For CX leaders, that means a new generation of agentic AI—intelligent systems that don’t just assist employees but anticipate customer needs and take meaningful action. Welcome to the age of Connected Intelligence.

1) Webex AI Quality Management: One Console for Human and AI Performance

Cisco unveiled Webex AI Quality Management (QM), a supervisor tool that unifies coaching and improvement across both human agents and AI agents in a single platform. It combines AI-assisted scoring, real-time insights, and personalized coaching for humans with actionable recommendations and optimization for AI agents—all natively in Webex Contact Center. Planned GA: Q1 2026.

Why it matters: Moves beyond compliance checklists to continuous experience improvement and de-risks AI adoption with a single supervisory view.

Related coverage: Agentic AI in the Contact Center: How Cisco Is Redefining Service

2) Webex AI Agent & Cisco AI Assistant: From Assistive to Agentic

Webex AI Agent enables autonomous and guided self-service, tapping tools, systems, and experts as needed—created and tuned in the new AI Agent Studio. Cisco AI Assistant boosts live-agent productivity with suggested responses, real-time transcription, and summaries mid-call and at wrap-up. These are available for cloud and on-prem customers, with a beta for 50 + languages targeted for Q4 2025.

Starting in Q1 2026, Webex plans support for multi-agent collaboration via A2A and Model Context Protocol (MCP)—so Webex AI Agents can interoperate with third-party agents and external data sources under enterprise controls.

Why it matters: Faster, more accurate resolutions with AI that can act, not just advise—while preserving governance.

Related coverage: How Enterprises Are Using Webex AI to Drive Real CX Results

3) Salesforce: Orchestrating Journeys Inside Service Cloud

As part of Salesforce’s BYO CCaaS program, Webex Contact Center for Salesforce deepens the integration so organizations can orchestrate experiences using combined Webex and CRM data. Interactions can be managed inside Salesforce via Service Cloud Voice and Bring Your Own Channel, powered by Webex AI and Agentforce. Early access now; planned GA Q1 2026.

Why it matters: Reduces swivel-chair workflows and gives agents contextual, AI-enriched insights where they already work.

Watch: Webex and Salesforce Redefine CX Integration

4) AWS Lex: Smarter Virtual Agents, Available Now

Integration with Amazon Lex (the same tech behind Alexa) lets teams build natural voice and chat interfaces for Webex Contact Center and Contact Center Enterprise. Use cases include AI receptionist capabilities to deflect / route calls, improved intent recognition, and acceleration of live-agent resolutions. Available now.

Why it matters: Accelerates self-service design and improves containment while maintaining a natural customer experience.

See also: Cisco Expands AI Integrations with Amazon Lex and AWS

5) Epic: Connecting EHR Context to the Contact Center

Epic integration brings EHR context into customer interactions so care teams and agents can deliver tailored, compliant support inside Epic. Available now.

Why it matters: Reduces handoffs and rework in healthcare journeys where context, compliance, and empathy are critical.

Read: How Cisco and Epic Are Transforming Patient Engagement

6) Webex AI Quality Management in Context

For those tracking the broader AI strategy across Cisco’s collaboration and customer experience stack, UC Today’s coverage dives deeper into the company’s Connected Intelligence theme and agentic vision.

Read more: WebexOne 2025: Cisco Bets Big on Agentic Collaboration

7) Market Expansion: India and KSA on the Roadmap

Cisco plans to expand the Webex ecosystem with locally hosted solutions for performance and compliance. In Q2 2026, Cisco targets Webex Calling data centers in Mumbai and Chennai and the launch of Webex Contact Center services in India, with future expansion planned for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Why it matters: Local hosting improves latency, call quality, and regulatory alignment for global CX programs.

