Latest news with #Nextiva
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Checkup Time: The Lurking AI Danger That Can Kill A Successful Business
Businesses need quality data. If they operate on the wrong data, their tools can guide them in the ... More wrong direction. When's the last time your organization had a thorough data checkup? Not just a quick scan, but a deeper, more thorough search for hidden problems that could lead to disaster? The chances are it's been far too long. Surveys have found that the vast majority of businesses rely on stale data, which ushers in a host of hazards. 'Failing to update data regularly can have significant consequences for businesses, including targeting the wrong contacts, making decisions based on outdated information, and exposing the organization to unnecessary risks,' Moody's warns. While these dangers have existed for decades, they've gotten far bigger in the last couple of years. Businesses are rapidly adopting and deploying AI-powered technologies that offer tremendous benefits, like vastly improved CX (customer experience). But if they operate on the wrong data, these same tools can guide an organization in the wrong directions. Just as AI can attract customers, it can also repel them. Nextiva explained in a research survey The Leader's Guide to CX Trends in 2025, 'AI can predict what customers need, assist during live conversations, and save time through automation without making reps feel marginalized. However, poorly implemented AI will frustrate customers and drive them away.' Data hygiene is key One of the biggest mistakes companies make in implementing AI is poor data hygiene. 'AI learns from the data it's fed, and the results can be damaging if that data is outdated, inconsistent, or biased,' Nextiva explained in a blog post. 'Bad data can lead to inaccurate predictions, skewed insights, and poor personalization. For example, if your CRM (customer relationship management tool) includes duplicate customer records or missing information, an AI-driven email campaign could send irrelevant messages, or worse, the same message twice.' Today's consumers want to feel that brands recognize and respect them. They want interactions to be personalized. Irrelevant or duplicate messages send the exact opposite signal. Working with organizations across a wide array of industries, I see this happen all the time. And these days, data decays (becomes obsolete) more quickly than ever, given the rapid pace of change in both business operations and consumer habits. People constantly update what they want or need, and their expectations keep climbing higher and higher. Sending them the wrong messages is just one way your business can go wrong. Recent research highlights other pitfalls as well. For example, a study on financial risk management found that poor data hygiene 'can expose firms to legal consequences and damage customer trust.' Also, independent researcher Anshul Vyas wrote, 'As AI models increasingly demand real-time or streaming data for predictions, the pressure on IT infrastructure, cloud security, and cyber resilience intensifies.' Then there's the environmental impact. 'Storing and processing data has an environmental cost, so 'data hygiene' is gaining importance,' researchers Sergiu-Alexandru Ionescu, Vlad Diaconita, and Andreea-Oana Radu of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies wrote in a recent study. This problem is especially big for financial institutions, which are 'notorious for hoarding data due to regulatory needs (e.g., storing years of transaction records) and analytical ambitions,' they added. These concerns are likely to grow as businesses put increased focus on climate efforts. In addition to tracking their carbon footprint, some are now looking at their 'nature footprint,' which the World Economic Forum describes as 'a holistic understanding of a company's impacts and dependencies on nature.' How to get a clean bill of data health Businesses should use data cleansing tools to automate validation, eliminate duplicate records, purge stale information, and more. They should also conduct regular audits. It's helpful to assign a data steward as well. As defines it, 'A data steward is an information technology employee who controls the quality of data a company gathers and the method it uses to collect it. These stewards are important for a company's data security by creating and enforcing data policies.' Crucially, businesses should combine all their communications into a single AI-powered tool like a unified customer experience management platform (UCXM). These kinds of technologies can automate numerous processes including for data hygiene, while protecting privacy and security. The importance of data hygiene is a powerful reminder that, even in this era, humans are still in charge. AI tools are packed with potential, but even the best are only as good as the data they run on. With employees overseeing data hygiene, your business can proceed much more confidently into the new world of AI -- and trust that you'll maintain a clean bill of health.
