With all the excitement, confusion, and hype around AI, it's tough to cut through the noise and figure out what works and what's worth investing in. On Always On CX:EX, host Sarah Skidd, product marketing manager at Voca by AudioCodes, talks with Jon Zoltie, an AI and contact center expert, to talk about using AI at the end of the call.

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They break down the practical steps: turning on call recording, getting accurate transcription, unlocking AI summarization, and adding AI sentiment analysis. Using a university handling a million calls a year across IT, enrollment, financial aid, and campus security as an example, they show how customized AI summaries, AI sentiment analysis, and seamless CRM integration give agents, supervisors, and leadership the clean, structured insights they need—all while keeping the customer and employee experience front and center.

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Guest Bio

Jon Zoltie is an expert in AI and contact centers.

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What We Cover

1. Why call wrap-up is the most logical next step in your AI journey after conversational IVA
2. How manual wrap-up work—racing against KPIs and typing notes mid-call—creates inconsistent, subjective data that leads to weak insights
3. Why turning on compliance call recording is step one, so AI can access your conversation data
4. Using accurate transcription as the foundation that unlocks everything else
5. Adding custom AI summarization to turn massive transcripts into quick overviews, bullet points, and clear action items
6. Tailoring AI summaries by department so each team gets relevant information
7. Using AI sentiment analysis to understand not just what was said, but how it was said—tracking customer mood and spotting both frustration and delight
8. How AI summaries and sentiment analysis free up agents to focus on customers, give supervisors quickly scannable data, and provide leadership with structured, objective insights that inform strategy
9. Pushing conversation data, AI summaries, and sentiment straight into your CRM or database—Salesforce, HubSpot, Power BI—with one click

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Resources Mentioned

1. Voca, at AudioCodes
2. Salesforce (CRM)
3. HubSpot (CRM)
4. Power BI
5. Microsoft Teams contact center

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Get Started with Voca CIC

👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center

Humans win, and bots assist. A return to real human connections, contact centers being designed for people first and bot second, and customers increasingly opting out of those AI loops that go round in circles. Jon Zoltie talk through top five predictions for 2026 in the contact center environment: the option to speak to a human at every step rather than buried deep within menu systems; CRMs losing a little bit of their status as the gospel of truth as organizations realize the contact center captures what customers actually said, how they said it, how they felt—more objective—and that becoming the source of truth. Voice as a primary interface across devices, apps, and workflows. AI is built into tools and embedded in existing platforms rather than delivered as point solutions. And the ROI element: measurable business impact, clear KPIs, average handle time, misroutes, deflection, wrap-up time, and data that can be proven and quantifiable.

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• Humans win, and bots assist: over automation, a return to real human connections, people first and bot second
• Customers opting out of AI loops and requesting human agents straight away
• IVR flows to always include the option to speak to a human at every step, not buried deep within menu systems
• CRMs losing status as the gospel of truth; contact center conversations as the source of truth
• Investing massive amounts in conversation intelligence rather than relying on manual CRM entry
• Automatically pushing transcripts, summaries, and sentiment analysis from contact centers into the CRM
• Voice as a primary interface across devices, apps, and workflows; conversational IVR, long prompts, and AI assistants
• ROI as a key driver: measurable business impact, clear KPIs, average handle time, misroutes, deflection, wrap-up time, time to resolution

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• CRM
• IVA
• IVR
• conversational IVR
• conversation intelligence
• transcripts and summaries
• sentiment analysis
• large language models
• AI assistants

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Get Started with Voca CIC

👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center

If your contact center is still feeling like it’s stuck in 2019, this new series of Always On CX:EX is specifically for you. Host Jon Zoltie walks through the move from traditional DTMF “press one for sales, press two for support” IVR to IVA and conversational AI with Levent Gunsuren.

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They decode IVR, IVA, and conversational AI, explore why enterprises finally abandon hardcoded keypad navigation, and share real examples where one-to-one IVR replication hid abandoned calls and pain points. Jon and Levent talk through customer frustration, expectations, and the impact on satisfaction, brand loyalty, and even agent experience when callers land in the wrong place.