More coverage: WebexOne 2025: Connected Intelligence Takes Centre Stage

Leadership Perspective

“You win or lose your customers every single day through the quality of the experiences you deliver. AI is the key to delivering amazing customer experiences at scale.” — Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer, Cisco

Bottom Line for CX Leaders

• Unify oversight: Manage human and AI performance in one supervisory plane with Webex AI QM.
• Operationalize agentic AI: Deploy AI Agent and AI Assistant to act, summarize, and follow up securely.
• Integrate the journey: Use Salesforce, AWS Lex, and Epic to collapse data silos and remove friction.
• Prove value fast: Target containment, cycle times, and CSAT with production-grade use cases.
• Plan for scale: Leverage multi-agent interoperability (A2A, MCP) and regional hosting to grow responsibly.

CX Today’s Charlie Mitchell hosts a panel discussing trending news from across the customer experience space.

Five prominent CX analysts join the panel to run through each story.

This month, those analysts include:

• Zeus Kerravala, Principal Analyst at ZK Research
• Liz Miller, VP & Principal Analyst at Constellation Research
• Shelly Kramer, President & CEO at Kramer & Company
• Justin Robbins, Founder & Principal Analyst at Metric Sherpa
• Tim Banting, Head of Research & Business Intelligence at Techtelligence

During the discussion, they touch upon the following news stories:

Thomas Bravo to Acquire Verint & Merge It with Calabrio

Verint is set to be acquired by Thoma Bravo in a deal that values the tech provider at $2BN, including debt. Once the deal goes through, Verint will merge with Calabrio. This could have significant industry consequences. Our analysts share their hot takes.

️ Salesforce to Snap Up Bluebirds, Waii, & Regrello ️

Salesforce, which recently made three acquisitions in three weeks. These include:

Bluebirds – A presales prospecting platform provider.
Waii – A natural language-to-SQL platform provider.
Regrello – An AI-powered collaboration system for supply chain and operations.

But what’s with all the spending, and which acquisition stands out? Our analysts share their thoughts.

A Proposed New Bill Aims to Mandate Human Customer Service

A proposed new bipartisan bill aims to require contact center agents to immediately disclose their location and/or whether they’re AI. It’s called the “Keep Call Centers in America Act of 2025”. Our analysts break it down.

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You can also join in the conversation on our X and LinkedIn pages.

70% of customers say they’d be willing to purchase more from companies offering convenient support across multiple channels. The trouble is many organizations still don’t know which channels they should be prioritizing. They’re still searching for the “perfect channel”.

In reality, many consumer groups have different preferences, making it crucial for companies to take a versatile approach to building their customer experience (CX) strategy.

The Channel Shift: Evolving Communication Channels

Voice calls are still a valuable tool for contact centers. 65% of customers still say they prefer using voice for speed and convenience in customer service. What’s more, voice interactions can still deliver exceptional results, achieving an average customer customer satisfaction score of 86%.

However, there’s a significant shift in the contact center landscape towards digital channels. An increasing number of customers, both millennials and Gen Z, are digital natives, used to finding the information they need online and interacting with businesses over social media, email and web chat.

Email is perhaps one of the most important digital communication channels for customer service teams. After all, there are more than 4 billion email users worldwide, and email offers a convenient alternative to calls for customers who don’t need immediate assistance.

However, the digital communication landscape extends a lot further, covering channels like:

1. Live Chat

72% of customers choose online chat when they want to connect with a brand. Live chat can offer an experience that combines the best of both email and phone support, combining real-time assistance, with convenient service that doesn’t require waiting in a call queue.

It can also be an excellent source of insights for companies, allowing team members to gather data about common customer queries, and better understand the customer journey.

2. Self Service

Self-service is by far one of the most popular customer service solutions for younger generations. It gives customers a way to answer questions rapidly without waiting for agent support. The challenge for companies is that self-service interactions can take place over various channels.

Automated IVR systems, chatbots, FAQ knowledge bases, and automated troubleshooting solutions all provide access to different types of self-service. It’s important to prioritize ease of access to self-service channels to minimize customer frustration.