Forbes
21-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
The New Era Of CX Starts With A Smarter Hello
For Call Routing Optimization, Learn a Lesson from GPS Nearly a quarter of businesses (24%) are using AI for call routing optimization, and another quarter are planning to follow suit. That's what my company learned when we surveyed customer experience leaders in a wide range of companies for The Leader's Guide to CX Trends in 2025. There are two key lessons in this. First, any business not tapping into the potential of this technology will fall well behind its competitors. And second, among businesses that do adopt technologies for optimizing where calls are routed, the differentiation will lie in how well those systems perform. Amid all of the potential of AI, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that consumers still like to call companies. Data compiled by CMSWire shows that customers prefer speaking by phone to a human for urgent and non-urgent issues; 61% of call center leaders say volumes have increased since 2021, despite the availability of self-service solutions and chatbots; and 71% expect companies to deliver personalized interactions. So not only is call center volume still very high, it's also facing a burden of higher-than-ever expectations. Getting a caller to the right agent as quickly as possible is a must. Lots of tools claim to offer that capability. But they're not all created equal. In a blog post, Ken McMahon with Nextiva provided a helpful analogy. 'You're running late for an appointment and need to get there as soon as possible,' he wrote. 'A basic GPS might simply provide you with the shortest route, regardless of traffic conditions… An advanced GPS, however, uses real-time traffic data to suggest the fastest route. It optimizes your journey by considering factors like traffic flow, road closures, and accidents. That's how intelligent call routing (ICR) works.' What kind of information does a top-notch ICR system include? Obvious factors like the type of service needed, its level of complexity, and what kind of expertise may be relevant come into play. But so do many other factors that are less obvious. A recent study published in the journal Frontiers of Computer Science reviewed a great deal of research around the characteristics that systems can pick up in order to route a call to the best possible agent. Ecaterina Coman of Transilvania University in Romania focused on businesses in which the initial call goes to an interactive voice system rather than a human agent. But intelligent call routing can also operate in the background when a person takes the initial call. Researchers have found that 'the effectiveness of call routing to the agent can be improved if machine learning systems are implemented to obtain biometric data from the customer's voice, such as the caller's age, gender and emotional state,' she wrote. Dramatically enhancing the customer experience My team breaks down the process into a series of steps leveraging data, analytics, and automation. AI-powered intelligent call routing systems collecting caller input like account numbers, reasons for callings, location, account history, previous interactions and more. The system analyzes all this to understand the caller's intent and match it with predefined routing rules and agent capabilities. This is where skill based routing comes into play. Software determines the unique combination of skills most likely to help provide what the caller is looking for. And because the organization measures employees' skill sets, it can determine who should take over the call. Of course, availability factors in as well. With all this information, intelligent call routing sends the call to the right person. The process is designed to get callers' issues resolved with the highest possible success rates, dramatically enhancing CX. Call routing optimization does not automatically require a whole new set of tools. These days, a unified customer experience management (UCXM) platform can include this functionality. By streamlining all communications into a single, AI-powered platform, organizations give everyone access to the information they need and maximize the information available for all parts of the customer journey to work in sync. When people drive, they want to get to their destination as quickly as possible, with the smoothest, most comfortable ride. When they call a business, they want the same thing -- a quick, smooth experience, getting them where they were trying to go. With the best call routing optimization in place, organizations can make this happen, and pull ahead of the competition.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New Wellness JV Nexida Aims to Tackle Aging—And They're Backed by a Third of the World's Collagen Supply
Darling Ingredients (NYSE:DAR) and Tessenderlo Group disrupted the enormously profitable health, wellness and nutrition industry this week, announcing an agreement to merge the collagen and gelatin units of their waste recovery operations into the newly formed Nextiva. Darling already produces 30% of the world's collagen supply, while the joint venture could generate up to $1.5 billion in revenue in its first year of operation. Nextiva will sit in collagen's sweet spot, with industry growth forecast to rise 9.5% annually, reaching over $14 billion in 2033. This biological gold is extracted from animal skin, tendon, cartilage and bone that waste recovery companies used to throw away as useless byproduct. Its popularity in cosmetics, joint health, supplements, biomaterials and pharmaceuticals has exploded in the last decade, with anti-aging and skin health benefits touted by Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Kourtney Kardashian and other celebrities. Don't Miss: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Texas-based Darling has struggled in the last two years, with annual revenue dropping from $6.79 billion in fiscal 2023 to $5.22 billion in fiscal 2024. This marked the first revenue downturn for the S&P Mid Cap 400 component since 2019. The hookup is a strategic move to respond to Wall Street about declining performance and regrow earnings by leveraging its leadership in the profitable animal byproducts segment. Top tier investment firms including Piper Sandler, TD Cowen, and UBS cover Darling stock but have yet to