Cisco is set to buy cloud communications company IMImobile as part of a deal worth almost $750 million. The acquisition, which will be Cisco’s largest in the UK for around three years, will see the company pay IMImobile shareholders 595 pence per share.
IMImobile has gained a strong following by providing interactive communication channels that enable businesses to remain constantly connected to their customers.
Once the acquisition has been completed, Cisco will be able to incorporate IMImobile’s solutions to provide an end-to-end customer interaction management solution for its clients.
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The customer journey
The acquisition will also help Cisco deliver the services that organizations need in a world where remote working has become adopted on a mass scale. Enterprise firms have been embracing Contact Center as a Service offerings to manage the increase in call volume as well as the transition to home working caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
By combining Cisco’s Webex Contact Center solution with IMImobile’s software applications, Cisco will be able to provide customers with a contextual, collaborative, and programmable omnichannel solution. Artificial intelligence will create augmented frontline employees and customer data will be able to personalize interactions to a far greater extent.
Cisco’s proposed acquisition remains subject to approval but is expected to close in the first quarter of next year. Upon completion, the IMImobile team will join Cisco’s Contact Center business unit.
“A great customer relationship is built on consistently enjoyable interactions where every touchpoint on every channel is an opportunity for businesses to deliver rich, engaging and intuitive experiences,” said Jeetu Patel, senior vice president and general manager of Cisco’s Security and Applications business.
“We look forward to working with IMImobile to help create a comprehensive [Customer Experience as a Serivce] solution for the market—one that gives businesses a platform to provide delightful experiences across the entire customer lifecycle journey.”
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