3. Social Media

According to one study, 47% of respondents said they feel more positively about brands that can provide customer support over social media. Again, the concern for contact center leaders here is that there are so many different social channels to consider, from X (), to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn for B2B professionals, and even TikTok.

A comprehensive omni-channel customer service strategy that leverages social media will require companies to have a broad understanding of which channels their customers use.

4. Mobile Messaging

Up to 97% of the US population owns a smartphone. Mobile messaging is an excellent way to connect with customers on the go and deliver personalized service. In today’s world, mobile messaging isn’t just limited to SMS and MMS messages.

Companies are also interacting through asynchronous messaging apps including WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, allowing the customer to pick up the conversation at a time that is convenient to them.

5. Video Chat

For some support inquiries, video chat can be extremely useful. The ability to share your screen, and interact with customers face-to-face can be a game changer, particularly during technical discussions. Video calls offer an excellent way for companies to walk customers through troubleshooting steps, or demonstrate visual solutions in real-time.

It can also help to strengthen relationships with customers, paving the way for more humanized interactions, in a world overcome by automation.

6. Extended Reality

Extended reality might not be as commonplace in the digital customer service world as some of the other channels, but it’s quickly gaining a lot of attention. Virtual reality landscapes offer an immersive way to onboard customers, offer training, and provide product demonstrations.

Augmented reality also gives customers access to seamless step-by-step guidance and support, overlaying crucial information on top of real-world environments.

The Right Channel at the Right Time for the Right Outcome

The reality is that there’s no “perfect channel” for the future of customer communications. Every customer will have their own preferences for how and when they want to start a conversation your business, and which channels they want to visit.

Robert Mansfield, Chief Technology Officer at Content Guru, says, “Customers want to interact with your business on their terms, through the right channel at the right time for the right outcome. Whether that’s phone, voice, email or WhatsApp, your organization needs to be ready to meet customers where they are. Investing in a cloud-based omni-channel customer service solution is essential for any business looking to reduce customer effort and elevate their CX.

Content Guru’s storm platform leverages cutting-edge intelligent automation and advanced data analytics, empowering companies to personalize interactions and streamline operations.

This isn’t just about adopting new tools—it’s about transforming how businesses connect with customers, making each touchpoint a seamless and engaging experience.”

The right approach to the future of digital transformation requires a careful evaluation of your target audience. Aggregating customer data intelligently using a Customer Data Platform (CDP), as well as using journey mapping to identify the key touchpoints your customers use is essential.

Once you’ve identified the right channels for effective customer service, you need a platform that aligns them. A truly immersive experience requires a platform that can seamlessly blend multiple channels into a single consistent user interface for your agents. Look for a contact center solution that:

1. Aligns All of your Technology

An effective omni-channel contact center provides access to more than just the right communication channels. It should align everything from video conferencing to SMS and social media messaging in one interface. However, it should also integrate with the critical tools your agents use to personalize and enhance customer journeys, such as a CDP.

An all-in-one solution that unifies both data and customer service channels will pave the way for more personalized, engaging conversations, and improve workplace efficiency.

2. Enables Intelligent Automation

Automation is the key to bringing speed and efficiency to an omni-channel contact center. It also enables companies to offer comprehensive self-service experiences, in the form of customized chatbots, intelligent IVR systems, and voice bots.

Intelligent automation solutions can reduce the number of calls and contact requests your agents need to handle, while also delivering 24/7 support to customers. Plus, it can help streamline tasks like outbound calling, conversation summarization, and strategic routing.

Embracing the Future of Customer Communications

Customer journeys have evolved drastically in recent years. They’re now multi-step, omni-channel experiences, and they need to be comprehensively aligned to ensure you can provide consistent, efficient, and personalized service.

