Empowering Your Workforce with Multimodal Communications

Welcome to the second installment of our blog series exploring Mitel’s 7 Dimensions of Communication Control and Flexibility in hybrid cloud communications solutions. In our previous blog, we set the stage by examining the challenges of modernizing communications infrastructure in today’s ever-evolving technology landscape.

Today, we dive deep into the first dimension: Multimodal Communication.

But what exactly does that mean, and why is it so crucial for organizations to embrace this approach, especially to empower their frontline workers?

The Vital Role of the Frontline Worker

Frontline workers are the face of many organizations. They are the first point of contact for customers and the driving force behind creating customer experiences that represent their brand.

In many industries, frontline workers don’t have the luxury of a desk or traditional office setting. They are mobile and work in diverse environments, from retail stores and hospitals to manufacturing plants and outdoor job sites, and may be a blend of human and virtual agents. They need tools that support their dynamic work styles, meet customers where they are, and provide them with the information they need to excel in their roles.

Multimodal Communication: A New Approach

Multimodal communication moves beyond the limitations of single-channel communication, such as relying solely on phone calls or email. It is about seamlessly integrating various communication channels into a unified platform, empowering employees with a versatile toolkit to address customer needs in real-time. Mitel’s hybrid cloud solutions offer:

• Video conferencing (offered through our partnership with Zoom)
• Instant messaging
• Screen sharing
• And more!

These solutions work with various devices to communicate with, from traditional desktop and mobile devices to vertical-specific devices such as DECT phones and HiMed Bedside Terminals in healthcare organizations.

Think of it as equipping your workforce with a Swiss Army knife of communication tools, each designed for a specific purpose and ready to be used at a moment’s notice without stretching your IT resources too thinly.

Why Multimodal Matters

• Breaking Down Silos: Multimodal communication bridges the gap between teams, knowledge workers, and back-office staff. It enables instant access to experts, information, and support, fostering a more connected and collaborative work environment.


• Empowerment Through Information: Multimodal tools allow employees to quickly access knowledge bases, product information, and training materials, empowering them to handle inquiries more efficiently and effectively.


• Enhanced Customer Experience: Multimodal communication enriches customer interaction by offering a more personalized and engaging experience. Imagine an employee using video chat to demonstrate a product or screen sharing to guide a customer through a complex process. Knowledge and back-office employees knowing their efforts directly impact the customer experience generates increased employee satisfaction.

The Power of Partnership: Humans and Virtual Agents

Contact center agents are the backbone of customer interactions, serving as the primary frontline workers who shape the customer experience. A key opportunity of multimodal communications in the contact center is the ability to support them by blending human interaction with the efficiency of virtual agents. AI-powered virtual agents can handle routine tasks, answer frequently asked questions, and even triage customer inquiries, freeing employees to focus on more personal issues that require a human touch.

“[Our] multimodal concept blends the human and virtual agent to provide a seamless experience,” says Jan Hickish, VP, Solutions Marketing and Sales Enablement at Mitel.

A robust multimodal system ensures a seamless handoff between virtual and human agents, creating a smooth and efficient customer journey. When a virtual agent encounters a situation that requires human intervention, it can seamlessly transfer the interaction to a live agent, along with all relevant context and information.

The power of partnership also extends deeper into the organization. When discussing Mitel CX, Mitel’s new AI-assisted customer experience platform, Martin Bitzinger, Mitel's Senior Vice President of Product Management, emphasized the importance of customer interactions: “As customer expectations evolve, technology can become a strategic advantage. Mitel CX extends customer engagement capabilities to all employees, aligning communications across departments to create a cohesive CX environment and more meaningful customer interactions.” Making the customer experience more centralized, with more modes of support, results in better outcomes for the customer and the organization.

Implementing for Success

This is where the Multimodal step of Mitel’s 7 Dimensions helps organizations design the right communication experiences to help achieve their outcomes:

• Choosing the Right Platform: The ideal multimodal platform should be able to meet your customers where they are, integrate with existing business systems, and offer the resiliency, security, and compliance required to protect sensitive customer data during normal day-to-day operations, and adapt during crises.


• Training and Adoption: It is essential to equip employees with the skills and confidence to use new communication tools. Intuitive interfaces, ongoing support, and regular training sessions can drive successful adoption and maximize the benefits of multimodal communication.

Multimodal communication is more than just a technology upgrade; it is a strategic investment in employees and customers. By empowering teams with the right tools and information, you can unlock new levels of efficiency, collaboration, and customer satisfaction without increasing the IT resources required.

Want to learn more about how communication landscape integrations can empower your frontline and more? Stay tuned for the next blog in our series, where we delve into the world of integrations as the second step of Mitel’s 7 Dimensions of Communication Control and Flexibility.