the voice of customer experience technology
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Rhys Fisher

@rhysfisher

Associate Editor · CX Today

Rhys is Associate Editor at CX Today, covering contact centre technology, CX AI and automation, and CRM & customer data platforms.

Recent work822 stories
When AI Agents Ignore “No,” Security Gets Real
News

When AI Agents Ignore “No,” Security Gets Real

AI agent security risks are rising as Medicare, Gemini testing, Manchester Airport, and CISA highlight access and identity threats.

Rhys Fisher · 24 Sept 2026
CRM’s Great Escape: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zeotap, and Zendesk Redraw the Data Battle
News

CRM’s Great Escape: Salesforce, HubSpot, Zeotap, and Zendesk Redraw the Data Battle

This week’s CRM news covers Salesforce’s Dreamforce vision, HubSpot’s Smart CRM, Zeotap’s Open CDP, and Zendesk AI agents.

Rhys Fisher · 21 Sept 2026
Can Adobe’s New CEO Put CX Orchestration at the Center of Its AI Era?
Feature

Can Adobe’s New CEO Put CX Orchestration at the Center of Its AI Era?

Adobe CEO Anil Chakravarthy comes from CX orchestration. Here’s what his appointment could mean for Adobe’s AI, data, and CX strategy

Rhys Fisher · 17 Sept 2026
Customer Engagement Weekly Roundup: Sprinklr Chases the Action Layer as AI Agents Demand Better Context
News

Customer Engagement Weekly Roundup: Sprinklr Chases the Action Layer as AI Agents Demand Better Context

This week’s customer engagement news covers Sprinklr, Tealium, LivePerson, and Monte Carlo’s latest AI and journey updates

Rhys Fisher · 15 Sept 2026
Contact Center Weekly Roundup: Zendesk Targets Language Barriers as AI Control Wars Heat Up
News

Contact Center Weekly Roundup: Zendesk Targets Language Barriers as AI Control Wars Heat Up

This week’s contact center news includes Zendesk voice translation, Genesys AI orchestration, RingCentral’s Mets deal, and Verint research

Rhys Fisher · 10 Sept 2026
Can Zendesk Cut Multilingual Contact Center Costs With AI?
News

Can Zendesk Cut Multilingual Contact Center Costs With AI?

Zendesk Real-Time Voice Translation promises lower multilingual contact center costs, but latency and escalation limits remain

Rhys Fisher · 10 Sept 2026
Genesys Unveils AI Control Plane and Agentic Orchestration Stack at Xperience 2026
News

Genesys Unveils AI Control Plane and Agentic Orchestration Stack at Xperience 2026

Genesys launches its AI Control Plane, Navigator, and Orchestrator to connect AI agents, customer data, and service workflows

Rhys Fisher · 3 Sept 2026
Could Your Contact Center’s Sentiment Tool Break EU Rules?
Feature

Could Your Contact Center’s Sentiment Tool Break EU Rules?

Could your contact center emotion AI break EU rules? Learn how sentiment tools create risks for agents, customers, and compliance

Rhys Fisher · 2 Sept 2026
Avaya’s AI Strategy Warning: CX Vendors Are Splitting Fast
Interview

Avaya’s AI Strategy Warning: CX Vendors Are Splitting Fast

Zeus Kerravala of ZK Research joins CX Today to discuss which CX vendors are leading on AI, where Avaya stands, and what buyers should watch next.

Rhys Fisher · 31 Aug 2026
Why AI-Only QA Still Leaves Support Leaders Doing the Heavy Lifting
Interview

Why AI-Only QA Still Leaves Support Leaders Doing the Heavy Lifting

Ty Given, Founder and CEO at CX Collective, explains how Quality as a Service helps support teams improve QA, coaching, and customer experience.

Rhys Fisher · 28 Aug 2026
Google Cloud and Verizon Double Down on AI-Powered Customer Experience
News

Google Cloud and Verizon Double Down on AI-Powered Customer Experience

Google Cloud and Verizon are expanding Gemini Enterprise to automate customer service, strengthen network operations, and scale enterprise AI

Rhys Fisher · 25 Aug 2026
Delta’s AI Ambition Puts Dynamic Pricing Back Under Scrutiny
News

Delta’s AI Ambition Puts Dynamic Pricing Back Under Scrutiny

Delta AI pricing could boost profits and improve operations, but dynamic fares are raising fresh questions around fairness and customer trust

Rhys Fisher · 24 Aug 2026
Big CX News from Salesforce, Stripe, OpenAI & Anthropic
News

Big CX News from Salesforce, Stripe, OpenAI & Anthropic

The latest news and insights from the biggest vendors in the CX and customer service space, including Salesforce, Stripe, OpenAI, Anthropic

Rhys Fisher · 21 Aug 2026
When Customer Service Doesn’t Go Swimmingly: Amazon’s Drone Delivery Blunder
News

When Customer Service Doesn’t Go Swimmingly: Amazon’s Drone Delivery Blunder

Amazon’s drone delivery mishap highlights customer service technology failures, from AI drive-thrus to chatbots that get it wrong.