“In order to benefit from both synchronous and asynchronous messaging platforms, as well as transitional channels like voice, your business needs a solution that can integrating multiple communication channels into a single pane of glass. With storm, businesses can unify all customer touchpoints, from social media and live chat to email and voice, into one cohesive system. In addition, by leveraging intelligent automation and advanced data analytics, storm helps businesses refine their customer engagement strategies, gain actionable insights, and maintain a competitive edge in an ever-evolving business landscape.”

An omni-channel customer experience platform that aligns both your channels and your data, enables intelligent automation, and offers valuable insights into customer requirements, will ensure you can thrive in the new age of customer expectations.

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CX Today’s Charlie Mitchell hosts Tony Masis, VP, GM, & Leader of Customer Management Services (CMS) at Shyft Global Services.

They deep dive on customer experience outsourcing, discussing:

• The business challenges that cause companies to consider CX outsourcing
• Considerations for selecting a CX outsourcing partner
• Best practices to get the most from outsourcing relationships
• What does an outsourcing partnership look like in practice?
• The future of CX outsourcing

For more from Shyft Global Services, visit: https://www.shyftservices.com/

Check out Shyft’s Lenovo case study here: https://hubs.ly/Q02x47Tz0

Check out Shyft’s Extreme Networks case study here: https://hubs.ly/Q02x47ZN0

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CX Today’s Charlie Mitchell hosts Mauro Carobene, Vice President of the Customer Interactions Suite at Tata Communications.

They deep dive on the Customer Interactions Suite from Tata Communications, which unifies CCaaS and CPaaS. In doing so, they discuss:

• The benefits of an all-in-one offering
• The types of business the suite typically attracts
• What the recent acquisition of Kaleyra brings to the suite
• What’s next for the suite?

For more on the Customer Interactions Suite from Tata Communications, visit Tata.

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CX Today’s Charlie Mitchell hosts Liz Miller, VP & Principal Analyst at Constellation Research and Rebecca Wetteman, CEO & Principal Analyst at Valoir.

In this engaging session, we delve into the latest buzz surrounding Google Alphabet’s potential bid for CRM powerhouse HubSpot.

In doing so, we:

• Evaluate the validity of the rumors
• Assess the probability of Google’s move towards acquisition
• Unpack the strategic rationale behind Google’s interest in HubSpot

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Even if different vendors provide the tools, the bill notes that they should communicate with one another and adhere to strict security standards, including end-to-end encryption.

As shared with The Verge, a discussion draft of The Secure and Interoperable Government Collaboration Technology Act would mandate that a government user on Microsoft Teams could converse with an agency that leverages Zoom – for example. 

Of course, the bill would only require such interoperability within government operations. Yet, if passed, it could further increase interoperability within the enterprise communications space.

Another benefit of the bill – according to Wyden – is challenging Microsoft’s reach across the federal government. That comes after the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently released a report finding that the tech giant could have halted a Chinese hack on US government emails. 

“It’s time to break the chokehold of big tech companies like Microsoft on government software, set high cybersecurity standards, and reap the many benefits of a competitive market,” said Wyden in a statement attached to the bill.

Vendor lock-in, bundling, and other anticompetitive practices result in the government spending vast sums of money on insecure software.

If passed, the bill would instruct the General Services Administration (GSA) to create a list of collaboration tech features that the government uses. 

That list would likely include text messaging, video conferencing, audio calling, file sharing, live documenting, and other tools. 

From there, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) would develop a set of interoperability standards that cross each solution. 

Such standards would include end-to-end encryption to safeguard government communications against foreign surveillance threats. 

Yet, they must also ensure the government complies with federal record-keeping requirements.

Mandating Communications Interoperability, a Possible New Trend

Wyden is not alone in calling for greater interoperability between communications platforms. 

In 2022, the EU launched its Digital Markets Act (DMA), which tightens regulations on “digital gatekeepers” – otherwise known as designated messaging services. 

The DMA requires companies like Meta – with WhatsApp and Messenger – to “be ready to enable interoperability with other services within three months of receiving a request.”

