Genesys: Customer Service Decisions Driven by AI Platform ConsiderationsGenesys: Customer Service Decisions Driven by AI Platform Considerations

On Wednesday, March 19th—day three of Enterprise Connect—five executives from leading contact center and customer experience companies and a knowledgeable enterprise customer joined me for a Keynote Panel on whether and how CCaaS decisions are changing.

As a leader in the CCaaS market, Genesys – a decade-long participant of the annual contact center keynote panel- was invited to join this year’s panel as well. They were not able to join us live this year but I think it is valuable to add their views on the issues discussed.

Because Genesys was unable to join the panel at Enterprise Connect, I sat down with Glenn Nethercutt, chief technology officer, ahead of the event. Nethercutt came to the company at the time of the Interactive Intelligence acquisition. There, Nethercutt was the chief architect for PureCloud, the hyper-cloud-native solution built using AWS microservices. Nethercutt continued as chief architect for what is now Genesys Cloud CX until December 2022, when he was elevated to CTO.

During our conversation, I asked two of the same questions that the keynote panel discussed on the stage during the live event.

What is the Difference Between a Software Application and a Platform?

“Let’s start with a definition found via Google search. ‘A software application is a set of programs used to perform a specific task on a computer or mobile while a software platform is a kind of operating system that supports in-built as well as third-party apps.’ If we add to that the notion that a platform includes the necessary tools, APIs, and services to enable development and interaction between different software components, we have the meaning of a platform as it has come to be used in the communications software space.

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“Applying the difference between application and platform to the current customer experience market, one sees several examples. NICE describes its customer service suite,CXone Mpower, as an AI-driven platform. What started as a CCaaS application acquired from inContact has been transformed into a platform. The CXone Mpower platform delivers multiple applications and the tools and services required to allow third-party applications to run on it. Similarly, Genesys combines multiple applications, including digital and voice channels, journey management, and workforce engagement management into a platform that customers can use to manage their customer and employee experiences.”

Have CCaaS Decisions Become CX Platform Decisions?

Nethercutt said he liked the panel title question above, which was answered by each panelist live. “I’ve been shouting the platform message for years now,” said Nethercutt. “I think it has always been more compelling to create an environment that isn't just about buying a product, but also a platform — a place for builders to come and create on top.”

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When answering my question, Nethercutt changed it slightly, adding a word - and it was no accident. “Have CCaaS decisions already become orchestration platform decisions? I think the answer to that is yes.”

Why the addition of the term orchestration? For one, it is a theme that Genesys has stressed for the past few years, positioning itself as an "experience orchestration company" as early as October 2021 and updating that to "AI-powered experience orchestration" in October 2023.

"I don't think customers are just buying a contact center anymore. I think they are making a strategic decision about how to unify many other systems, many systems of record for data, each offering choices around AI,” said Nethercutt. Nethercutt believes that the unification of multiple systems to optimally orchestrate customer journeys increasingly goes beyond customer experience. Companies have, he thinks, “started to move well into the platform domain,” to “CRM, ERP (enterprise resource planning), middle and back office” applications and operations.

Related:How To Integrate Microsoft Teams Phone and the Contact Center

Almost ten years ago, Genesys stopped focusing on the call being key and started focusing on the conversation being key, Nethercutt says. Most recently, the focus at Genesys has shifted one more step to concentrating on customer journeys, which can span multiple channels or modalities, and even multiple interactions.

"With an orchestration platform, a company can look at the lifespan of all of the conversations a customer has with a brand and the lifetime value of a customer,” Nethercutt said. “How you think about customers is fundamentally different when you start with something like the journey instead of a call as the thing you are focusing on.”

Will the AI Functionality in a CX Platform Become the Defining Decision Criteria?

“I think AI is the defining factor right now,” Nethercutt responded, “alongside data and the combined factors of privacy, compliance and security.” The qualification in Nethercutt’s answer means that AI, data, and security are often intertwined and discussed as a single decision criterion as he works with customers and prospects.

Nethercutt then discussed how AI functionality is inexorably linked with the notion of a CX platform. “Just a few years ago, customers were asking, ‘Should we use AI in our contact center?’” he said. “Now the question is, ‘How do I evaluate AI capabilities to make sure that we're choosing the right platform?’”

Nethercutt also pointed to a mindset shift among customers. “I don't think customers are thinking about AI as an add-on anymore. It is redefining how companies are routing interactions, building assistive technologies, forecasting demand, or even driving proactive engagement. AI is here, and it is a defining criteria.” 

PostScript

The keynote panel that addressed the issues described here is now in the books. (Or should I say on the video? Watch for a replay on this site sometime next week.)

The themes that emerged from panelists on the stage, including executives from Amazon Connect, Cisco, Five9, NICE, Salesforce, and an enterprise customer from Johnson Controls International, are similar to the opinions Nethercutt voiced, but each vendor had a slightly different angle on the answer to the title question – "Have CCaaS Decisions Become CX Platform Decisions?"

My final takeaway – one likely remembered by many customers and vendors in the audience as well – was a tongue-in-cheek remark made by Aylward. “For the vendors on the stage and in the audience, AI means ‘additional income.’” Vendors take note that your customers should never get that impression.