Rhys Fisher · 20 Aug 2026
The Ultimate Guide to CX AI Pricing: Which Model is Right for Your Contact Center?
Feature

The Ultimate Guide to CX AI Pricing: Which Model is Right for Your Contact Center?

Explore six CX AI pricing models, from per-seat and usage billing to credits and outcomes, and find the best fit for your contact center.

Rhys Fisher · 20 Aug 2026
Is Microsoft’s AI Workforce Forecasting Enough for Contact Centers?
Explainer

Is Microsoft’s AI Workforce Forecasting Enough for Contact Centers?

Microsoft AI workforce forecasting brings human and AI capacity planning together. But can its WEM stack improve contact center CX?

Rhys Fisher · 19 Aug 2026
Has ServiceNow’s Autonomous Workforce Changed the CX Staffing Equation?
Feature

Has ServiceNow’s Autonomous Workforce Changed the CX Staffing Equation?

ServiceNow Autonomous Workforce is reshaping CX staffing, forcing contact centers to manage AI capacity, escalations, and agent workloads.

Rhys Fisher · 18 Aug 2026
What Anthropic’s Decart Deal Could Mean for Retail
News

What Anthropic’s Decart Deal Could Mean for Retail

Anthropic’s reported Decart deal could bring real-time video AI closer to retail CX, virtual try-on, and visual customer service.

Rhys Fisher · 17 Aug 2026
Stripe’s OpenRouter Deal Could Reshape AI Agent Pricing
News

Stripe’s OpenRouter Deal Could Reshape AI Agent Pricing

Stripe’s reported OpenRouter deal could reshape AI agent pricing, usage metering, and cost visibility for contact centers

Rhys Fisher · 17 Aug 2026
Big CX News from Five9, Cisco, Meta & More
News

Big CX News from Five9, Cisco, Meta & More

The latest and greatest news stories from the biggest vendors in the customer experience and service space, including: Five9, Cisco & Meta

Rhys Fisher · 14 Aug 2026
Your Customer Journey Analytics Are Broken – And Buying More AI Won't Fix It
Interview

Your Customer Journey Analytics Are Broken – And Buying More AI Won't Fix It

Givens and Kara explain why end-to-end journey visibility keeps failing, and why buying more AI before fixing the foundations won't help.

Rhys Fisher · 13 Aug 2026
Gartner Magic Quadrant for CRM Sales Platforms 2026: The Rundown
Guide

Gartner Magic Quadrant for CRM Sales Platforms 2026: The Rundown

Gartner’s 2026 Magic Quadrant for CRM Sales Platforms ranks Salesforce and Microsoft as Leaders, while others shift position.

Rhys Fisher · 12 Aug 2026
Genesys Puts AI Trust at the Center of Its Agentic CX Strategy
News

Genesys Puts AI Trust at the Center of Its Agentic CX Strategy

Genesys is putting AI governance, transparency, and cloud resilience at the heart of its agentic AI strategy for contact centers.

Rhys Fisher · 11 Aug 2026
Five9 Wins $100M Financial Services CCaaS Contract
News

Five9 Wins $100M Financial Services CCaaS Contract

Five9 has won a $100M CCaaS contract with a Fortune 100 financial services firm through Google Cloud Marketplace.

Rhys Fisher · 10 Aug 2026
The AI Race Has a Customer Experience Problem
Interview

The AI Race Has a Customer Experience Problem

RocketPhone.ai CEO Muj Choudhry explains why AI customer experience projects need trusted data, human oversight, and clear business outcomes.

Rhys Fisher · 10 Aug 2026
Big CX News from Avaya, ServiceNow, NiCE & HubSpot
News

Big CX News from Avaya, ServiceNow, NiCE & HubSpot

The latest and greatest news and insights from the biggest vendors in the space, including Avaya, ServiceNow, NiCE & HubSpot

Rhys Fisher · 7 Aug 2026
NiCE Wins Big CX AI Deals, But Enterprise Adoption Takes Time
News

NiCE Wins Big CX AI Deals, But Enterprise Adoption Takes Time

NiCE secured major HMRC and healthcare CX AI deals, but its Q2 call revealed the data, governance, and deployment hurdles facing enterprises.

Rhys Fisher · 6 Aug 2026
The Inaugural Gartner Magic Quadrant for Customer Service Knowledge Management Systems 2026: The Rundown
Guide

The Inaugural Gartner Magic Quadrant for Customer Service Knowledge Management Systems 2026: The Rundown

Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Customer Service Knowledge Management Systems is here. Meet the Leaders, Challengers, Visionaries & Niche Players

Rhys Fisher · 5 Aug 2026
HubSpot Got the Blame, But Does the Whole Industry Have the Same Problem?
Interview

HubSpot Got the Blame, But Does the Whole Industry Have the Same Problem?

