Mark III Systems Launches Cognitive Call Center on IBM Cloud with Watson

May 2, 2017 No Comments

Armonk, N.Y. – 02 May 2017: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that Texas-based IT solutions provider and IBM Business Partner Mark III Systems has built a platform using cognitive technologies on IBM Cloud to help call centers increase efficiency, improve employee productivity and make more informed decisions based on near real-time insights.

Most call centers record phone conversations as unstructured data, only searchable by manually entered “tags.” If a conversation is relevant to an audit, it must be transcribed manually, which means reports can take weeks, which can result in decreased productivity and potentially decreased customer satisfaction.

Mark III Systems’ Cognitive Call Center platform transforms the traditional call center model by using IBM Cloud and Watson to help agents identify, filter, analyze and take actions on inbound and outbound calls. The platform uses IBM Cloud Object Storage to manage the unstructured data, and it uses Watson APIs, specifically Watson Speech to Text and Watson Tone Analyzer, to automate the transcription and tagging of audio, provide near real-time analytics and actions and enable deeper analytics for audit situations.

Mark III’s flagship partner, Cistera Networks, a leading developer and global provider of cloud business communications and collaboration solutions, is already seeing dramatic benefits from the Cognitive Call Center platform built on IBM Cloud. By adding cognitive aspects for near real-time analytics and actions, as well as enabling deeper analytics for audit and compliance situations, institutions are speeding up response times (from weeks to just minutes) without adding costly overhead. Additionally, by automatically transcribing and analyzing calls, then tagging them with specific information for records search, Cistera customers are now able to determine trends that can lead to profitable business improvements or new opportunities in minutes rather than days or weeks — then measure the outcome utilizing customer sentiments in future calls.

“Leading with Watson on the IBM Cloud has given us a unique way to guide and partner with enterprises like Cistera around their digital, cognitive and analytics strategies,” said Andy Lin, Vice President of Strategy, Mark III Systems. “The clients who have implemented our cognitive platforms have seen success so far, and we now view the platform approach as a future blueprint for our enterprise cognitive and analytics engagements going forward, including in support of enterprise call centers.”

Mark III’s development unit, BlueChasm, leveraged virtually the entire IBM development to deployment stack to create the cloud-based platform with an open API. With its highly repeatable, flexible solution, Mark III is set to revolutionize the call center market by providing cognitive business insights in near real time to its clients.

“Mark III Systems’ Cognitive Call Center is a powerful example of how our IBM Business Partners can create new business opportunities with Watson on IBM Cloud,” said David Wilson, Vice President, IBM Cloud Business Partners and Channel Innovation. “The innovative solution was built on IBM technology across the stack and was recently recognized as an IBM Beacon Award winner for Outstanding Solution Developed on Bluemix.”

IDC estimates that by 2020, global spending on cognitive and AI will be more than $46 billion.[1] To help its global business partners take advantage of this opportunity, IBM has launched the Watson Build, a new challenge designed to support its channel partners as they bring a cognitive solution to market. The deadline to apply is May 15, 2017, and businesses can join or learn more at: https://www-356.ibm.com/partnerworld/wps/static/watsonbuild/.

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For more information, visit: http://www.ibm.com/cloud-computing.

[1] IDC, Worldwide Semiannual Cognitive/Artificial Intelligence Systems Spending Guide, April 2017