Vonage Ranked Highest in Video Use Case in Gartner Critical Capabilities for CPaaS Report

Key findings in the Gartner Critical Capabilities for CPaaS Report

As the report notes, CPaaS has emerged as a key technology to operationalize customer experience (CX) improvements through features — such as advanced messaging channels, conversational commerce, a low-code visual builder, a customer data platform, channel orchestration, and use-case templates. In doing so, we feel they are gaining the capabilities that will help them provide a more comprehensive, cohesive, and engaging CX.

Of course, given the stunning recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), many businesses are wondering where AI fits into the CPaaS solutions they are considering. The report notes that CPaaS vendors are investing in AI and machine learning (ML) tools, including conversational AI and generative AI, for customer engagement features, such as chatbots and voicebots, to improve platform operational efficiency, performance, and security.

 Vonage AI Acceleration Suite has integrated low-code/no-code solutions that allow companies to quickly build new applications to enhance their customers' digital experiences, is also mentioned.

In the report, Gartner also offers strategic guidance to businesses that aim to improve their CX. We believe that although many companies still tap CPaaS for simple use cases, they should consider leveraging its more advanced capabilities, as well. Recommendations:

• Improve the customer experience across the customer life cycle by using advanced CPaaS capabilities.
• Adopt the conversational AI and emerging generative AI capabilities of CPaaS platforms to provide self-service options to customers.
• Enhance the security of critical enterprise communications by utilizing CPaaS platform features for fraud detection and management, identity, trust and secure communications.
• Increase customer satisfaction, retention and upsell by prioritizing use cases that reduce operational and customer service costs.
• Complement internal developer resources by co-creating with CPaaS vendors and systems integrators (SI) partners to exploit the complex and advanced features offered by CPaaS platforms.

Vonage CPaaS capabilities rank first — Video use case

Companies also need to understand what each CPaaS platform is capable of delivering to pick the right solution for their needs. To help businesses make an informed decision, the Gartner Critical Capabilities report outlines the Use Cases of a modern CPaaS solution and assesses how each of the 13 vendors evaluated delivers each of them. Vendors are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score possible. According to the report, a score of 4 is, "Excellent; meets or exceeds some requirements." The Vonage CPaaS solution was ranked 4.57 out of 5 in five Use Cases, ranked highest in Video Use Case.

Gartner rated Vonage 4.45 out of 5 for Basic Communications Use Case, such as SMS, voice, and messaging apps. Next was conversational commerce experiences, which involve a combination of communications channels, including basic ones such as SMS, MMS, voice, and email. Vonage scored 4.50 out of 5 in this category.

In addition, Gartner gave Vonage a 4.38 out of 5, for Vertical and Horizontal Applications Use Case. These use cases include telemedicine and remote learning, which heavily rely on video. When it came to the Global Enterprise Use Case, Vonage scored 4.42 out of 5, placing Vonage among the four highest scoring vendors. When it came to Video Use Case, Vonage scored 4.57 out of 5, the highest ranked vendor of all vendors assessed. This critical capability includes programmable video APIs, such as video streaming and in-app video service. For example, it can involve integrated video capabilities that are tightly built into applications, such as telemedicine, education, gaming, and even drones.

Given that Vonage received highest ranking in the Video Use Case as well as second highest ranking in the Vertical and Horizontal Applications Use Case, we think businesses that seek to leverage advanced CPaaS capabilities may benefit from learning how Vonage video offerings can help them achieve their CX goals.

How Vonage Video API can elevate the customer experience

Vonage offers powerful video capabilities that businesses can use to digitally transform and create stellar customer experiences. Vonage Video API has the richest set of live video features on the market, honed over many years in response to the needs of thousands of customers. It supports all your video use cases, be they 1:1 video, group video chat, or live broadcast events.

Vonage Video API gives you maximum flexibility to create exactly the kinds of video experiences your customers will find engaging, whether you're conducting complex technical training, ensuring smooth legal proceedings, recruiting talented candidates, administering remote tests, or hosting a hybrid sporting event for thousands of people.

