The Quarter Word from Jonathan Sharp - CEO of Britannic
Welcome to the latest edition of BritQi, Britannic's Quarterly Newsletter.
The technology landscape continues to evolve at a tremendous pace, and we are excited to share the latest developments with you. From the growing awareness of tools like ChatGPT, to emerging use cases for AI and automation technologies, the possibilities are endless.
At Britannic, we remain committed to supporting and guiding our customers through these market changes, fostering ongoing technology and business innovation. To achieve this, we have introduced new partners into our world-class ecosystem, increased our investment in R&D, and continued the training and development of our teams.
Recently, we have formed partnerships with industry-leading companies, including Uniphore, Fortinet, and Zoom. In the next edition of this newsletter, we will provide more information on these partnerships and how they will benefit you.
Our Innovation Hub continues to be an essential incubator of new ideas and value. One notable example is SIP Insights, a collaboration between Britannic and Uniphore, enabling us to provide invaluable insights and trends within voice interactions flowing across netX (Britannic’s SIP platform).
Furthermore, we have invested significantly in technical and engineering training and certifications, allowing us to deliver comprehensive Microsoft Teams services, including a market-leading direct routing service via netX. Our professional services encompass the setup of MS Teams voice tenants and seamless integration with other vendor voice and contact centre platforms.
We are proud to have been named Mitel's Innovation Partner of the Year, underpinning our commitment to delivering innovative solutions that help our customers achieve their goals and maximise their investments in Mitel systems. We also attained 'Apex' level in the 8x8 Elevate Partner Programme, a testament to our dedication to customer service and technical prowess. Our partnership with 8x8 has enabled us to deploy global solutions using public cloud technology, spanning multiple continents.
As technology continues to shape industries, modern working practices, and customer experiences, staying up to date, with industry events and networking opportunities is crucial. I encourage you to join our VIP Events LinkedIn page, where you will gain exclusive access to upcoming events, insightful speakers, schedules, and other valuable information. This platform provides an excellent opportunity to connect with fellow professionals, learn from thought leaders, and grow your professional network.
One event you won't want to miss is our upcoming annual Convergence Summit, scheduled for November 2nd, 2023, at the prestigious Lord's Cricket Ground in London. This marks the 20th-anniversary of the summit, a significant milestone as we reflect on the evolution of our industry and capabilities. We'll be sharing more details about the event's theme and offerings in the coming weeks.
Thank you for your continued support. As a true partner to you, our customers, we take great pride in aligning our solutions and services with your evolving needs. Your feedback and insights are invaluable to us and guide us in continuously improving our offerings to better meet your requirements. If you ever wish to discuss any aspect of your experience with us, or your future plans, please do not hesitate to contact me directly at jsharp@btlnet.co.uk.
Convergence Summit 2023: The Transformative Power of AI, Automation and Analytics
Britannic are excited to announce November 2nd, 2023, for their Milestone 20th Annual Convergence Summit. This year, the illustrious Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London is set to host the event. With the theme 'The Transformative Power of AI, Automation, and Analytics', the event promises to be a momentous occasion to reflect on two decades of progress and change.
Britannic Awarded Mitel's Innovation Partner of The Year
Britannic are proud to be named Mitel's Innovation Partner of the Year. This prestigious award recognises Britannic's commitment to innovation in communications and their excellent client services through a solid partnership with Mitel. It highlights their innovative solutions that assist clients in achieving their goals and getting the most from Mitel systems. Britannic deeply values the robust partnership with Mitel, and eagerly anticipates the potential for powerful and ground-breaking collaborations ahead. They remain dedicated to excellence, innovation, and customer-centric solutions.
Britannic Achieves 'Apex' Status in 8x8's Elevate Programme
Britannic are honoured to reach 'Apex' level in the 8x8 Elevate Partner Programme, demonstrating their dedication to customer service and technical prowess. This accomplishment puts them among top global partners. Their robust alliance with 8x8 has secured key contracts across diverse sectors. Together, Britannic and 8x8 provide a holistic solution encompassing technology, consultation, and customer support, along with integration with Microsoft Teams and AI capabilities. 8x8 recognises Britannic's growth and commitment to customer satisfaction. This alliance has empowered Britannic to expand their reach, delivering comprehensive global solutions with an increased emphasis on public cloud technology. Spanning multiple continents, their services have not only become more accessible but also more efficient and responsive to the varied needs of our international client base.
