One of the buzzwords among contact center vendors these days is “omnichannel” – the idea that customers can communicate with you via all available methods of communication. What is omnichannel? For a large retailer this might mean that a customer can ask a question via any of the following means: phone email text message web-based… Continue Reading
Strategy
Metaswitch acquisition is complete: now what?
Today we received confirmation that Microsoft’s acquisition of Metaswitch is complete – just over two months after the preliminary announcement. At the time the pending deal was first announced there were a lot of questions about what it might mean – and to be honest most of those questions remain unanswered. I’ve given my opinion… Continue Reading
The world’s turned upside down
I’m not sure if you noticed, but 2020 hasn’t turned out how we expected. A global pandemic has killed 130,000 people (and counting) in the USA. We have all been hunkered down avoiding each other (to avoid COVID) leading to record levels of unemployment and economic collapse. The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and… Continue Reading
Microsoft buys Metaswitch: the best case for telcos
It’s been just over a week since Microsoft announced that they were in the process of acquiring Metaswitch. During that time there’s been little/no new information from the parties involved, but there’s been plenty of discussion in the industry about possible outcomes. Absent any concrete information, in this article I’d like to lay out one… Continue Reading
Microsoft is buying Metaswitch
This morning Microsoft announced that they had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Metaswitch. Metaswitch CEO Martin Lund has also shared an announcement about the deal. There’s very little information available at this stage, and – to be clear – the deal has not yet closed, but I have some initial analysis. Why is… Continue Reading
What financial risk does the coronavirus pose for telcos?
Compared to many industries, the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) on independent telcos is relatively small. Restaurants are closed for dining. Hotels are empty. Flights are cancelled. Concerts and events are cancelled. We can and should be grateful that we work in an industry where our livelihood has not instantaneously vanished. But that doesn’t mean… Continue Reading