issue research reports on this week's news. Clearly, their endorsements will help the deal proceed without roadblocks. In late April, Jason Gabelman at TD Cowen lowered his Darling price target from $37 to $34, pointing to an inconsistent track record on guidance. His 'take' on the new venture will be watched closely by Wall Street. Chairman and CEO Randall C. Stuewe touted the venture, saying, 'Collagen has represented the fastest-growing area of Darling Ingredients' food segment business over the past several years.' He added that the joint venture will provide a "platform for accelerated product development and growth" and create an opportunity to "unlock significant shareholder value." Darling will own 85% of Nextiva, according to the release, while its Brussels partner holds the balance. Together they intend to operate 23 facilities on four continents, producing about 200,000 tons of collagen and gelatin in the first year. Trending: Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – The hookup is not expected to close until 2026. The initial press release describes the venture as a noncash transaction that combines assets and capabilities, but negotiations are continuing, and no definitive documentation has been sign by principals. However, the ownership ratio between the much larger Darling and its smaller partner appears locked-in and there are no obvious red flags to the startup currently. Nextiva will also require regulatory approval in the U.S. and European Union, which might face unexpected hurdles, given current political tensions. Meanwhile, collagen use remains unregulated and somewhat controversial, with critics noting the refined product used in supplements breaks down when ingested, rather than rebuilding our naturally produced substance. They also point to the corruptive influence of marketing hype, driven by celebrities owning companies benefiting from collagen use. Regardless, both critics and advocates consider collagen use to be safe and our beauty-obsessed culture has a long history of chasing the latest 'Fountain of Youth', regardless of cost. This bodes well for Darling and Tessenderlo's profit growth in coming years. And, given their giant industry footprint, they could strongly influence worldwide supply and pricing in coming decades. Read Next:The team behind $6B+ in licensing deals is now building the next billion-dollar IP empire — Image: Shutterstock Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? DARLING INGREDIENTS (DAR): Free Stock Analysis Report This article New Wellness JV Nexida Aims to Tackle Aging—And They're Backed by a Third of the World's Collagen Supply originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
National Post
15-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Nextiva Celebrates First-Ever Customer Experience Day™--Honoring the People and Progress Behind Better Business Connections
Article content A new global holiday celebrates the power of customer experience—and the company that's spent 17 years helping businesses deliver it. Article content Article content SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Today, Nextiva—a leader in unified customer experience management—is launching Customer Experience Day, a new global observance recognizing the businesses, teams, and individuals who go above and beyond to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Celebrated annually on May 15, the day also marks Nextiva's founding in 2008, highlighting the company's 17-year commitment to putting people first. Article content Created to spotlight the rising importance of CX in today's business landscape, Customer Experience Day invites companies of all sizes to honor the people and tools behind the everyday interactions that build trust, loyalty, and long-term success. Article content For Nextiva, the day holds added meaning: it reflects nearly two decades of empowering small businesses to deliver the kind of seamless, high-impact experiences once reserved for the enterprise. Article content 'At Nextiva, we believe customer experience is the single most powerful differentiator in business today,' said Tomas Gorny, CEO and co-founder of Nextiva. 'We created Customer Experience Day to spotlight the people and businesses who put their customers first. Today, every brand competes not just with others in their category—but with the best experiences customers have anywhere. It's time we recognize that delivering amazing experiences isn't just a nice-to-have. It's how we grow, how we win, and how we build lasting relationships.' Article content Since its founding in 2008, Nextiva has worked to empower small and mid-sized businesses with powerful, easy-to-use tools that elevate how they connect with their customers. From communication to automation to real-time insights, the company has led the evolution of customer experience technology—without losing sight of the people it serves. Article content 2008 – Founding Vision Nextiva launched with a bold mission: to make business communication simple, reliable, and accessible for every company—not just large enterprises. While it began with phone systems, the vision was always broader: to help small businesses connect more effectively with their customers. From local shops to startups and service providers, businesses could now access affordable, professional-grade tools that kept them responsive, reliable, and customer-focused from day one. 2016 – Scaling as a UCaaS Leader Within a few years, Nextiva became one of the top UCaaS platforms in the U.S., powering millions of conversations daily. For small businesses, it meant being able to answer customer calls and resolve issues quickly—allowing lean teams to operate smoothly and confidently, without the complexity or cost of enterprise systems. 2021 – Introducing the NextivaONE Platform With the launch of NextivaONE, the company unified phone, video, text, email, and chat into a single, intuitive workspace. This shift transformed Nextiva into a true customer engagement platform. By creating a single workspace, it enabled small teams to respond faster, collaborate better, and offer a seamless experience—making every customer feel prioritized. 2023 – Reframing the Industry Nextiva began reshaping the conversation—not as just a UCaaS or CCaaS provider, but as a pioneer of Unified Customer Experience Management. The focus moved from adding features to delivering connections—helping small businesses compete with bigger brands by creating more personalized, consistent experiences at every touchpoint. 