Screen sharing features make it possible to share screens and content between session participants, which can be especially beneficial in remote learning scenarios. Video chat embeds allow you to add live video to websites in four minutes with just one line of HTML. You can also easily customize audio and video streams on mobile devices according to your requirements, adding intriguing effects and filters or even delving straight into immersive augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences. If you need to provide just video, just voice, or a mix of those channels in a session, you've got full latitude to do that, too.

Meanwhile, a full complement of audio and video recording capabilities ensures you can preserve sessions after they've ended. This comes in handy when you want to create post-event content, make training materials available, or just keep recordings on hand for posterity.

Security features can help protect your recordings and make sure they're accessible only to authorized parties. With advanced insights, you can gain crucial visibility into the end user experience that you can use to further improve customer engagement, streamline operations from behind the scenes, and maximize ROI.

Several forward-thinking companies have already leveraged these advanced CPaaS capabilities to digitally transform their businesses and significantly improve their customer experience. For example:

• Telescope Health, a physician-led healthcare solutions company, used CPaaS to build a game-changing telehealth solution that better serves consumer needs and drives better patient outcomes.
• Tutlo, a disruptor in the world of education, leveraged it to deliver high-quality video and audio language instruction at scale to satisfy the needs of its rapidly growing customer base.
• Examroom.AI, the world's first AI-based proctoring platform, tapped Vonage video and voice capabilities to maintain exam integrity and allow eight million test-takers to complete their exams as the company continued its course of exponential global growth.

Build your own experience with Vonage Video API

Your business and its customers are unique, so you need a customizable video solution that can enable your specific use cases. Vonage Video API allows you to build your own experience, giving you out-of-the-box speed or build-your-own customization — whatever's needed to carry out the task at hand. For example, Video Express accelerates development by automating stream management and incorporating expert best practices for layout and bandwidth. It's feature-rich and especially well-suited to sectors like telehealth, education, and events.

If real-time, high-quality interactive video meetings are central to your customer experience, but your specific needs are somewhere between that of a DIY approach and a pre-built solution, Meetings API lets you add video in your app or webpage, so you don't have to build that capability out from scratch. Businesses find it particularly advantageous for running effective visual call centers, training and tutoring sessions, and recruiting and hiring processes, among other things.

When done well, virtual events can create a uniquely compelling experience that delights and inspires customers. Vonage Interactive Broadcast allows you to bring large-scale video events directly to your branded website, engaging with thousands of participants across the globe in real-time. You can customize your presentation with video streams or overlays or inspire real-time audience interaction with live chats, emojis, and whiteboards.

Then, there are the events that are too special not to capture in their entirety. For these special occasions, you can use Vonage Experience Composer to broadcast live events as they happen, create entire experience recordings as the events are taking place, and then present them as valuable on-demand assets afterward. This capability is especially impactful for use cases in events, education, training and tutoring, and mobile promotions.

Use powerful video capabilities to advance your CX

As the Gartner report points out, even today, a large proportion of CPaaS use is for simple use cases. If businesses want to digitally transform and improve the customer experiences they provide, however, the analyst firm suggests they turn their attention to more advanced CPaaS capabilities that they may have previously overlooked. This approach will help them enhance their CX across the entire customer life cycle. With the ability to continuously improve CX in this fashion, these businesses will have a stronger chance of earning long-term customer loyalty and driving continued growth.

Video is a particularly compelling CPaaS capability that your business can tap to elevate its CX, and it can be applied to a wide range of use cases in multiple industries. If you're providing international language tutoring, ensuring a smooth judicial process, running a visual call center, recruiting top talent to power your next stage of growth, or pursuing a distinct use case that's all your own, Vonage Video APIs can help you make your vision a reality. They're flexible enough to meet you where you're at, whether you need a full-service, out-of-the-box option or something between DIY and off-the-shelf.

With the right video capabilities in your corner, you'll have everything you need to transform your business and give your customers an experience they won't soon forget.

Check out the powerful video capabilities from Vonage that can elevate your business experience.