technology

Cleaning Up a Customer Relationship Mess: Going Back to Basics

By Drew Wilkinson on September 5, 2019

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People like shiny new things.

The same cannot always be said about pesky new software updates and releases to the platforms and apps that have become fixtures in both our personal and professional lives.

Good-natured developers and designers may have the best of intentions, arguing that their changes take us to a new, higher state of being where everything and everyone is better.

The problem is that these changes are often unpopular, sometimes to comedic levels – except that for the customer, it is no laughing matter.

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How the Hotel Industry is Changing Customer Service Patterns Forever

By Jordan Maxwell on July 17, 2019

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Customer service has always been the linchpin that determined success or failure in the hotel industry. Whether it’s housekeeping, restaurant and bar service, or events, members and stakeholders have always had to put customer service first to ensure the health of its bottom lines. With the emergence of Airbnb and its threat to hotel business, coupled with the evolution of technology and its role in the way guests enjoy their experiences, the industry is developing new customer service practices and applications to stay relevant. Tony Elenis, president and CEO of the Ontario Restaurant Hotel and Motel Association (ORHMA), spoke to the changing demographics and issues that are impacting customer service trends in the hotel industry.

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The Lowdown on Downloads: 3 Customer Service Apps to take on your Summer Travels

By Drew Wilkinson on June 26, 2019

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Back in 2009, Apple filed for a trademark on its buzz-worthy phrase, “There’s an app for that.” Almost a decade later, there’s no shortage of apps cluttering up the Android and Apple marketplaces. While many factors are at play here, the growth of the mobile app market has been partly driven by the fact that more and more businesses are integrating mobile apps into their customer service strategies.

When it comes to travelling, people are increasingly reliant on their smartphones. From last-minute flight changes to on-the-ground local expertise, there truly is always “an app for that.” With the Transportation Security Administration calling 2019 the “busiest summer travel season ever,” these three customer-focused apps are not only worth downloading, but can provide valuable insights into what customers expect from businesses.

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CPaaS Expands but Boundaries Getting Vague

By Shai Berger on June 19, 2019

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Six months ago I wrote that “CPaaS is a victim of its own success. The founding principle was to free communications from the grip of the carriers. But now many carriers have a CPaaS offering.”

Some folks responded that the point of CPaaS was not to demote the carriers, and that its success should be judged by the new products that it enables and not by whether it’s a net plus or minus for carriers. I admit it is easy to get wrapped up in, “inside baseball” type discussions. Maybe I spend too much time with analyst types.

So, what is the right way to judge success? What lasting impact do we expect CPaaS to leave?

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4 Brands Using Cutting-Edge Customer Service Technology

By Jessica Suezin on May 29, 2019

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With the powerful tool of social media, customers everywhere now have an expansive platform with which to voice their feelings about their customer service experiences. This puts a huge amount of pressure on call center agents to perform. Of course, companies hope that their customers use these social platforms to sing the praises of their brand. But, of course, this is not always the case: An IBM study found that customer service operations are often both pricey and inefficient. Companies spend $1 trillion on 265 billion customer service calls each year and 50% of the complaints were unresolved.

It’s not a great track record.

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4 Contact Center Reports Worth Your Time

By Shai Berger on May 22, 2019

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Now that Game of Thrones has ended, you’re probably thinking, “What should I do with all of the extra time I have now?” Allow me to suggest something: It’s a great time to catch up on industry reading. There’s a large (metaphorical) stack of reports to go through here at Fonolo HQ, so let’s dive in!

Below are four reports that we think are really worth your time. We are grateful, as always, to the companies that sponsor these reports and make them available to the public. Having this info out there helps the industry engage in better conversations and, ultimately, bring better products to market.

If you haven’t read the reports from our last round-up (in February) you can find the list here. In addition to today’s batch of four reports, please check out our new re-issued report on managing call spikes in the contact center.

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4 Contact Center Reports to Kick off 2019

By Shai Berger on February 13, 2019

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It’s been a while since we did a report round-up post. It’s not for lack of material! Our inboxes here at Fonolo HQ are full of great reports covering call center technology and trends. The steady pace of industry news has simply made it hard to find a quiet week to slip in a post like this.

Below are four reports that we think are worth your time. Thanks, as always, to the companies that sponsor these reports. The availability of this information helps the whole industry become more innovative.

By the way, don’t forget to check out the report we just released: On the Horizon: Customer Service Trends in 2019. It features a sparkling new sci-fi theme that helps to keep the pages turning.

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The State of Bots in 2019: Successes and Failures

By Astrid Monge on January 22, 2019

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“We are in the Era of the Customer,” says Shep Hyken.

We are indeed. It’s a modern reality where customers call the shots, armed with the knowledge that they have options. This includes their expectation of a certain level of customer experience, one that is seamless, omnichannel, and with bot offerings. In fact, according to Forrester, today’s “consumers have more tech at their disposal than ever before and it has fundamentally changed how they experience brands.” With more than 50% of companies already using chatbots, and 80% of businesses wanting chatbots by 2020 ( says Oracle), bots have been, and will be, rapidly transforming the customer service and customer experience landscape, especially in retail. In an article by Retail Dive, “Juniper estimates that by 2023 over 70% of chatbots accessed will be retail based.” Think about how many digital assistants, chatbots, and IVR’s that actually refers to, and in what capacity.

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The Undead: AI Can’t Die Because its Definition Keeps Changing

By Shai Berger on October 31, 2018

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Every tech trend has a natural lifespan. It starts on the fringes, builds momentum with early adopters, then moves into the mainstream. Subsequently, you get some start-up successes, then a rush of VC-funded efforts, then an overshoot in expectations, and finally a settling-in to some kind of status quo. Think “P2P”, “big data”, “IoT”, or “blockchain”.

But “AI” is a different animal. It doesn’t follow these rules because its definition is fuzzy. “AI” isn’t a particular technology (like blockchain) or even a particular concept like IoT. This creates a unique challenge for journalists, investors and entrepreneurs.

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Toronto’s Tech Explosion a Mixed Blessing for Start-Ups

By Shai Berger on October 11, 2018

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Toronto’s Tech Explosion a Mixed Blessing for Start-Ups By every measure, the tech scene in Toronto is exploding. Venture capital (VC) investment is hitting new records. The pace of start-up activity is very high. Lately, it seems like all the major tech companies have announced a new office or a major investment in the city.

While we all cheer for our city to succeed, this ramp-up does have a downside. And, for start-ups and smaller tech companies, it can be a mixed blessing.

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