Zoom Docs is latest entry, as Metrigy data shows rising adoption. Business leaders need to assure they understand corporate policy and responsible use.

With this month’s addition of Zoom Docs to the Zoom Workplace collaboration platform, Zoom becomes the latest vendor to deliver an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered connected workspace that brings together the tools an employee needs to accomplish, communicate about, collaborate on, and manage their work.

In Zoom’s case, Zoom Docs brings content collaboration, project tracking, and knowledge bases/wiki features to the Zoom collaboration environment, each powered by the AI assistance capabilities of Zoom AI Companion. Employees using Zoom Docs will be able to do things like convert meeting action items into documents that team members can collaborate on over time, share documents in a video meeting for live co-editing, and get writing assistance when creating reports and other content.

As I wrote in my previous post, “Connected Workspaces Getting Smarter and Smarter,” AI is quickly becoming a checklist requirement for connected workspace apps. Metrigy’s new “Connected Workspace & Collaborative Work Management: 2024-25” research study, conducted with 157 companies, shows the potential.

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Nearly 50% of companies are now using AI in some form in their contact centers for both sales and service interactions. Companies are investing heavily in AI to fully automate customer interactions – and increasingly in assisting live agents to be more efficient, effective, and successful.

What are the real-world results of AI’s impact on customer-facing agents? During this session, Metrigy CEO Robin Gareiss will share findings and her analysis from a brand new, global research study of IT, CX, and business leaders. You’ll learn:

• How is AI changing KPIs, such as average handle time, first call resolution, customer satisfaction, and agent efficiency?
• When does AI help and hurt agent loyalty and longevity?
• Is AI really working as advertised in sales and service, based on hard data from companies using the technology?
• What are the top 3 things every company should do with AI today to improve employee productivity and engagement?

How Al is Helping–and Hurting–Service and Sales Agents

Presented by: Robin Gareiss, CEO and Principal Analyst, Metrigy

Date: September 10, 2024
Time: 11:00 am ET

Improved productivity is the big promise of “connected workspace,” Metrigy’s term for tools that allow employees to accomplish, collaborate on, and manage content-and project-related work in a self-contained workspace. And of course AI is beginning to play an integral role.

Connected workspace apps can improve productivity by bringing together project and task management with knowledge bases and document repositories, along with communications and collaboration apps, in a single interface. That means no more time wasted application switching, among other productivity benefits. AI, especially generative AI, can facilitate and ease work tasks.

Connected Workspace and AI Adoption

To understand the state of adoption for connected workspace applications, including AI use, Metrigy conducted two studies: one to understand how companies perceive this technology from a business-level perspective, and the second to assess end use. In our Connected Workspace & Collaborative Work Management: 2024-25 study with IT leaders and other business stakeholders at 157 companies in North America, we found that 58% of companies already have adopted a connected workspace app. Of those companies, nearly 32% have allowed access to the AI capabilities available with these apps. End user adoption, measured in the second study, mirrors what we found at the company level: Slightly less than one-third of 171 end users studied are actively utilizing generative AI capabilities within their connected workspace apps.

Of those end users not using AI today, 53.8% say their companies haven’t enabled AI features. Interestingly, 48.1% of users say AI capabilities are available but aren’t relevant to their jobs. This suggests that while AI holds promise, its implementation and usefulness can be highly dependent on how well it aligns with the specific needs of different roles.

AI-Powered Features in Connected Workspace Apps

Connected workspace apps are available from a variety of vendor types, from pure-play startups to well-established providers in the areas of communications and collaboration, content collaboration and management, productivity, and task/project management. As such, AI features in connected workspace apps is quite diverse, depending on vendor focus. Here are some example capabilities that are either available now or coming:

• Auto-Generated Custom Fields and Task Summaries – These features streamline project management by automating updates and summaries, reducing manual input and improving project tracking
• Personalized Digests – Users receive tailored updates on recent activities within their workspace, ensuring they stay informed without being overwhelmed
• Writing Assistance – AI aids in drafting content deliverables and notes, enhancing productivity and ensuring consistency in style, tone, and information across documents
• Conversational Queries – Users can use conversational language when searching for information, whether across projects or knowledge bases, making information retrieval more intuitive and accessible
• Coding Assistance – AI supports coding tasks by providing suggestions or generating code, facilitating faster development and reducing errors
• Automated Workflows and Automations – These tools streamline routine tasks and processes, improving efficiency and allowing users to focus on more strategic work
• Text-to-Image Conversion – AI converts text into tables, graphics, and other visual elements, aiding in data presentation and analysis
• Goal and Objective Recommendations – AI analyzes project data to suggest goals and objectives, helping teams stay focused and aligned
• Scenario Planning – By analyzing project data, AI helps teams plan for various scenarios, enhancing decision-making and risk management
• Insight Generation and Chart Creation – AI automatically surfaces insights and creates charts from spreadsheets and reports, facilitating data-driven decisions

The Most-Valued AI Capabilities

In the Connected Workspace & Collaborative Work Management: 2024-25 study, auto-generated summarization bubbled up as the top value of generative AI for both content-related activities (nearly 90%) and projects (83.3%). Content summaries can be particular valuable when there’s a high level of complexity and/or a considerable volume of documentation or notes to wade through, especially if the summaries include actionable insights for users to follow. For project management, summarization aids in keeping stakeholders informed and aligned without the need for sifting through a complex plan.

Regarding AI-powered search, end users find universal search capabilities across all apps within a connected workspace to be slightly more valuable than conversational AI. Universal search helps users quickly find relevant information across disparate tools, which can be a significant time-saver compared to the more interactive, but sometimes less precise, nature of conversational AI.

Looking Ahead

As AI technology continues to evolve, connected workspace app providers will add more and more advanced functionality into their products. The key to maximizing AI’s benefits will be ensuring that its features align closely with user needs and job functions. For organizations, this means not only layering in AI technologies, but also providing the necessary support and training to help users leverage these tools effectively. Ultimately, the goal is to create a workspace where AI enhances productivity, provides actionable insights, and supports a more efficient and collaborative working environment.

As vendors have rolled out generative AI copilots and virtual assistants, most are doing so by paying an additional license fee to gain access to generative AI features. This additional cost leads IT and business leaders to question the value of generative AI and if sufficient ROI exists to justify the additional licensing cost. Even those with access to free generative AI virtual assistants may incur some costs such as user training and additional management overhead to set appropriate security, compliance, and privacy policies. Thus, the million-dollar (or $30 per month per user) question is “How do I determine ROI on my AI spend?”

DETERMINING ROI

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Despite the investment in AI and other technologies to improve customer experience, only 19% of consumers say customer service is getting better. In fact, 41% of consumers avoid chatbots, while 47% use them in select circumstances.

What are businesses doing wrong (and right) in their CX strategies, and what are the key steps CX leaders must take to truly improve customer interactions?

Metrigy has conducted an extensive set of studies to evaluate customer satisfaction from the consumer and business perspectives. We have identified gaps and alignments between what businesses are delivering and what consumers want.

During this must-attend virtual event, Metrigy CEO Robin Gareiss will explain the real-world data, analyzing the issues with customer service—along with the operational practices and technologies that will reverse problematic experiences. Leading CX technology providers will discuss their take on consumer perspectives on customer service, what needs to change, and how they can help.

Why attend?

• See what’s happening, from consumers’ perspectives. Why do and don’t they want to use AI? When do they want to talk to a human? How do they view companies that use AI in their customer interactions? What do they really think about bots and generative AI? – – – What’s the right balance of proactive and reactive customer service?
• Get practical, step-by-step guidance on how to make your own customers pleased with the service you’re delivering
• Understand when and how to implement more advanced interaction channels and technologies, particularly AI
• Learn what successful companies do to address the concerns consumers are raising about their service experiences
• Hear from technology providers who can share both mistakes and successes of their own customers, and which of their offerings deliver the most value
• Receive first-hand insights from CX leaders and consumers about what works, what doesn’t, and when those factors change

Customer Service is Getting Worse. Now What?

Date: October 8, 2024
Time: 11:00 am ET

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Metrigy’s 2024 research reveals a significant shift in how businesses are embracing artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance customer experience (CX). The report emphasizes that Generative AI is rapidly gaining traction and transforming how companies interact with customers. While most companies are in the early stages of AI adoption, those utilizing it extensively are seeing greater success. The research also highlights the potential of AI to alleviate staffing challenges in contact centers and identifies key areas where AI spending is increasing.