2024 – Driving Real Outcomes, Not Just Software Today, Nextiva's platform includes advanced automation, analytics, and workflow tools that help small businesses solve real-world problems: faster support, smarter service, and stronger loyalty. Whether it's a local salon, HVAC company, or boutique agency, small businesses now have access to the same CX-enhancing tools as major corporations—without the complexity or cost. Article content As a recognized industry leader, Nextiva is continuously innovating to build products that don't just support customer experience—they transform it, making every interaction smarter, more seamless, and deeply human. Article content As the official sponsor of Customer Experience Day, Nextiva invites companies everywhere to participate by recognizing their customer experience teams, sharing service success stories, and reflecting on the value of human connection in a digital-first world. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Forbes
13-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Businesses Are Missing The Training Necessary For CX And Employee Satisfaction
Employee training improves customer experience results, but also improves employee satisfaction. When our team at Nextiva recently examined the state of customer experience efforts in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, we discovered a gaping hole. Virtually every customer experience leader we surveyed told us their company invested in employee empowerment, teaching them to maximize the power of AI. But only half of respondents called those investments 'significant.' The incentives to fix this are clear. Not only does better training improve results, it also improves employee satisfaction. Of those who made significant investments in this kind of training, 88% told us they believe that their employees are satisfied with the company's use of AI; just over half (51%) even said they're extremely satisfied. As Nextiva's study explains, 'When employees feel knowledgeable and in control, they're more likely to remain at their positions. Positive perception of AI also improves the likelihood of long-term success—when teams are on board, change adoption goes more smoothly and changes are more likely to be embraced.' In my work helping all kinds of organizations transform by using an AI-powered unified customer experience management platform, I've seen why training is so important -- and why the current education gap is massive. Often, leaders think AI tools will be so intuitive that much training isn't necessary. Employees, meanwhile, can be resistant. Many fear, either consciously or subconsciously, that AI will replace them. Some managers fear they'll lose headcount or budget for their departments if AI proves too efficient. Consequently, levels of training and comfort with AI are all over the place. On one end, you have skeptics and late adopters who only use AI for small tasks like grammar checks in messaging. On the other end, some early adopters have fully integrated AI tools across their workflows. But just as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, a system is only as efficient as its slowest performer. When an organization does not adopt AI uniformly across all functions and help every employee gain the comfort and confidence to use the technology, it moves at the pace of late adopters. This is especially problematic given how quickly AI is changing. It's vital to stay on the cutting edge, exploring and experimenting with new functionalities as they become available. The longer you lag, the further behind you fall. Train the trainers Often the root of the problem is that the trainers aren't up to speed on the use of AI themselves. L&D (learning and development) personnel need time and resources to learn, discover, and develop comfort with AI tools. Some may not feel comfortable acknowledging that they're not yet knowledgeable enough to teach others. They need a safe environment in which they can be honest about what they still need to learn. Once you have a team ready to train others, have them start at the most practical levels. They should teach staffers how AI can accelerate internal tasks like building proposals, analyzing quality assurance (QA), evaluating vendors, and preparing for strategic meetings. People need to see it in action, ideally in group settings in which prompts are shared and outcomes are immediately visible. Training should also emphasize to personnel how important they are, and why their human skills serve an essential role. A study published recently in the Chinese Science Bulletin, by professor Jack Ng Ng Kok Wah of Multimedia University in Malaysia, noted that, 'Employees should be trained to work alongside AI tools, focusing on tasks that require emotional intelligence, empathy, and creativity.' People in different functions should receive specific training to understand how AI can complement their daily work. For example, workers in call centers need to know how to use AI and balance it with human intervention. Creating a successful training regimen takes work. 'Even the best-conceived CX strategies can fail without effective execution,' writes J. Christopher Westland, professor at the University of Illinois Chicago, in a recent study published by the Journal of Logistics, Informatics and Service Science. 'Managers need to ensure that all aspects of the implementation process are meticulously planned and executed, from training employees to integrating new technologies seamlessly. Investment in employee training and fostering a customer-centric culture.' It's worth it. Looking at the case of Starbucks, he wrote, these efforts 'can significantly enhance the quality of customer service and overall experience.' The good news is that, often, solution providers work with your company to help your staff learn to get the most out of their technologies. It's a win-win. I've seen what a profound difference proper training makes. It dramatically improves the ROI of your investments, and helps you catch up -- or even surpass -- the competition. In this era, a workforce skilled to use AI to maximize CX is one of the biggest competitive advantages you can have.
