCaaS industry. They note that many providers claim anonymized data is safe for AI training, but customers and laws, particularly in California, may not agree. There’s been some examples of other AI-related missteps, like an airline bot mishandling bereavement fares and an eating disorder helpline providing harmful advice, to underscore the industry’s focus on efficiency over ethical responsibility. Analysts urge CCaaS providers to improve transparency, prioritize compliance, and ensure customers are informed about data usage to avoid future legal and reputational risks. Read more at CX Today.

Microsoft officially shut down Skype on May 5, 2025, bringing an end to the iconic internet communication service after 22 years. Originally launched in 2003, Skype revolutionized voice and video calls over the internet and at its peak had over 300 million users. Microsoft acquired Skype in 2011 for $8.5 billion, integrating it into its broader ecosystem. However, in recent years, Skype struggled to keep up with newer competitors like Zoom, WhatsApp, and Google Meet. By 2023, its user base had declined to around 36 million. In early 2025, Microsoft announced plans to retire Skype and began encouraging users to switch to Microsoft Teams, its more modern and integrated communication platform.

Microsoft Teams now serves as the company’s flagship collaboration tool, offering features like video calls, chat, file sharing, and integration with Microsoft 365. Microsoft has provided Skype users with options to migrate their chats and contacts to Teams, and users with Skype phone numbers can port them to other services, depending on regional availability. Microsoft executive Jeff Teper acknowledged Skype’s legacy, highlighting its impact on modern communication and the meaningful connections it enabled. The decision to sunset Skype marks a strategic shift by Microsoft to consolidate its communication services and meet the evolving demands of the digital communication landscape. Read more at NPR:

The Forrester Wave for CCaaS Platforms 2025 report highlights the evolving landscape of Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions, emphasizing the integration of advanced technologies such as generative AI, multimodal communication, and predictive analytics. These innovations are transforming customer interactions and operational efficiency, enabling businesses to deliver personalized experiences and streamline agent workflows. The report also notes the narrowing functionality gap between top and mid-tier vendors, with differentiation now hinging on strategic priorities like AI integration, data management, and enterprise CX capabilities. Smaller vendors are cautioned against over-reliance on specific ecosystems, which may limit their innovation and adaptability in the rapidly evolving market.​

Furthermore, the report underscores the significance of AI in reshaping CCaaS offerings, with applications ranging from conversational AI and agent assistance to quality management and business analytics. The integration of AI-powered tools enhances both agent and customer experiences, ensuring seamless, personalized interactions. As customer expectations continue to rise, the report suggests that successful CCaaS vendors will be those that invest in comprehensive AI strategies, robust data integration, and flexible, scalable solutions to meet the demands of modern customer service environments. Read more at CX Today.

Avaya has introduced the Avaya Infinity Platform, aiming to modernize contact centers for large enterprises and public sector organizations. This platform addresses challenges such as data sovereignty, integration of disparate data silos, and the enhancement of customer experience (CX). By focusing on its top 1,500 customers, Avaya seeks to provide solutions that enable these organizations to leverage their existing infrastructures while adopting advanced technologies to improve CX. The Infinity Platform represents Avaya’s attempt to facilitate a transition to modernize contact center operations without disrupting existing systems. Read more at No Jitter.

Mitel has secured U.S. Bankruptcy Court approval for its financial restructuring plan and expects to emerge from Chapter 11 this quarter. The restructuring will eliminate approximately $1.15 billion in debt, lower annual cash interest payments by around $135 million, and provide $64.5 million in exit financing to support future growth. CEO Tarun Loomba stated that with a stronger capital structure, Mitel will be better positioned to deliver flexible, secure communications solutions and continue its leadership in hybrid communications. Despite market disruption from the Chapter 11 news, Mitel launched a new CX platform at Enterprise Connect, signaling continued innovation.

Industry experts note that while restructuring strengthens Mitel financially, it still faces challenges ahead. Analyst Zeus Kerravala and Mitel partner Charterhouse Voice and Data highlighted the importance of reassessing Mitel’s market position and offerings. Comparisons were drawn to Avaya’s struggles after its own restructuring, raising questions about whether Mitel’s investments in AI-driven CX solutions will be enough to ensure long-term success. Learn more on UC Today.