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The conversation then follows a step-by-step journey: starting simple, combining IVR and IVA, using reporting and analytics to see what customers actually say, and moving toward CRM integration, password resets, invoice questions, and AI summaries that help agents greet callers with the right information already on screen.

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📌 What We Cover

• Breaking down IVR, IVA, DTMF and conversational AI, and how “press one, press two” differs from speech-based routing.
• Why customer frustration with long menus, repeated information and getting stuck in trees pushes enterprises to move on from traditional IVR.
• How one-to-one IVR migration to a new system exposed that around 60% of calls were missed or abandoned – and how that was reduced to about 10%.
• The problem with “it was working, so don’t touch it” and why migration is a chance to see new opportunities in analytics and reporting.
• Starting simple and easy: combining IVR with IVA, asking open questions like “can you describe your problem?” and building step by step.
• Using voice-to-text, full questions and keywords to understand why people are calling, find pain points, and enhance customer and agent journeys.
• Fear of unexpected bot behavior, losing control, and how the right design and testing keep conversational AI intuitive and customer friendly.
• Moving from routing only to CRM integration, password resets, invoice questions and AI summarization, so agents don’t repeat every question and can help faster.
• Why modern conversational AI can sound almost like real human interaction, with a safe plan that always honors “I want to talk to an agent.”

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🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Jon Zoltie – Host
• Levent Gunsuren – Product delivery manager
• Microsoft ecosystems and Microsoft Teams contact center
• IVR, IVA, and conversational AI
• CRM
• Voca CIC website

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Get Started with Voca CIC

👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center

When your contact center is responsible for supporting reps, customers, and the technology that holds it all together, stability is essential. In this conversation, host Josh Chronister welcomes Sean Keegan from Microsoft to talk all things Azure Communication Services: from integrating communication methods like voice, video, chat, and SMS, to the powerful, low-latency audio streaming API that enables new real-time experiences. Hear how the platform lets organizations build programmable call flows, enable real-time transcription and translation, and use AI for smarter routing and sentiment analysis. The discussion highlights practical scenarios in healthcare, government, and beyond, always coming back to the importance of reliability, five nine uptime, and the ability to trust the infrastructure powering Microsoft Teams Phone.

Sean Keegan is a Developer Evangelist at Microsoft. Sean focuses on helping organizations and developers leverage Azure Communication Services for voice, video, chat, and advanced call automation. In this conversation, he shares examples and insights from working directly with customers across multiple industries.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanryankeegan/

• Azure Communication Services as Microsoft’s AI-ready communication platform for integrating voice, video, chat, SMS, and telephony into applications
• Why call automation is described as “the brain behind the call,” controlling responses, routing, IVRs, and actions programmatically
• Production use cases in healthcare, banking, and government agencies, especially for contact routing and reducing manual effort
• The ease of getting started with call automation, available documentation, and how complexity depends on features like AI logic
• How the Calling SDK brings powerful voice and video capabilities into apps, and enables real-time features like transcription, sentiment analysis, and translation
• Introduction of the bi-directional audio streaming API for low-latency, real-time audio, and what’s possible now for global communication
• The significance of Teams Phone extensibility, powered by Azure Communication Services, for customizable call flows and advanced call control in the contact center
• Combining Azure Communication Services with Azure Cognitive Services and OpenAI to create intelligent voice bots, real-time translation, and unbiased sentiment analysis for agents
• The central importance of reliability, uptime, and enterprise-grade infrastructure for contact centers

• Sean Keegan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanryankeegan/
• AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center
• Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup

Get Started with Voca CIC

👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center

Between supporting your contact center reps, your customers, and the tech that keeps the contact center stable, the pressure to deliver an uninterrupted customer and employee experience is higher than ever. Host Josh Chronister is joined by Tom Arbuthnot and Gidi Adlersberg for an in-depth conversation focused on Microsoft Teams contact centers, Teams Phone extensibility, the Unify integration model, and how these pieces come together with Azure Communication Services. The discussion covers the significance of Microsoft’s new certification paths, how third-party solutions work alongside Teams, and why tight integration and reliability matter when it comes to delivering 99.999% uptime. Listeners will gain insights into choosing between Connect, Extend, and Unify certifications, the advantages of using Azure’s native capabilities, and what it means for scaling, onboarding, and future-ready contact center solutions.

