8x8 Vs Mitel MiVoice Business - Which is Best For Your Business?

Which XCaaS Service Is The Right Choice For Your Needs?

Large businesses with hundreds or thousands of eager customers need to have an effective and in-depth communications system – for both internal and external communications – if they wish to serve their customers and their colleagues as thoroughly as possible. Without a company-wide communications system in place that’s easy to use and easy to expand, companies face the threat of mismanaged communications, communication loopholes and lost productivity – all of which can result in serious financial losses for businesses as they begin to lose customers due to seemingly ineffective practices.

At Elite Group, we’ve partnered with two of the biggest and best unified communication providers in the world – 8×8 and Mitel – to offer their products to businesses eager to perfect their communications. But which is right for your business?

What is 8×8 XCaaS?

One of the premier communications technology companies today, 8×8 has emerged as a force to be reckoned within the business communications space. With over 3 million business users worldwide taking advantage of its various communications solutions – including fast food powerhouse McDonald’s – 8×8 is trusted and consistently touted by many as the go-to provider of large-scale communications solutions. Plus, with over 35 highly secure data centres scattered across the globe and 24/7 support, it’s no wonder they’re so revered in the industry.

The 8×8 eXperience Communications platform gives team members at all levels of a business the tools they need to communicate with customers, and each other, through a single cloud-based application that was designed with usability in mind. A simple, easy-to-grasp interface combined with powerful integration capabilities makes the 8×8 XCaaS platform the ideal choice for businesses everywhere – from growing businesses to large multinational corporations. 

What are the features and benefits of 8×8 XCaaS?

Along with the reliable communication tools featured in the most effective CCaaS and UCaaS systems, 8×8 users can also benefit from:

Intelligent Customer Assistant

With 90% of customers expecting large companies to offer some kind of online self-service support, according to a report by Microsoft, it is wise for businesses that are yet to invest in such solutions to consider doing so. Solutions such as chatbots, which allow customers to “chat” with an automated tool that answers questions have expanded in recent years thanks to improvements in AI technology.

8×8’s Intelligent Customer Assistant goes above and beyond previous models of the tool by utilising AI to craft more personalised experiences, connecting with the customer on a more bespoke and personal level, in the hopes it will encourage them to continue their relationship with a business. Thanks to its increased “intelligence”, the tool is also able to answer a wider variety of questions regarding customer needs than previously possible and seamlessly pass them to the appropriate agent when needed.

As many customers can have their issues or queries resolved by simply interacting with this tool, as opposed to speaking with a live agent, businesses can relieve their staff of the pressures of dealing with so many calls or connections, allowing them to remain productive on other, more valuable or critical tasks to push the business forward.

Contact Centre Analytics

In order for businesses to increase revenue and cut unnecessary expenditure, it is essential for them to fully utilise and understand all data available from contact centre transactions. While this data is not always obvious to the human eye, AI-powered contact centre analytics allows businesses to gain a deeper understanding of data from contact centres – this includes such data as engagement times, sales figures, comparison charts and more.

However, the 8×8 eXperience contact centre analytics can take things a step further. The tool is able to offer insights into speech analytics, in which customer and colleague voices are analysed and their responses to each other examined. This can be used to determine the success/failure rate of certain responses and encourage businesses to take a specific approach concerning precisely what is said to customers and in what tone. In turn, this greater understanding of how to engage with customers will lead to more streamlined customer experiences, improved customer retention and greater profits as a result.

Workforce Engagement Management

With so many colleagues engaging with customers at any given time, it can be difficult for businesses to pinpoint colleagues who are suffering from issues concerning their interactions with customers. Declining sales figures, elongated call/chat times and general communication problems can all cost the business customers and revenue in the short and long term.

However, thanks to workforce engagement management tools from 8×8, businesses can quickly identify not only the colleagues whose work could be improved for the benefit of the business, but the precise aspect of their work that needs improvement. Combined with speech analytics (mentioned above), quality management tools can automatically analyse the value of customer interactions and outline precisely where improvements can be made. By cutting out the usual investigatory period and getting straight to the problem, businesses can solve problems much faster and offer their colleagues the training and improvement they need to serve customers well.

