Avaya deals Aces to boost customer experiences

Communications and collaboration technology provider Avaya has launched the Avaya Customer Experience Services (Aces) platform, which it says is a reimagining of its Professional Services offer and will use artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and digital technologies to drive improved business outcomes to customers.

Putting the launch into context at the Engage 2023 conference, Emir Susic, global vice-president of Avaya Customer Experience Services, stressed just how the professional services industry was changing.

“We used to be the guys who were doing the heavy lifting – we were doing the installation, we were pressing the buttons,” he said. “And it’s changed to the extent that you can [now] do this faster, but the core of our industry didn’t change – [it’s about] delivering the outcomes. First of all, we will try to do something extra for our customers because innovation doesn’t come only from technology; it comes from people interacting together. We are focusing 100% on enabling use cases. That doesn’t mean we didn’t enable use cases before. But now the use cases are the differentiator. These are things that make [a customer’s] business completely different compared with competitors.

“So, [we say to customers that] we are focused on your priorities,” continued Susic. “We are focused on your journey. We are focused on how you are going to move to the next step. And this is what we would like to enable. That’s why we are transforming our methodologies, our technologies and our people. We believe we have what we need to make it to the next step.”

Avaya noted that today’s businesses acknowledge the crucial roles AI and cloud technology play in optimising their operations and enhancing their customer experiences. However, it warned that the shortage of specialised talent required to integrate these technologies, coupled with the rapid pace of AI advancements, often negatively impacts or delays the decision to deploy these technologies or hinders their successful deployment.

As a solution to these issues, Aces is designed to accelerate the cloud journey by helping customers navigate their digital transformation journeys and maintaining existing voice-based customisations, while concurrently delivering the full value of AI and cloud-based capabilities. It is also envisaged to allow firms to push forward and create their own uniqueness, maximising efficiencies in their own business.

Adhering to Avaya’s stated aim of offering technology that will allow companies to innovate without disruption, Aces is described as offering a globally available, expert-led and innovative suite of AI, cloud and digital services.

The Aces development team is said to work with some of the largest and most complex contact centres in the world, integrating the latest technologies into existing customer experience workflows. Aces provides AI automation services that yield business efficiencies and enable exceptional customer experiences. For cloud evolution services, Aces provides workflow migration and hybrid cloud services designed to prioritise customer and employee satisfaction.

“Aces represents Avaya’s unwavering dedication to its customers by delivering transformative technology through AI, cloud and digital solutions that create personalised experiences,” said Susic. “By meeting customers exactly where they are in their cloud migration, Avaya reinforces its commitment to guide organisations through their digital transformation journey.”

The Aces platform also sets out to enable customers to add capabilities from Avaya’s technology partners. For example, due to Avaya’s partnerships with customer experience intelligence company Calabrio, Aces is taking technology to help Canada’s largest propane supplier, Superior Propane, improve customer retention and reduce average call handle times. Superior Propane used Calabrio’s desktop and speech analytics capabilities to get an in-depth understanding of current processes, and as a result it claims to have reduced average call handle time by 30 seconds per call.

“In an increasingly CX-focused business environment, it’s clear that customers are not solely interested in purchasing technology; they are investing in outcomes,” said Blair Pleasant, president and principal analyst of research firm Commfusion and a co-founder of UCStrategies.

“With its reimagined Aces division, Avaya professional services offers more than just advanced AI, cloud and digital solutions, but also the promise of tangible results – enhanced customer experiences, improved operational efficiency, and ultimately, greater business success.”