Crossing Borders: The Diary of a Worldwide Business Traveller
Britannic dive deep into an exclusive interview regarding business travel with Meryl Edwards, a seasoned global traveller and an integral part of Mackrell International, a prominent legal network. Meryl's role requires meticulous planning of global meetings, conferences, and events, presenting her with the opportunity to visit myriad destinations, from buzzing metropolises like Tokyo and New York to tropical havens like Peru and the Dominican Republic. Her adventures encompass reviewing various hotel facilities and amenities to ensure a flawless experience for event attendees. We've sat down with Meryl to uncover the fascinating stories behind her encounters with information technology and communication systems in these top-tier hotels.
Hot topic for 2023: Email management & automation
Despite advancements in technology, email remains a preferred, efficient method for customers to connect with businesses, with 54% of customers preferring to use email as their primary channel for customer service communication. Its 24/7 accessibility, ability to convey detailed issues, and provision of written responses contribute to its appeal. Thus, businesses focusing on their email support services can anticipate enhanced customer satisfaction, experience, and loyalty. Despite being a crucial communication tool for businesses, many organisations struggle to manage the sheer volume of emails that they receive, leading to large backlogs that can be difficult to navigate. Inadequate systems and processes often exacerbate this problem, as individuals are left to sift through group email boxes manually, which can be time-consuming and unproductive. Find out how much ROI your business can save here.
Facing a Mental Health Crisis: The Role of Technology in UK Care
Amidst the turbulence of the UK's mental health crisis, where 8 million individuals eagerly seek necessary care, emerges an innovative solution: advanced technology. Britannic invites you to explore the confluence of this pressing issue and the transformative power of technology. Understand how the UK government's substantial £2.3 billion investment, along with a contemporised Mental Health Act, are drastically reforming patient care, diminishing administrative burdens, and amplifying clinician effectiveness. They guide you through the digitisation tide revolutionising GP practices and hospitals, the emergent role of AI-enabled chatbot counsellors, and the notable transition from antiquated analogue phone systems. Don't miss this valuable opportunity to comprehend the dynamic future of mental health services in the UK.
NetX: Adding Intelligence and Value to the Voice Network
Are you still using ISDN and PSTN fixed lines? Britannic specialise in transitioning your fixed line services to the cloud via NetX portal (SIP), ensuring a smooth and uninterrupted switch whilst considering your operational needs. They also provide continued support for your current ISDN and analogue lines, assisting you in planning the transition to the cloud according to your timing and pace.
Discover Britannic’s outstanding NetX portal, your ideal resource for managing voice communications. It's built to provide a comprehensive overview of your inbound and outbound voice interactions. With its robust analytical tools, adjustable dashboards and widgets, report generation and scheduling, and call flow and business continuity planning, it's designed to keep you ahead of the game.
If you’re already a user of NetX there are some additional features that will help keep your business safe, such as toll fraud prevention software. Speak to your account manager to get to know more about these capabilities.
Britannic Studio Updates
Britannic Studio now comes with exciting, state-of-the-art AI
Britannic Studio now comes with exciting, state-of-the-art AI capabilities to streamline your audio recording process. All you need to do is provide your web address, and Britannic Studio’s new AI assistant will do the rest. It will learn about your company details, your industry, your products, your operating hours, and even your tone of voice. Harnessing this knowledge, the AI crafts unique welcome messages and promotional content and curates a selection of telephony-optimised AI voices from leading global providers and music options, before merging all elements into your tailored audio compilation.
These AI-powered upgrades drastically cut down the time taken to script, curate, record, mix, and roll out professional recordings for your phone systems, reducing it from a typical duration of 8 days to a mere 8 minutes! Don't miss out on a preview of the enhanced Britannic Studio.
Get in touch with us today to embark on this innovative journey!
Five9 Updates
Five9 CX Summit 2023
Are you a CX professional or a contact centre leader looking to elevate your customer experience game? Then don't miss the chance to attend the Five9 CX Summit in Las Vegas, 15-17 August. This premier cloud contact centre and CX conference is designed to bring together the Power of People and Technology and empower customers to deliver exceptional experiences that last a lifetime. By attending the summit, you will get to connect with like-minded professionals, industry experts, and Five9 team members, and witness first-hand how the Five9 Intelligent CX Platform can help you create and curate exceptional customer experiences.
Don't wait, sign up now for updates and be the first to know when registration opens!