Elsewhere, Microsoft has come under scrutiny from the EU for bundling Teams and Office – a move that Wyden also seemed to take issue with. 

Although the tech giant ended this worldwide practice last week, the EU’s antitrust case rumbles on, and Zeus Kerravala, Founder and Principal Analyst at ZK Research, would like to see further action. 

The prominent enterprise communications analyst told CX Today last year that Microsoft should increase interoperability with and open up migration paths to competitive offerings. 

“If they really feel Teams is the best product, then unbundle products and provide a migration path to move the data that’s in Teams, particularly chat, out of the platform into a competing product,” said Kerravala. “Frankly, this should be a requirement for all the vendors, including Webex, Zoom, RingCentral, and others.

Only by making it easy to switch platforms will we find out who has the best product.

While that possibility seems a long way off, with mandated communications interoperability a trend coming to the fore, communication giants may wish to keep one eye over their shoulder. 

For further analysis of the bill, check out the story on UC Today – our sister publication – which focuses much more on the UC & collaborations market: New Senate Bill Would Require Zoom and Teams to be Interoperable

Mediasite provides web conferencing, video management, student engagement, lms integrations, live and virtual events, and more.

Collectively, the board of directors, executive officers, and one major shareholder, which own approximately 48 percent of the company have voted in favour of the sale of Mediasite to Enghouse.

Sonic Foundry’s CEO, Joe Mozden Jr., commented on its sale of Mediasite to Enghouse: “We are pleased to have identified a strategic buyer for the Mediasite business.

“Enghouse’s expertise in growing enterprise software businesses and their portfolio of complementary video communications solutions makes them a natural fit to acquire Mediasite.

“We firmly believe that Enghouse is the ideal partner to expand that business and serve the needs of our long-term customer base.

“The sale also aligns with the strategic vision I first laid out for Sonic Foundry, creating more opportunities and flexibility for us to focus on our emerging new businesses, Vidable and Global Learning Exchange.”

The transaction is subject to approval by Sonic Foundry’s shareholders and customary closing conditions.

All being well, the acquisition is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2024.

Why Mediasite?

Mediasite’s offering connects into the video communications aspect of Enghouse’s business, bringing with it new technology and a customer following that it will no doubt look to absorb, with the potential for cross-selling opportunities with its other solutions.

Enghouse has also been no stranger to acquisitions having already expanded its enterprise by adding two further communications-based technology companies under its wing within the last 19 months.

In June 2022, Enghouse acquired Competella, a Microsoft Teams solutions vendor. Competella provides a communications suite for Teams that enables organisations to move from telephony legacy systems to Teams phone solutions.

The company’s cloud partner and reseller network includes brands such as T-Mobile, Orange, and Long View.

Then in January 2023, it agreed to purchase Qumu Corporation, a leading provider of cloud-based enterprise video technology, which builds tools to assist companies in creating, controlling, and analysing live and asynchronous video experiences at scale.

Who are Enghouse and Sonic Foundry?

Enghouse is a Canadian company founded in 1984 that offers enterprise software solutions related to the contact centre, video communications, healthcare, telecommunications, public safety, and the transit market.

Founded in 1991, Sonic Foundry has become a global leader for video capture, management and webcasting solutions in business, education, and government.

It works to help customers get the most value out of their video initiatives and infrastructure to better connect learners, workers, and entrepreneurs globally.

According to Sonic Foundry’s website, it “transforms how the world works and learns through innovative and scalable technologies”.

Sonic Foundry’s is the parent company of brands including Mediasite, Video Solutions, Vidable, and Global Learning Exchange, which in turn trusted by thousands of customers in a number of countries around the world.

In July last year, CX Today’s Charlie Mitchell spoke to Debbie Thomas, Pre-Sales Director at Enghouse Interactive to find out more about the company’s product roadmap, as well as the solutions resonating the most with its customers.