👤 Guest Bio

Tom Arbuthnot

Tom Arbuthnot shares his perspective as a Microsoft MVP expert on Teams, with first-hand insights into the evolution of Teams Phone extensibility, integration models, and the contact center certification landscape.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomarbuthnot/ 

Gidi Adlersberg

Gidi Adlersberg brings his experience as a contact center leader at AudioCodes, highlighting the journey from early adoption of Azure Communication Services to bringing unified contact center solutions into production.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gidiadlersberg/ 

📌 What We Cover

What Teams Phone extensibility means for contact centers and how it enables new types of integrated experiences

The difference between Teams Phone extensibility as a technology platform and Unify as the certification model for Microsoft Teams contact centers

Why Microsoft transitioned from the “Power” model to “Unify,” and what that change means for integration and terminology

A comparison of Connect, Extend, and Unify certifications, and what to consider when selecting a vendor or solution

The pivotal role of Azure Communication Services as the engine under Teams Phone, including practical examples of SDK-based integration

Benefits of tight integration: seamless management of Teams phone numbers, direct routing, and five nines uptime for voice

How Teams Phone extensibility and Unify make deployment and onboarding easier, supporting incremental migrations and scaling for large enterprises

Key factors to consider when selecting a Unify-certified contact center solution—including vendor experience, delivery, implementation, and the importance of being future-ready with AI

🔗 Resources Mentioned

Microsoft Learn documentation page for certified contact center vendors

Azure Communication Services (also referenced as “the engine under Teams Phone”)

Teams Admin Center

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center

AudioCodes Voca CIC (referenced as Voca CIC, with 99.999% uptime for voice)

Microsoft Teams Enterprise Connect 2024

LinkedIn profiles:

Tom Arbuthnot: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomarbuthnot/ 

Gidi Adlersberg: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gidiadlersberg/ 

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Get Started with Voca CIC:

👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup   

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center 

In this episode of Always on CX:EX, host Josh Chronister talks with Keith Honaker, voice engineer and lead contact center architect at the University of Central Florida (UCF). They explore how Keith’s team manages large-scale contact centers across multiple departments, the transition to new communication technologies like Microsoft Teams, and strategies for ensuring agents and supervisors are well-trained and empowered.

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Best Moments:

(01:21) Keith’s background and role at UCF

(02:44) Evolution of contact centers and integration with Microsoft Teams

(04:01) Handling multiple contact centers across different university departments

(07:20) Challenges in moving to new contact center technologies

(12:41) Training for agents and supervisors in the contact center

(14:49) Granting access to supervisors for making small changes

(19:40) Requirements for selecting a contact center solution

(24:03) Future of unified communications and contact centers

(28:54) Advice for others in similar positions at universities

(31:40) Resources for staying informed about industry trends

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Guest Bio:

Keith Honaker is the voice engineer and lead contact center architect at the University of Central Florida (UCF), where he’s worked for nearly 25 years. Overseeing a contact center operation for 70,000 students and 13,000 employees across four major campuses, Keith has extensive experience with communication technologies. He has been instrumental in implementing and managing UCF’s transition to cloud-based solutions, including Microsoft Teams and Voca, for contact center operations.

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Get Started with Voca CIC:

👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup 

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center

In this episode of Always On CX:EX, host Josh Chronister interviews Brent Kelly, a principal analyst at Omdia, about the growing trend of MultiCaaS in the unified communications and contact center industry. Brent shares insights on the key drivers behind MultiCaaS solutions, market dynamics, pricing, and the future trends shaping this space.

Best Moments:

(00:00) Introduction to MultiCaaS and its definition

(02:42) Key drivers behind the trend towards MultiCaaS solutions

(05:50) Critical factors to evaluate when choosing a MultiCaaS vendor

(10:48) Current market dynamics and competitive landscape in the MultiCaaS space

(17:38) The importance of ease of use and deployment in MultiCaaS solutions

(27:56) The role of pricing in evaluating different MultiCaaS options

(29:14) Future trends and innovations shaping the MultiCaaS market

(31:50) The potential impact of MultiCaaS on specialized contact center vendors

Guest Bio:

Brent Kelly is a principal analyst at Omdia with nearly 30 years of experience in the business communication space. He has been researching and analyzing trends in unified communications and contact center technologies, providing valuable insights to industry professionals and organizations looking to optimize their communication strategies.

