New offering brings cloud functionality and generative AI to on-premise contact centers
Cresta, a leading provider of generative AI for modern contact centers, today announced that it has expanded its voice platform integrations to include hardphone functionality, enabling legacy, on-premise contact centers to access the benefits of the cloud, without fully committing to a cloud transformation.
Hardphones are hand-held, physical devices, similar to the standard desk phone (unlike software-based phones – softphones – that do not require physical hardware). Cresta’s new hardphone capabilities allow organizations with on-premise contact centers to reap the benefits of the cloud, and utilize Cresta generative AI solutions such as Agent Assist (for real-time agent guidance), Virtual Agent (to automate conversations), and Director (for full visibility into team performance and accelerated coaching). This technology enables organizations to improve CSAT (customer satisfaction), reduce AHT (average handle time), and improve conversions and sales.
“The latest breakthroughs in generative AI and LLMs have undoubtedly most benefited companies who have migrated to the cloud,” said Tim Shi, CTO and co-founder of Cresta. “However, we know that a full transition to the cloud can be a time-consuming and complex process, especially for larger, more mature organizations. With Cresta’s new hardphone integration, we are ready to distribute the latest in generative AI technology to a larger audience of customers, who may still be in the process of their migration journey.”
While softphone deployment is certainly trending upward, hardphones are still a staple in contact centers. According to Metrigy, only about 30% of organizations have shifted contact center operations to the cloud.
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“With hardphone support, Cresta is bringing something incredibly important to the market,” said Philip Kolterman, Vice President of Digital Transformation and Development at Brinks Home™, one of the largest home security and alarm monitoring companies in the U.S. “As a home security company, we’re required to utilize on-premise telephony services. Without Cresta, we would never have been able to see the benefits of a generative AI platform without the potential risks of a full migration to the cloud. Effectively half of our call center volume goes through this integration, and it’s had a tremendous impact on our organization. Not only do we have insights into customer behavior, but we are also able to ensure that real-time coaching, reinforcing processes, metrics, QA – all of the goodness of Cresta – applies consistently to all of our agents.”