What is Mitel MiVoice Business?

Another tremendously popular communications provider, Mitel has been around as a company for 50 years and has grown and evolved alongside new and emerging technologies. Today, they are ranked as one of the top 3 business communications providers globally, with 35 million customers across 100 countries. They are the provider of choice for various businesses and establishments, including Liverpool University and North Yorkshire County Council to name but a few.

The Mitel MiVoice Business platform also offers users a flexible and easy-to-use communications platform, incorporating the best UCaaS features, while also delivering a plethora of features that make it an ideal choice for businesses seeking something slightly different. Read on to find out why…

What are the features and benefits of MiVoice Business?

Flexible Deployment

While many UCaaS solutions (and similar) are cloud-based for ease of access and management, this option doesn’t always suit every business, depending on that business’s personal preference. Some businesses still value keeping an element of control over their communications solutions, rather than handing over the entire solution to a provider.  That’s why MiVoice Business is deployable via the cloud, on-site or a combination of the two, for ultimate flexibility. This way, businesses can access the tools however they see fit in a way that works for them. The product is also available for purchase as a single one-off payment, or under a subscription model – yet another element of flexibility to match the needs of countless businesses.

MiCollab and MiTeam Meetings

With an emphasis on inter-team collaboration, the MiCollab and MiTeam Meetings apps allow teams working on the same projects to become even closer. Offering a single virtual location for teams to work, collaborate, share ideas and make important updates to files, teams can quickly and easily gather their collective thoughts and put them to use in the advancement of the business – even when everyone is working in separate locations. All remote workers need to do is log into the same collaboration session and they’re good to go, no matter where they are. Plus, the MiTeam Meetings application allows for the easy hosting and recording of video conferencing sessions, so you’ll always be able to refer back to important details discussed in any meeting, should the need arise.

MiVoice Business Console

The perfect tool for high-volume inbound call setups, the MiVoice Business Console is an office attendant and teleworker’s go-to interface to handle everything they need concerning answering or transferring inbound customer calls. As the software is entirely digital-based, it can be utilised by workers in the office or home environments, so no customers are ever left waiting longer than they should be no matter where your team is based. The intuitive call history support is a handy feature that allows call handlers to instantly view a customer’s previous interactions with the company, so they can immediately be transferred back to the correct person or department if a call is dropped or if they need to call back for whatever reason. This significantly reduces the time a customer spends on a call, allowing call handlers to use their time more productively and further drive business success.

Which Solution is Best For My Business?

While both the 8×8 XCaaS and Mitel MiVoice Business systems offer enticing features and benefits that would make them both a fantastic choice for many businesses, the key difference between the two – and potentially the deciding factor – is the difference in deployment model. While 8×8 boasts an impressive and widely-used cloud-based platform, Mitel also emphasises giving businesses the option to host their technology on-site, along with their various payment options. So, if you are seeking a well-reviewed, all-around communications and contact centre platform for your business, 8×8 will serve you well. However, if you value versatility in your communications and the option to house your systems on your premises, without sacrificing good features and benefits, a Mitel MiVoice business solution may be best for your business. 

Why Choose Elite?

If the above benefits and features sound like they would make a welcome addition to your business’s current communications efforts, speak to us at Elite Group. As trusted partners of both 8×8 and Mitel, we are relied upon by both companies to offer their services to businesses everywhere. With over two decades of experience delivering business technology solutions to satisfied customers – both large and small – we are ideally positioned to assist your business in its communications and help you best utilise the available tools, so you can improve your prospects, reach new customers and boost company revenue.

Our team of highly trained, experienced and accredited product specialists are on hand to answer any questions you may have, ensuring you make the correct decision for your business the first time around. Dedicated account management is also available, making sure your chosen solution is always fit for purpose.Plus, our reliable support is available to answer queries, deal with technical issues and help you maximise your solutions to their fullest. 

If you have any questions about the above products or questions about our services in general, speak with an Elite expert today.