• Most companies are embracing AI for CX, with extensive use linked to higher success rates.
• Generative AI is rapidly gaining traction, revolutionizing how businesses interact with customers.
• Generative AI enhances CX through personalized self-service, agent empowerment, and streamlined knowledge management.
• AI is addressing contact center staffing challenges by automating tasks and improving efficiency.
• Investing in AI, particularly generative AI, yields measurable improvements in key CX metrics like handle time, sales, attrition, and customer satisfaction.
• Partnering with the right AI providers is crucial for successful implementation.
• Companies leveraging AI are experiencing positive impacts and significant ROI.

Get your copy of the Generative AI: Practical Applications for the Contact Center Report today to learn more!

View and download at ujet.cx.

As companies adopt generative AI, they are often unprepared for potential security and compliance threats.

AI, specifically generative AI, has captured much of the attention of the collaboration and communications world over the last two years or so. Almost every vendor in the market now has a generative AI solution of its own, and most are focusing the majority of their competitive differentiation strategy on their AI capabilities. This focus is driving customer adoption.

Among the 338 participants in Metrigy’s recently published Workplace Collaboration and Contact Center Security and Compliance: 2024-25 almost 39% have already deployed generative AI or plan to do so by the end of this year (2024). Another 35.3% are evaluating potential future deployment. Among those with the highest measured return on investment (ROI) for their collaboration spend, more than 54% are using or planning to use generative AI collaboration tools such as Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Zoom AI Companion.

Security Concerns Limiting for Some

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As companies increasingly adopt generative AI they do so with growing risk of misues, hallucinations, poisoning, and the need to ensure compliance for AI generated content. In this webinar we’ll share insights into what companies are doing today (or not doing) to address generative AI security and compliance issues and provide guidance for adoption. Attendees will learn:

• The state of generative AI adoption
• Key security and compliance issues
• The state of generative AI security
• The role of third-party tools in ensuring security and compliance
• How to successfully craft a gen AI security and compliance strategy

Tackling GenAI Security and Compliance Issues

Presented by: Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst, Metrigy

Date: July 23, 2024
Time: 11:00 am ET

3 Key Customer Expectations for Contact Centers

As Customer Experience (CX) strategies evolve to include AI and digital channels, consumers want a mix of communications options. Depending on the issue at hand, sometimes they’ll use self-service and other times, they’ll speak to or text with a person. In any method, they crave friendliness, empathy, and efficiency—all characteristics of human touch.

That’s why it’s important for businesses to adopt an AI strategy that enhances—not eliminates—the human touch. In this report, we will examine what a balanced mix of customer care solutions looks like and how leading business are—and should be—delivering.

Key areas for improvement, among many others, include the following:

• Offer a broad range of integrated channels – In order to serve customers, businesses must meet them where it is most helpful with integrated interaction channels, including video and screen sharing, among many others. By using AI for triage and across all channels, customers have shorter wait times, and agents receive more insightful coaching.
• Enable customers to serve themselves – For certain issues, customers prefer to use self-service FAQs, IVRs, searches, or website apps because they’re faster. Pairing self-service with AI-powered bots helps speed resolution.
• Speed up resolution with the right expertise – By integrating unified communications (UC) and contact center platforms, businesses can more easily help agents solve problems and close sales by bringing in experts. It also enables consolidated data analytics across the organization.

Metrigy’s research shows that most companies offer many channels for their customers to communicate, but not enough have integrated those channels. Consumers want to use a variety of channels to communicate with businesses, but which channel they select depends on the reason for their interaction, according to our research.

For example, 51.2% will use the phone when addressing problems with products and services, while 49.2% are fine with self-service to order products or services. The key with any interaction channel is weaving AI into the channel where appropriate to speed or automate resolution, and then carrying context from the interaction across any channel.

Improvements to customer experience are ongoing. CX leaders must tackle new projects as technology innovation progresses at a record pace. But it’s also important to strengthen the foundation prior to a laser focus on AI and other advanced applications.

Download and continue reading at zoom.us.