Enhancing Digital Engagement, IVA Experience, and Administrative Efficiency
It has been announced that Five9 have introduced new features to enhance customer engagement and ensure superior service. These include proactive customer engagement tools, Five9 Broadcast SMS, and a compliance-friendly 10DLC Registration feature for efficient SMS campaigns. Five9 are also introducing a new Number Reputation Management capability to safeguard phone numbers, an enhanced Intelligent Virtual Agent (IVA) supporting multiple languages, and a Unified Numbers Self Service for efficient phone number management.
Five9 Earns Metrigy MetriStar Top Provider Award
Five9 has been awarded the Metrigy MetriStar Top Provider for their Contact Centre as a Service Platform (CCaaS). The award recognises superior customer ratings and proven business success. Among the 27 rated CCaaS providers, Five9 achieved the highest score in analytics, reflecting their focus on data usefulness. New offerings include AI Summaries, a tool powered by OpenAI, and Workflow Automation, now included in each CCaaS deployment, underlining Five9's commitment to enhancing customer experience and reducing workload.
AI, Automation and Analytics Powering You to Success
Britannic and Five9 partnered together on July 12th, 2023 for an immersive 1-hour online webinar, focused on the influential trifecta: AI, Automation, and Analytics. Experts from both companies guided attendees through the methodologies and technologies set to propel their business objectives. This webinar led by James Campbell and Gillan Ide, Britannic and Rhys Dunn and Jamie Mackie, Five9, was specifically designed for digital transformation leaders, IT heads, and contact centre managers, that aimed to provide insights on utilising AI, automation, and analytics to spearhead successful digital initiatives. Missed out?
Catch-up the webinar on demand now
or alternatively, speak to an account manager today.
8x8 Updates
8x8 Appoints Samuel Wilson as CEO
8x8 has appointed Samuel Wilson as the company's Chief Executive Officer, effective from May 26, 2023. Wilson, who has been serving as interim CEO since November 2022, brings to the role over 25 years of executive experience in the technology sector and extensive expertise in cloud-based communications. Prior to stepping in as interim CEO, Wilson has held several key leadership positions within the company, making significant contributions to its growth. “I am excited about the opportunity to lead 8x8 into its next chapter, driving growth and delivering unparalleled value to our customers around the world,” said Samuel Wilson. Under his leadership, 8x8 aims to expand its integrated Contact Centre and Unified Communications XCaaS platform, build its ecosystem of innovative technology, and deliver superior communication experiences to businesses globally.
Transforming CX: Unleashing the Power of Communication with Britannic and 8x8
Britannic and 8x8 teamed up on June 13th for a powerful workshop with an aim to transform customer experience (CX) and communication approach. The session showcased how the combined expertise of Britannic and 8x8 can propel your business's digital trajectory. Participants got to experience the transformational capabilities of the 8x8 platform, gain insights and first-hand advice from industry veterans, and connect with fellow professionals sharing a similar vision. Missed out?
Take a preview of what you missed
If you want to know more, please contact one of our account managers today.
8x8 Contact Centre Wins TrustRadius 2023 Top Rated Awards
8x8 are proud to announce that they have won the TrustRadius 2023 Top Rated Awards in Contact Centre, Call Centre Workforce Optimisation, VoIP, and Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) categories. The awards, based purely on customer reviews, underline 8x8's dedication to customer satisfaction. Delivered via 8x8's XCaaS (eXperience Communications as a Service™) integrated cloud platform, these award-winning services ensure reliable and unified communications for businesses globally.
Transforming UK tenant engagement with SMS and video
The tragic event of Awaab Ishak’s passing in 2020 opened our eyes to the urgent need for efficient property maintenance and tenant engagement within UK housing providers. But amidst rising inflation, stricter compliance regulations and tenant satisfaction measures, how do we evolve? The answer lies in the strategic use of technology. Imagine addressing tenant complaints via Video Interaction or managing rent arrears with SMS APIs - This isn't just about providing digital channels but enhancing the tenant experience, reducing operational costs and increasing productivity.
8x8's Video Interaction API eliminates the need for in-person visits for non-urgent maintenance issues, while the SMS API facilitates effective rent collection and proactive tenant engagement, leading to significant cost and time savings. Case in point - Platform Housing Group. Within just a month of implementing these solutions, they resolved about 39% of issues remotely, which boosted their operational efficiency and tenant satisfaction. It's time we utilise digital transformation to better serve our tenants.