The move to purchase the Bengaluru-based AI startup could once again bring video to the fore of CX discussion and perhaps challenge CX vendors that differentiate through the channel.

All signs currently point to the acquisition going ahead, with the news appearing to be confirmed by Rephrase’s cofounder Shivam Mangla in his announcement via X, formerly Twitter:

Exciting news! Rephrase.ai is getting acquired by a pioneering creative tech company, ushering us into the new era of Generative AI.

Mangla continued: “As we begin this new chapter in a larger org, the possibilities are endless. Excited to see what our teams will create next in the world of GenAI. The future is creative and bright!”

Rephrase.ai: A Visionary Video Provider

Founded in 2019, Rephrase provides companies with its ‘Rephrase Studio’, which allows users to quickly create videos with customizable digital avatars.

Such customizations include resizing the avatar, changing the background, and adjusting or adding audio.

Rephrase has raised nearly $14 million from investors, which include Red Ventures and Lightspeed India, and it has also gained over 50,000 customers.

What Else Would Rephrase.ai Bring to Adobe?

In an internal memo, Ashley Still, Senior Vice President and General Manager for Adobe Creative Cloud, laid out the key benefits of incorporating Rephrase:

The Rephrase.ai team’s expertise in generative AI video and audio technology and experience-building text-to-video generator tools will extend our generative video capabilities — and enable us to deliver more value to our customers faster – all within our industry-leading creative applications.

The acquisition of Rephrase wouldn’t be a complete surprise. Adobe has quickly embraced generative AI, recently celebrating multiple product releases, such as its ‘Firefly’ AI image generation engine.

Indeed, Firefly has proven a significant step forward for Adobe in the CX industry, which Shantanu Narayen, Chairman and CEO of Adobe, believes will “redefine both creativity as well as the customer experience”.

A further bridge was built between Adobe and CX in June 2023 through new innovations to its Adobe Experience Cloud, which included the release of Adobe Product Analytics and updates to Adobe Mix Modeler, Adobe Experience Manager, Real-Time Customer Data Platform (CDP), and Adobe Journey Optimiser.

At Adobe’s ‘MAX Sneaks’ session in October this year, it also showcased a number of generative AI-powered video smarts, including video editing software Project Scene Change, Project Res Up, and others.

Rephrase would certainly be the cherry on top of Adobe’s relatively new generative AI portfolio – likely taking a place on its audio and video creation platform, Adobe Creative Cloud.

Adobe has form when it comes to sizeable acquisitions. Last year, for example, Adobe acquired Figma, a leading competitor of Adobe XD, for $20 billion.

In 2021, Adobe also bought out ContentCal, a social media and content planning tool, which helped to expand its position in the CX space.

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Welcome to Our Exclusive Interview at Zoomtopia 2023 with Vi Chau, Head of Product for Zoom Phone and Zoom Contact Center.

Will Zoom be the New King of UC and CCaaS?

What’s Covered:

• Vision & Origins – How did Zoom evolve from a simple video conferencing tool to a comprehensive UC platform?
• Growth Secrets – What fueled Zoom’s meteoric rise in the UCaaS landscape?
• Buy or Build – Why did Zoom opt to develop its own contact center solution?
• UCaaS & CCaaS Synergy – Why is an integrated solution better?
• Cutting-Edge Features – What sets Zoom Contact Center apart?
• Collaboration – How do Zoom Phone users and contact center agents interact?
• Data-Driven Excellence – How is customer data shaping the Zoom experience?
• Recent Innovations – What’s new and impactful in Zoom Contact Center?
• Go-to-Market Strategy – How can organizations evaluate and purchase Zoom Contact Center?
• Smooth Deployment – Making the complex simple.

Don’t miss our deep-dive webinar on Zoom Contact Center, happening right after Thanksgiving! Be a part of the next generation of contact centers – register here.

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