Skype for Business offers contact centres the potential to provide a more personalised service, one that includes video and shared screen/desktop as part of the customer service experience. Through Skype, contact centre agents can answer customers queries via voice or chat, personalise the communication through video chat, demonstrate visually how to solve their problem and, if necessary, share desktops and screens. Just as with any other customer communication channel, such as phone, email and social, interactions with customers via Skype offer a wealth of information that can significantly impact business decisions, improve operations and promote customer loyalty. By recording customer interactions taking place over Skype, organisations are able to capture valuable information that can improve their understanding of customer pain points and reason for contact, consequently addressing these to improve customer satisfaction and reduce call volumes. For instance, recordings can be utilised to identify reoccurring customer issues, such as a faulty product or complex process, and take the necessary steps to ensure these are resolved. Skype recordings also provide valuable data for quality monitoring and agent training. Just as with call recordings, contact centre managers can use Skype recordings as training material to practically demonstrate good and bad Skype call practices as well as review individual agent-customer interactions and provide feedback on how to best handle different types of callers and situations. With the addition of video to the customer interaction mix, agents will require additional training to ensure they are comfortable not only with Skype’s user interface, but also when dealing with customers in face to face communications. Finally, by recording Skype interactions, organisations are able to monitor and demonstrate adherence to compliance regulations as well as company policies. This is particularly important in heavily regulated industries, such as banking, health care and government. As with the recordings of every other channel, recording and monitoring skype interactions for potential compliance breaches will significantly reduce the risks of fines and reputational loss as organisations can resolve issues before they escalate and, if need to, have proof to demonstrate adherence. It is important to note that when it comes to PCI compliance, while there is no definitive guidance yet on how to ensure PCI compliance with Skype for business, Skype uses the standard internationally recognised and accepted encryption algorithms (Read the full testimonial here) to ensure privacy and integrity of the data. Skype for business already boasts over 300 million users and is predicted to grow even more. Understanding how available technology can help you safely incorporate it into your communication channel mix, will help you achieve a faster return on your investment in the medium with significant operational and financial benefits. Companies like Nice Systems, Red Box, Verint all offer Skype recording capabilities. So if you already own a call recording solution from any of these manufacturers, it is worth enquiring as to whether your current system can record your Skype interactions as well as your other customer interaction channels. It is however likely you will need to purchase additional modules or channels. 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