Below, Tjeerd Verhoeff pens how ACS is transforming Purple
In 2022, we knew legacy on-premise systems were not going to sustain us as a fully independent contact center solution for the dozens of customers we serve. At Purple, we needed a cloud-based solution that enabled us to deliver better customer support and engagement—and allowed us to stay competitive in the market.
We looked at four options, but it was an easy decision for us: Azure Communication Services bridges the gap between outdated infrastructure and a secure, scalable platform, enabling our entire business to expand its services while ensuring data is securely managed and compliant with regulatory standards.
How we transformed Purple’s technological base with Azure Communication Services
Our previous investments in Microsoft Teams and Teams Direct Routing for PSTN connectivity aligned seamlessly with Azure Communication Service’s interoperable framework. By adopting ACS, we modernized our technological stack and expanded our service capabilities to include reception and delegation services.
Azure Communication Service’s efficiency has allowed us to develop a cost-effective, reliable solution with minimal development effort while also addressing data storage and compliance requirements. Sensitive customer data is now stored securely within customers’ Azure tenants, enhancing security and regulatory compliance.
The seamless integration and robust features of ACS have significantly enhanced our product offerings, making a complex system feel intuitive and easy for our users. This is exactly what we need to stay ahead in a competitive market, shares Purple CTO Tjeerd Verohoeff.
Integrating AI for enhanced contact center capabilities
The migration and integration processes presented logistical and technical challenges, particularly in transferring large volumes of PSTN minutes and seamlessly transitioning services for existing customers without disrupting their operations. But our team at Purple did a great job integrating ACS into client operations, which has bolstered our position in the contact center market.
Leveraging ACS features—such as call automation, direct routing, job router, call recording, transcription, and media functionalities—we enhanced our communication capabilities to support chat, email, and SMS services.
We also tap into several Microsoft AI technologies to improve our contact center capabilities. Services like speech-to-text (STT), text-to-speech (TTS), transcription, summarization, and sentiment analysis provide actionable insights for businesses and agents. For optimized performance, planned integrations with Copilot studio let managers and customers query specific contact center metrics, such as agent availability and peak interaction times.
Flexibility and scalability translate to cost-effectiveness for customers
With ACS’s flexibility and scalability, we've developed a business model centered around cost-effectiveness and reliability. Its pay-as-you-go structure supports unlimited agents and queues, charging customers based on usage, which has reduced our costs by up to 50% and improved stability by 83% compared to older solutions.
At Purple, we offer granular billing that differentiates costs for VoIP minutes, call recordings, and transcriptions. Integration with platforms like Salesforce, Jira, and Dynamics365 further streamlines operations, and helps us deliver a seamless, high-quality, cost-effective experience for all of our clients.
We are excited about the AI-driven collaboration with Microsoft, which enhances our voice, chat, and CRM integration services, delivering significant value to our customers. This partnership will optimize the end-user experience, seamlessly integrate existing customer data, and provide a more cost-effective solution for businesses to scale and elevate their customer interactions.
- Purple Chief Technology Officer Tjeerd Verhoeff
Updated Dec 16, 2024
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