Mitel Updates
Mitel Celebrates a Legacy of Innovation at 50 Years
We are thrilled to announce Mitel's 50th anniversary, a significant milestone marking their long-standing legacy of innovation in business communications. Mitel, co-founded in 1973 by Sir Terry Matthews and Michael Cowpland, has risen to be a global leader in unified communications, serving over 35 million users across 100 countries. Their commitment to excellence, customer-centricity, and innovative workforce have been instrumental in their journey so far. In the words of Mitel “As we commemorate this occasion, we are grateful for the trust and loyalty of our customers, partners, and employees. Today, our pursuit for technological advancements continues, enhancing communication solutions from IP desktop phones to open APIs, meeting the needs of diverse business models.
"We look forward to a future filled with new opportunities and growth. Happy Birthday, Mitel!"
9 Mitel Leaders Receive CRN’s 2023 Women of the Channel Honours
Mitel revealed that CRN®, a subsidiary of The Channel Company, has recognised nine of its female channel leaders from North America and Europe in its 2023 Women of the Channel list. This prestigious annual list acknowledges women from vendor, distributor, and solution provider firms who are making significant contributions to the technology industry with their expertise and innovative vision.
Britannic and Mitel are revolutionising guest experience in hotels and hospitality
Effective communication plays a pivotal role in shaping the hotel guest experience, which in turn significantly impacts the success of a hotel business. By fostering open and timely communication channels, hotels can effectively meet and exceed guest needs and expectations, providing an exceptional and memorable experience. Engaging in this manner helps hotels build strong relationships with their guests, fostering greater satisfaction, loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth. Additionally, personal and responsive guest communication allows hotels to swiftly address and rectify any potential concerns or issues, ensuring guest satisfaction is maintained.
Uniphore Updates
Britannic have entered into an exciting new partnership with Uniphore, a global leader in Conversational Service Automation. This strategic alliance is expected to bring a surge of innovative developments, revolutionising the way Britannic and Uniphore approach customer interactions and service delivery. By harnessing Uniphore's pioneering capabilities in automation, AI, and machine learning, Britannic is set to drive a significant enhancement in its product offerings. This collaboration underscores our commitment to integrating cutting-edge technology into our services, ensuring we continue to offer clients the very best in digital communication solutions.
Uniphore Appoints Tushar Shah as Chief Product Officer
As of 22nd of June 2023, Uniphore have announced the appointment of Tushar Shah as Chief Product Officer (CPO). With over 30 years of experience in technology leadership roles, Shah brings valuable expertise in product management and operations. As CPO, Shah will play a crucial role in driving innovation and delivering value to Uniphore's customers. His passion for building transformative products will contribute to the company's continued growth and success.
Forrester Study: How Conversation Intelligence Platforms Can Drive Better Business Outcomes
Did you know, 7 in 10 firms struggle to unify investments in AI and automation point solutions, according to a new study by Forrester commissioned by Uniphore. But how do you reduce costs, improve profitability and deliver exceptional CX all at the same time? With Conversational AI!
Forrester conducted an online survey of 317 customer service strategy decision-makers at organisations in Europe and North America to evaluate the transformational potential of conversation intelligence solutions. Check out the key findings and get your guide to maximising profitability through the power of the contact centre.
AI and Automation can Help you to Build a Bulletproof Consumer Duty Plan
Are you ready for Consumer Duty? The FCA’s upcoming regulation is leaving organisations scrambling to ensure timely compliance as they head towards the deadline. Conversational intelligence tools, including conversational AI and automation, are making it easier for businesses to design and deploy your plans to adhere to compliance. Find out how you can fulfil your Consumer Duty obligations in four simple steps.
Uniphore Wins Best Customer Experience Technology Award
Uniphore, a global Conversational AI and Automation leader that has recently acquired RedBox, has been honoured with the Customer Experience award at the 16th Annual Ventana Research Digital Innovation Awards for its Uniphore X Platform. Lauded for its innovative contribution to customer engagement, the platform uses advanced AI to create personalised experiences across multiple communication channels. This recognition underscores Uniphore's commitment to transforming customer experiences and driving business growth.
Pangea Updates
Pangea Launch Game-Changing IoT Solution Smart Connect
With the global IoT market projected to hit £2,465.26 billion by 2029, riding the wave of 4G and 5G technologies is paramount for effortless IoT adoption and expansion. Pangea’s latest solution promises superior connectivity, empowering partners to effortlessly provide top-notch service to their customers. Pangea Smart Connect equips the channel with a potent mix of unlimited data and public static IPs, paving the way for unparalleled intelligent mobile connectivity. Say goodbye to data constraints or unexpected overages. This unique solution offers a one-off flat cost, streamlining the sales process significantly.