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Get Started with Voca CIC:

👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup 

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center

In this episode of Always on CX:EX host Josh Chronister speaks with Peter Broeckx and Gidi Adlersberg about navigating the Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) market and making informed decisions when selecting a CCaaS solution. They dive into crucial factors like uptime, implementation strategies, unified communications (UC) and CC consolidation, CRM integration approaches, AI in contact centers, and various pricing models.

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Best Moments:

(00:00) Introduction and the importance of reliable customer experience

(05:01) Why feature tables are insufficient for choosing CCaaS solutions

(09:05) The significance of uptime and implementation in CCaaS

(15:20) How UC and CC consolidation impacts customer experience

(19:46) CRM integration approaches: vendor-specific vs. open API

(28:26) AI in contact centers: agent-side vs. customer-facing implementations

(36:54) CCaaS pricing models: named agent, concurrent agent, and pay-as-you-go

(43:36) Digital customer experience and the importance of fundamental channels

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Guest Bios:

• Peter Broeckx is Sales Director Contact Center EMEA at AudioCodes, enabling successful contact center transformations through the power of voice. He has spent significant time speaking with contact center and IT leaders, attending events, and researching the market.
• Gidi Adlersberg is the Voca CIC Business Line Manager at AudioCodes, bringing extensive experience in contact centers, customer engagement strategies, and market research.

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Get Started with Voca CIC:

👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup 

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center

In this episode of Always On CX:EX, host Josh Chronister speaks with James Arnold-Roberts, CEO of VoiceFlex, about the evolving landscape of customer experience and contact center technology. James shares insights on VoiceFlex's shift from a telecom company to a tech company, the impact of Microsoft Teams, and how AI is reshaping the future of customer interactions.

Best Moments:

(01:52) James' career journey in the telecom industry

(08:38) VoiceFlex's shift from telco to tech co

(15:28) Microsoft Teams' impact on customer interactions and collaboration

(21:10) Trends in conversational AI for customer experience

(26:34) Best data sources for AI integration in contact centers

(30:52) Emerging trends shaping the industry in the coming years

(34:26) Practical applications of AI in business operations

Guest Bio:

James Arnold-Roberts is the CEO of VoiceFlex, with over 20 years of hands-on experience leading businesses in the communications industry. He has guided VoiceFlex through its transition from a telecom company to a tech company, focusing on innovative solutions for customer experience and contact center technology. James is passionate about leveraging AI and automation to solve business problems and improve customer interactions.

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Get Started with Voca CIC:

👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup 

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center

In this episode of Always On CX:EX, host Josh Chronister welcomes Jeff Ward, Client Director at AudioCodes, to discuss the transformative power of relationships in customer experience (CX). They explore how trust, employee engagement, and relationship-building lead to superior customer service and share actionable strategies for rebuilding trust when things go wrong.

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Best Moments:

(00:38) Introduction of Jeff Ward and the episode's focus

(01:30) Jeff's background and passion for relationship building

(03:11) How great relationships lead to serving customers well

(07:37) The connection between employee experience and customer experience

(10:50) Advice for contact center managers regarding customer interactions

(12:50) Rebuilding trust after mistakes in customer relationships

(16:57) The future of relationships in CX over the next 5 years

(20:22) Rapid-fire questions on various aspects of customer experience

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Guest Bio:

Jeff Ward is a Client Director at AudioCodes, managing 14 large enterprise customers across the East Coast in various industries. With a focus on trust, reliability, and relationship-building, Jeff is a seasoned professional in customer experience and employee engagement. His approach is informed by years of experience and a commitment to genuine care for his clients.

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Get Started with Voca CIC:



👉 Start a free trial of the Voca Conversational Interaction Center for 30-days: https://voca.audiocodes.io/signup 

👉 Learn more about AudioCodes Voca CIC: https://www.audiocodes.com/solutions-products/voiceai/voca-conversational-interaction-center