Google and Microsoft have updated their video conferencing solutions to take advantage of privacy concerns surrounding the use of Zoom. Meanwhile, the prolonged lockdown has sparked demand for contact center solutions with voice assistant capabilities, and remote workingOpens a new window tools are allowing companies to diversify their workforce. Lastly, feature-rich meeting solutions have a security trade-off that those using on-premise solutions can avoid.
Here Are This Week’s Top Stories:
- Google, Microsoft One-Up Zoom With New Security Features
- Where Zoom, Cisco, & Pexip Stand on Encryption
- Voice Gains Ground in Cloud Contact Centers
- Remote Working Could Become the Norm in the Future
Meeting Solutions
Google, Microsoft One-Up Zoom With New Security Features
The novel coronavirus has single-handedly raised the profiles of tech companies delivering end-to-end cloud collaboration software. These cloud-first tech firms have responded to the sudden surge in user growth with new features and products. As privacy concerns continue to follow Zoom, its rivals aren’t missing a beat in throwing shade on Zoom’s patchy security and privacy practices.
Google rebranded Hangouts Meet to Google MeetOpens a new window and introduced new features to secure remote meetings. Microsoft has one-upped the enterprise video conferencing platform with security features that allow users to manage participants and screen unwanted guests from crashing calls, while also launching Meet Now to let people generate meeting links on Skype even if they don’t have Skype accounts. To regain user trust, Zoom has hired Facebook’s former chief security officer Alex Stamos who tweeted that he will be helping the company “build up their security program.â€
Where Zoom, Cisco, & Pexip Stand on Encryption
Zoom isn’t the only platform grabbing headlines over a security snafu. Cisco’s enterprise meeting platform revealed it never supported features like face recognition, third-party integrations, screen recordings or transcription unless they are able to decrypt meeting data in their servers. Even though Cisco performs end-to-end encryption of Webex Meetings, the encryption prevents it from supporting the web application, network-based recordings, letting participants join conversations before the hosts, and video endpoints. While meeting data will be secured in transit, companies will have to accept decryption at server level to enjoy additional features.
An alternative to this is using on-premise conferencing solutions that enterprises will be able to secure using their own security solutions. Companies like Cisco, Pexip and Computenix offer on-premise meeting platforms whose infrastructure can be stored in enterprise-owned data centers.
Contact Center
Voice Gains Ground in Cloud Contact Centers
COVID-19 has nudged contact centers toward adopting virtual agents. While contact centers have been handling non-voice communications such as SMS, live chat and email; the current crisis has forced banks, financial institutions, credit unions, and e-commerce firms to add voice assistants to address growing concerns. A recent study by P&S IntelligenceOpens a new window estimated that the global voice assistant market could touch $26,872.6 million by 2030, growing by a 29.7% CAGR with the demand driven by contact centers that are rising to the moment to offer personalized user experience.
NLP-driven voice assistant technologies help companies gather information on customers’ preferences, opinions, and buying patterns and offer recommendations. At present, firms like Genesys, TalkDesk, Avaya, HubSpot, and CloudTalk are offering modern contact center solutions with voice assistant support. Demand for contact center solutions with automatic speech recognition (ASR) capabilities has spiked in recent days, VynZ ResearchOpens a new window shows. ASR allows enterprises to create more accurate customer databases that help companies forecast customer behavior and achieve higher customer satisfaction.
Collaboration
Remote Work Boosts Global Talent Hiring
In this new world order, remote working solutionsOpens a new window are allowing companies to rethink people strategies and build diverse teams by scouring the best talent in their industries, no matter where employees are based. HR strategists are moving beyond talent hubs like Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose or Seattle, and investing in employee performance and productivity while saving operational costs. According to Phill Rosen, CEO of Even Financial, remote working will serve as a gamechanger for sourcing untapped talent from areas with limited job opportunities, bringing enormous economic vitality to less-connected communities and diversifying the global technology workforce.
Considering that the COVID-19 crisis could last many more months before it is contained worldwide, there has never been a better time for enterprises to leverage remote work to diversify workforce and seek the best talent available in the U.S. and abroad.
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