Any 3CX customer knows two things: the company has an almost obsessive compulsion to offer fantastic value for money, with a “free forever” mantra that applies to small businesses in particular; and it matches that with its untiring desire to improve its products.
It does that by listening to what customers want, as can be clearly seen in the latest update: 3CX V20 Update 4. This brings 3CX’s own AI transcription. Not only is this more cost-effective than Google and OpenAI rivals, but it’s also tuned to your needs.
It will soon be followed by advanced analysis, in 3CX V20 Update 5. This will extract true meaning from the calls, once again getting you closer to your customers.
That focus, on connecting you with customers, has been key for 3CX in all of its 2024 updates. It means understanding them better, helping them reach the right people within your organization more easily, and protecting their privacy.
In this overview, we go through the key improvements of recent updates, including Update 4, but it’s worth emphasizing we haven’t included everything. For example, 3CX also has a new high-priority setting for better voice quality, while 3CX partners who host the service for companies should take a deep look at the new 3CX Multi-Tenant feature.
Affordable AI transcription
This is the big news from 3CX V20 Update 4: affordable AI transcription for your business! Until Update 4, 3CX’s call transcription relied on either OpenAI or Google. Depending on the installation size, that meant bills could easily ramp up into the hundreds of dollars for transcription alone.
With Update 4, you take control of costs. Not just because 3CX can provide more cost-effective services than OpenAI and Google but because its customers can fine-tune exactly which departments use it; on for sales and support, but off for the accounts department, for example.
For a limited time, 3CX is offering enterprise users free transcription of calls. It would love to make this free forever, but there is a cost associated with offloading transcription to GPUs in the cloud (it’s too CPU-intensive to be run locally on hardware).
Advanced AI analysis
The other problem is that OpenAI and Google aren’t focused on the customer experience. As a result, their analysis of the calls is quite limited and doesn’t offer the insights that 3CX users really needed. 3CX V20 Update 5, coming soon, will go far beyond call transcription and bring you yet more features designed to connect you with your customers.
This breaks down into five key areas:
- Customer Sentiment: a customer satisfaction rating that will help identify trends and determine your priorities
- Agent Effectiveness: operator empathy rating, helping to identify training needs
- Content Analysis: to include products and companies mentioned, discussion topics, keywords and resolution analysis
- Call Analysis: type, intent, participants and call urgency rating
- Suggested Follow Up: a powerful tool that will suggest actions and topics for follow-up calls
This information will all become available for in-depth analysis by staff and managers through a new reporting interface.
Presence in 3CX and Teams
We’re all well aware of how useful presence information can be within teams, especially those distributed across different locations, but it can be extremely challenging to keep presence information synchronized across software platforms. With the latest updates to 3CX, you can easily synchronize Microsoft Teams presence to 3CX, or from 3CX to Teams.
Previously, this was possible – but only if you went through the arduous step-by-step process of configuring Microsoft Teams Direct Routing. Now, so long as you’ve integrated Microsoft 365 correctly, it will simply work.
Greater admin control
These updates aren’t just great for users; they’re great for admins, too. You now have granular control down to the user level, in a way that wasn’t possible before. For example, you can now configure per user whether they can see call logs of other users in the group – and whether they can hide their calls from other users in that group.
You can also control whether the presence of other users is shown or not, and whether they can perform call operations. For example, whether they can transfer and divert calls, or perhaps pick up a call currently with the Digital Receptionist.
Admins can now see who’s connected to your PBX – and then terminate that connection if necessary. For the moment, only web client connections are shown, but this will include connections via apps in the future.
Web-based call control API
3CX V20 Update 4 brings a web-based call control API for enhanced flexibility. This lets you manage and process live calls, such as using AI in real-time to guide callers through steps before transferring them.
Previously, implementing such solutions required skilled developers, adding complexity and cost. The new approach simplifies integration, making it faster and more affordable to deploy.
Private videoconferencing
3CX understands that some companies (and government institutions) will be concerned about sharing their IP and secrets with conferencing providers. In that situation, it’s vital that all voice and video calls stay within the organization.
You can now configure your own Video Conferencing Server, hosted and controlled by you, ensuring your organization is the only one to hear (or transcribe!) your calls. Learn how to configure a private video conference server by clicking here.
Improved apps
Quite apart from improving its main Phone System, 3CX constantly improves its software phone offerings too. Here’s a quick rundown of what’s new in the Windows and iPhone applications.
New Windows softphone
If you like answering calls on a physical phone – rather than from your softphone – then the new Windows softphone allows you to do just that. You simply need to have a deskphone already configured to your account, with switching devices controlled from the Settings page.
You can also access an all-new, quick action panel for faster logging in and out of queues, while a simple ringer on/off feature is surely self-explanatory!
While smaller companies should still download 3CX’s secure Windows softphone app directly from the Microsoft Store, if you want to control the roll-out and updating of the software yourself then there’s now an option to deploy the Windows softphone using the MSIX app package format.
Improved iOS app
Apple iPhone owners can now make calls on the road using the updated iOS app thanks to support for Apple CarPlay. For example, say “Hey Siri, call Kate using 3CX” and it will work out who to call from your address book.
The app also makes it simple to read and reply to messages: when you receive a message, a notification will appear on your dashboard and the message will be read out to you. To reply, tap on the notification, choose “reply” and Siri will prompt you to dictate the message and will then send it.
Finally, it’s now possible to access your voicemail using voice commands. And it couldn’t be simpler: just say “Hey Siri, call voicemail using 3CX”.
Improved Android app
3CX’s improved Android app adds a bunch of features that will help you get closer to your customers. Top of the list, you can now add Microsoft, CRM, personal or company contacts while on a call to an unsaved number (simply tap on the Add Contact label from the dialer interface).
There’s also a new tool to monitor connection quality while on a call, which will generate a report afterwards, and the ability to quickly elevate an active call to a conference with colleagues – perfect for escalating a complaint or bringing in technical experts.
Try 3CX for free
Want to try 3CX for free? It’s easier than ever thanks to a new deployment wizard and a streamlined sign-up process for 3CX instances.
Whereas before all potential customers would go down the same route, 3CX has now separated smaller customers from larger enterprises. Small businesses still get 3CX free forever. However, Enterprise customers – who require more features than the free version offers – get a free two-month 3CX PRO trial with the options to self-host, hosted by 3CX or download on-premise.
3CX makes it easy for SMBs to get a free communications system, hosted by 3CX. However, one of its key strengths is catering to companies with 25 to 1,000 user installations who can self-host and who require a more advanced and sometimes complex communications system.
3CX offers a solution that can cost a fraction of its competitors while never compromising on features. Sign up today and you’ll see just how easy it is to set up and manage too.
Click to try 3CX free.
