Recent years have seen significant development of ‘hosted telephony’ applications as increasingly companies embrace the flexibility of Software as a Service (SaaS). So to kick the New Year off we have shortlisted our top 5 hosted telephony applications available for call centres: 1) Hosted IVR – The ability to automate business processes whilst improving customer handling is a no brainer in today’s contact centre even more so if you can pay for this on a usage-only basis whilst self-administering the application. Combine this maintenance-free solution with gaining a bespoke application and it becomes obvious why this is such a popular hosted application. 2) Hosted Campaign Management – Today’s Campaign Management tools are more intuitive than ever with hosted solutions offering online self help and user forums, minimising user training and the need for in-house technical expertise, whilst reducing costs as users make changes in-house. Rapid deployment and central campaign management capabilities regardless of location also make this a killer app! 3) Hosted Dialler – In today’s uncertain times a hosted dialler is a ‘must-have’ tool for contact centres wishing to boost outbound sales strategy. The beauty of the hosted dialler is that it can adapt just as quickly as the legislative bodies which regulate it, so your investment is never undermined. Its scalability also ensures you can track the business dynamics as they change. 4) Hosted Customer Satisfaction Surveys – Hosted Satisfaction Surveys incorporate all the best features of a sophisticated system without the need for capital outlay – you simply pay for what you use. A hosted service also means Management Information can be easily accessed via a web interface – giving you the data you need when you need it. Scripts can also be altered on the fly, providing the flexibility to respond in real time to a campaign’s needs. 5) Hosted Call Recording – Picture this, the ability to record calls without the need to install and maintain expensive capital equipment onsite. Then imagine secure management rights over a web-interface giving you full system control and the ability to scale up or reduce down the resource based on your requirement. With this level of flexibility you can start to see why we believe this application will take off during a year of unpredictability! For further advice on hosted call centre applications available please contact OPEX Hosting on 020 8326 8326 or email [email protected] Written by: Business Systems UK
Blog 28 August, 2025 What is Conversational AI? A Beginner’s Guide to Smarter CX In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses are under increasing pressure to deliver seamless and efficient customer experiences (CX). Customers expect quick responses, personalised interactions, and 24/7 availability. This is where Conversational AI comes in. By leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP), Conversational AI enhances customer service, automates interactions, and significantly improves operational
Blog 23 July, 2025 Mike Wardell Appointed Executive Chairman We are pleased to announce that Mike Wardell, former CEO of Business Systems Ltd, has transitioned to the role of Executive Chairman of both Business Systems and Wordwatch. This strategic move marks a significant milestone for both brands as they continue to strengthen their market-leading positions in customer contact solutions and communications governance and archiving.
Blog 16 July, 2025 Unlocking the Power of Conversation: How Interaction Analytics Is Reshaping Contact Centre Workforce Planning Contact centres are no longer just cost centres – they’re goldmines of actionable insight. And in 2025, forward-thinking customer contact leaders are discovering that the most untapped resource in their operations isn’t in headcount or tech—it’s the conversations they’re already having. Welcome to the era of interaction analytics. With the power to transform how you
Blog 8 July, 2025 From Hype to Impact: AI Strategies for Maximum ROI AI is revolutionising customer contact – but for many contact centres, the results aren’t matching the promise. Despite a surge in experimentation, too many organisations find themselves in “pilot paralysis”: high on potential, low on return. Contact centres need to adopt AI, but many are hitting the same wall: inconsistent ROI. Why? Because not all
Blog 3 June, 2025 Why Workforce Engagement is Key to Retaining Contact Centre Agents Call of Duty: Why Engaged Agents Stay in Contact Centres One repeat challenge our consultants see when we partner with new organisations is Agent retention. With increasing customer expectations, hybrid working models, and AI-driven efficiencies reshaping the contact centre industry, there is always an ongoing pressure for organisations to keep agents engaged and motivated in
Blog 15 May, 2025 How OpenAI’s o3 and o4 Mini Models are a major step forward in Conversational AI for Contact Centres The release of OpenAI’s latest large language models – o3 and o4 mini – represents a major step forward in the evolution of enterprise-grade AI for customer service. These new models are purpose-built to handle complexity, improve reasoning, and scale automation without compromising control or compliance. For contact centres looking to enhance customer experiences and
Blog 1 April, 2025 AI Agents in Contact Centres: Are You Ready for the Future? The Future of Customer Service is Here The contact centre industry is undergoing a significant transformation. Rising customer expectations, increasing operational costs, and workforce shortages are putting immense pressure on businesses to deliver seamless customer experiences while maintaining profitability. The companies that embrace AI agents today are the industry leaders of tomorrow – those that
Blog 10 February, 2025 What is Agentic AI and Why Does It Matter to You? Agentic AI is transforming contact centres by enabling systems to act autonomously, adapt to new situations, and proactively achieve goals – much like a human agent. But how does it differ from traditional automation, and why should contact centre leaders take notice? What is Agentic AI? Unlike rule-based automation, Agentic AI makes independent decisions, learns