AI was once a concept that belonged in the realm of science fiction. There was even a major Hollywood film with that exact two-letter title. It may have been novel then, but as we move into the 2020s, things are very different indeed. Artificial intelligence – a term used to describe a group of technologies – is having an immense impact on everyday life. AI is reshaping processes and activities in a wide range of settings.

In the past two months, companies everywhere have shifted their workforces from office cubicles and conference rooms to home offices and dining room tables. The coronavirus pandemic’s thunderous impact – bolstered by government mandates to maintain social distancing protocols and shut down non-essential workplaces – has forced companies to pivot hard and fast to a new reality, whether they’re ready for it or not.

For companies in competitive markets, customer support is a key differentiator. In fact, it can be one of the key reasons a customer decides to renew or churn. But with customer expectations higher than ever, and modern support no longer involving only simple, repeated questions, your front line is often dealing with a high volume of tickets across multiple channels that involve product and process complexity.

Business continuity is a challenge we are all currently facing, as most of us are unable to step into our office. During this time of social distancing, businesses rely on technology and software to collaborate with our team, interact with clients, and update information. Software applications can be broadly categorized into two categories: ‘on-premise’ and ‘cloud’.

Confronted with the global Coronavirus pandemic, IT and Network administrators now face the prospect of having large numbers of employees suddenly working from home. This change will likely require accelerated testing of network performance and digital experiences to ensure business-critical services operate smoothly.