8x8 Delivers New Integrated Cloud Contact Center and Communications Capabilities for Hybrid Work

Rhea-AI Summary

8x8, Inc. (NYSE:EGHT) has enhanced its integrated cloud communications platform with new features to support hybrid work models. According to recent research, 82% of organizations plan to adopt a hybrid work model. The Spring 2021 Release includes upgrades to the contact center and communications products, allowing seamless communication across devices. Key features include 8x8 Work for Web for direct browser access, video meetings from mobile browsers, and AI-driven tools for administration. 8x8 also offers a unique, financially-backed platform-wide SLA, ensuring reliable service globally.

Positive

• Introduced new capabilities for hybrid work enabling communication from any device and browser.
• Enhanced 8x8 Work for Web allowing secure communications without app downloads.
• AI-driven tools like 8x8 Otto bot improving administrative efficiency.
• Industry-leading platform-wide SLA for reliability and trust.
• Expanded global coverage, enhancing data residency compliance.

Negative

• None.

8x8, Inc. (NYSE:EGHT), a leading integrated cloud communications platform provider, today announced contact center, voice communications, chat, and meetings product enhancements, including the new 8x8 Work for Web as well as the industry’s only platform-wide SLA, to help organizations enable hybrid work. According to research commissioned by 8x8, 82 percent of organizations plan to offer a mix of in the office and remote work, and the newest 8x8 capabilities enable employees to stay productive wherever and however they work.

New Hybrid Work Capabilities

The Spring 2021 Release of the 8x8 integrated cloud contact center and communications product allows organizations to support the “next new” hybrid workforce, delivering everything needed to:

Communicate and Collaborate from Anywhere on Any Device

• Access voice communications, team chat, video meetings, and other capabilities directly from a web browser: 8x8 Work for Web (beta) provides a secure, unified communications and collaboration experience across almost any device and operating system, such as Linux and Chrome OS. 8x8 Work for Web offers the same functionality and user experience as the 8x8 Work app in a Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browser.
• Start or join video meetings from a mobile browser: Meeting participants can easily use 8x8 Meet in Safari or Chrome browsers on iOS or Android devices without needing to download a mobile app.
• Customize video meeting backgrounds: Enables participants to select an image or blur their background during meetings for maximum privacy control.
• Respond to specific team chat messages: Delivers inline messaging, making it easier to follow conversations, and conveniently read and reply to specific messages without interrupting the current discussion.
• Silence incoming calls during video meetings: Call notifications appear silently so meeting audio is not interrupted or disturbed.
• Take the guesswork out of audio quality: The new Call Quality Indicator provides real-time connectivity status and additional call quality metrics during an active phone call.
• Use Machine Learning and AI for Smart Administration: The 8x8 Otto bot is now available in the 8x8 Admin Console helping administrators perform system changes and get real-time support on frequent operations.

Connect Every Agent and Employee for Faster Customer Resolution

• Leverage Microsoft Teams direct routing to improve customer and employee experience: Certified by Microsoft, 8x8 Contact Center for Microsoft Teams allows sales, service and support agents to quickly connect and collaborate with other Teams-enabled experts to resolve issues faster. The 8x8 Voice for Microsoft Teams app is now generally available, allowing users to access 8x8 features and settings directly in Teams such as voicemail, call forwarding, login and logout of call queues and more.
• Make communication and engagement fast and easy with 8x8 for Salesforce: The new 8x8 for Salesforce FastTrack deployment enables organizations to quickly and cost-effectively customize their most popular screen pop workflows with a variety of Salesforce objects in one integration across the 8x8 cloud contact center and communications product.
• Capture the voice of the customer and deliver holistic coaching: 8x8 further optimizes contact center performance across voice and digital channels with the ability to review and deliver comprehensive agent evaluations and coaching for chat, SMS and social interactions.

Ensure Peace of Mind for Enterprises on a Global Scale

• Industry-leading SLA: 8x8’s secure, highly available, global cloud technology platform delivers superior international reach, four levels of redundancy, full transparency, and the industry’s only platform-wide, financially-backed SLA across an integrated cloud Contact Center as a Service and Unified Communications as a Service system.
• Trust and transparency: The 8x8 Trust Center shares security measures, compliance standards, reliability and uptime guarantees as well as detailed current status transparency for monitoring the latest network and service conditions. This public site reports real-time availability of 8x8 services by region, application and capability.
• Expanded global coverage: Offers enhanced in-region data residency compliance with operations in new geographic regions, including Australia, India, Germany and the broader European Union. With the addition of Argentina, 8x8 Global Reach expands Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) services and global calling plans to 43 countries.

“Organizations across the globe are adopting a hybrid work model, which is transforming the way employees and customers communicate, collaborate and engage,” said Dejan Deklich, Chief Product Officer at 8x8, Inc. “The 8x8 Customer First, Product First, Team First culture drives our commitment to innovate on the integrated cloud contact center and communications platform, allowing organizations and their employees to work and engage from anywhere, on any device in the app of their choice.”

8x8 Webinars

Register for the upcoming Spring 2021 Release webinar on May 4, 2021, at 8 am PT / 11 am ET to learn about the latest 8x8 contact center, voice communications, chat, meetings and CPaaS product enhancements.

8x8 and Gartner Magic Quadrant

Recently, 8x8 was named a Leader in the 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service, Worldwide¹. This is the ninth consecutive year 8x8 has been recognized as a Leader in this report. 8x8 was also recognized as a Challenger in the 2020 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contact Center as a Service².

[1] Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service, Worldwide, Rafael Benitez, Megan Fernandez, Daniel O'Connell, Christopher Trueman, Pankil Sheith, November 12, 2020. This Magic Quadrant report name has changed from 2015 onwards- 2015-2020: Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service, Worldwide, 2014: Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service, North America With Additional Regional Presence, 2012-2013: Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as a Service, North America.

[2] Gartner Magic Quadrant for Contact Center as a Service, Steve Blood, Drew Kraus, Pri Rathnayake, November 9, 2020.

About 8x8, Inc.

8x8, Inc. (NYSE: EGHT) is transforming the future of business communications as a leading Software-as-a-Service provider of contact center, voice communications, video, chat and API solutions powered by one global cloud communications platform. 8x8 empowers workforces worldwide to connect individuals and teams so they can collaborate faster and work smarter. Real-time business analytics and intelligence provide businesses unique insights across all interactions and channels so they can delight end-customers and accelerate their business. For additional information, visit www.8x8.com, or follow 8x8 on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

8x8® and 8x8 X Series™ are trademarks of 8x8, Inc.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210427005436/en/

FAQ

What are the new features of 8x8, Inc. (EGHT)'s platform announced in the Spring 2021 release?

The new features include 8x8 Work for Web for browser-based access, video meetings from mobile browsers, AI-driven administration tools, and enhanced integration with Microsoft Teams.

How does 8x8, Inc. (EGHT) plan to support hybrid work?

8x8 provides capabilities that allow employees to communicate and collaborate effectively from any device or location, addressing the shift towards hybrid work.

What is the significance of 8x8's platform-wide SLA?

8x8's platform-wide SLA is unique in the industry, providing financial backing and transparency, which enhances customer trust and service reliability.

How has 8x8, Inc. (EGHT) expanded its global services?

8x8 has expanded its global reach to include new regions like Australia, India, and Germany, improving compliance and data residency options.

What percentage of organizations plan to adopt hybrid work according to 8x8's research?

According to 8x8's research, 82% of organizations plan to offer a mix of in-office and remote work.