Contact Center Solutions Featured Article

Interactive Intelligence Releases New PureCloud-Based Enterprise Collaboration Service

Delivering on its promise to rollout new services on its PureCloud platform starting early in 2015, software and services for communications, collaboration and customer engagement solutions provider Interactive Intelligence, has released a new cloud-based enterprise collaboration service delivered from PureCloud.

As the company has been emphasizing since it first started to detail the PureCloud platform as an important addition to its cloud-based solutions portfolio last year, the new “We designed PureCloud Directory to make enterprise collaboration easier by using an intuitive social media design and offering accessibility via Web browsers and mobile devices”

PureCloud Directory is the first in a series of capabilities. It is designed to increase productivity and enhance collaboration by enabling employees to quickly find, connect and communicate with the right person with the right set of skills at the right time.

The new offering is feature-rich. It includes:

• Find the right person – Readily available employee information such as title, skills, certifications, interests and location reduces search time.
• Connect and collaborate in real-time – “One-click” employee contact options for email and IM speed responses to individuals or groups. Also offered is the ability to transfer and share documents and files by attaching to chat sessions.
• Data system integration and synchronization – Integration with Active Directory, HR systems, CRM systems such as SalesForce and others keeps employee information in synch for increased information accuracy and simplified management and administration.
• Mobile device access – Support for smart phones and tablets gives employees anytime, anywhere access for improved responsiveness.

“We designed PureCloud Directory to make enterprise collaboration easier by using an intuitive social media design and offering accessibility via Web browsers and mobile devices,” said Jeff Platón, chief marketing officer for Interactive Intelligence. “Offering it via our multitenant PureCloud platform gives customers the added advantage of fast and easy deployment, maximum reliability and unlimited scalability.”

The PureCloud platform is a secure, cloud-based repository that provides the following services:

• User management – Stores comprehensive and extensible information about all users, roles, permissions, contact information and more.
• Single sign-on – Users log into a single site to access all PureCloud services.
• Group management – Create dynamic group definitions based on org chart, skills, office location, language and other attributes. Users are automatically added to and removed from groups as they’re onboarded and as their information changes.
• REST API – The PureCloud platform exposes a comprehensive application programming interface that enables users to access the functionality of all services from Web or mobile applications.

Interactive Intelligence is making PureCloud Directory available currently throughout North America in English, French and Spanish. It will be available in other geographies and in localized versions throughout 2015. It is offered through the Interactive Intelligence channel of approximately 350 resellers worldwide, and through the company’s direct sales force.

The timing of the release as a way to kick off 2015 is a harbinger of things to come not just for Interactive Intelligence but for the entire unified communications (UC) and contact center solutions space. Momentum for cloud-based UC and contact center capabilities that are integrated with other enterprise systems picked up a considerable head of steam in 2014 and regardless of company size or region in the world, that momentum is only going to increase this coming year.

The reasons are compelling. In fact, they go beyond the demonstrable benefits of moving to the cloud in terms of shifting CapEx to OpEx and having the ability to easily scale and provide extended reach for remote workforces. With enhancing the customer experience, along with protecting their data, now top enterprise priorities, giving contact center agents the best information and tools so they have complete visibility about the customer journey, and customers the ability to interact with the right people, are powerful differentiators that translate directly to the bottom line.

PureCloud Directory as part of what will be a case of rolling thunder, sets the stage for what is going to be a transformative year in the industry.

Edited by Maurice Nagle