Acoustic CMO Alexi Hatch on "signal debt," the opt-in line brands keep crossing, and why borrowed enrichment data is a major CX problem.

Rhys Fisher · 4 Aug 2026
Avaya Names New CEO – Can He Keep Up with Agentic AI?
News

Avaya Names New CEO – Can He Keep Up with Agentic AI?

Avaya has named Jeff Clarke CEO. Can he protect its enterprise contact center base while keeping pace with agentic AI?

Rhys Fisher · 3 Aug 2026
Big CX News from RingCentral, NiCE, Microsoft, Uber & Meta
News

Big CX News from RingCentral, NiCE, Microsoft, Uber & Meta

The latest and greatest news and insights from the world of CX, including RingCentral, NiCE, Microsoft, Uber & Meta

Rhys Fisher · 31 Jul 2026
The EU AI Act Deadline Is Here: Why CX Teams Cannot Afford to Wait
Feature

The EU AI Act Deadline Is Here: Why CX Teams Cannot Afford to Wait

The EU AI Act transparency deadline is here. Learn what contact centers must do on chatbots, AI disclosure, vendors, and customer trust.

Rhys Fisher · 30 Jul 2026
Salesforce: AI Is Raising CX Expectations Faster Than Brands Can Deliver
News

Salesforce: AI Is Raising CX Expectations Faster Than Brands Can Deliver

Salesforce’s State of Commerce report reveals how AI is raising customer experience expectations while fragmented data holds brands back.

Rhys Fisher · 29 Jul 2026
Why the 2026 Conversational AI Gartner Magic Quadrant Doesn't Add Up
Interview

Why the 2026 Conversational AI Gartner Magic Quadrant Doesn't Add Up

Wayne Butterfield questions the 2026 Gartner Conversational AI MQ, calls out an acquisition double standard, and shares what buyers should do

Rhys Fisher · 29 Jul 2026
SAP Talks Up AI Agents, but Where Are the CX Wins?
News

SAP Talks Up AI Agents, but Where Are the CX Wins?

SAP’s Q2 earnings call showcased AI agent ambition and operational results, but offered limited evidence of customer service transformation.

Rhys Fisher · 28 Jul 2026
FCC Offshore Call Center Proposal: Why Smart Leaders Are Already Preparing
Sponsored · Diabolocom

FCC Offshore Call Center Proposal: Why Smart Leaders Are Already Preparing

The FCC's offshore call center proposal has been public since March. In short, the proposal would introduce new rules on how US businesses handle offshore ca...

Rhys Fisher · 28 Jul 2026
Can RingCentral and NiCE Finally Unite UCaaS and CCaaS?
News

Can RingCentral and NiCE Finally Unite UCaaS and CCaaS?

NiCE will resell RingCentral RingEX while RingCentral extends its CXone deal. Can the partnership deliver integrated UCaaS and CCaaS?

Rhys Fisher · 27 Jul 2026
SAP's CMO on Why Brands Are Sitting on a "Dark Data" Time Bomb
Interview

SAP's CMO on Why Brands Are Sitting on a "Dark Data" Time Bomb

SAP Engagement Cloud CMO on why 43% of Gen Z using AI agents to buy is forcing brands to rethink how they act on customer data.

Rhys Fisher · 24 Jul 2026
Ericsson Appoints New Vonage CEO to Accelerate Its Turnaround
News

Ericsson Appoints New Vonage CEO to Accelerate Its Turnaround

Ericsson has named Christophe Van de Weyer as Vonage CEO, tasking the former API leader with accelerating CPaaS and network API growth.

Rhys Fisher · 23 Jul 2026
IBM Says AI Agents Need Real-Time Data to Deliver Value
News

IBM Says AI Agents Need Real-Time Data to Deliver Value

IBM is pairing watsonx Orchestrate with Confluent to give enterprise AI agents real-time, governed data and stronger control.

Rhys Fisher · 23 Jul 2026
Gartner to CX Leaders: Stop Treating AI Agents Like Employees
Interview

Gartner to CX Leaders: Stop Treating AI Agents Like Employees

Gartner VP Analyst Kathy Ross explains why managing AI agents like human employees is a costly mistake, and who should own AI oversight.

Rhys Fisher · 22 Jul 2026
Forget the Rulebook: How Self-Learning AI Is Rewriting Contact Center Automation
Sponsored · Omilia

Forget the Rulebook: How Self-Learning AI Is Rewriting Contact Center Automation

In this discussion, Rhys Fisher, Associate Editor at CX Today, sits down with Claudio Rodrigues, Chief Product Officer at Omilia , to dig into one of the mos...

Rhys Fisher · 22 Jul 2026
Can Zoom’s New Revenue AI Improve Customer Conversations?
News

Can Zoom’s New Revenue AI Improve Customer Conversations?

Zoom Revenue Accelerator adds real-time sales AI, roleplay, and account intelligence. Can it improve customer conversations?

Rhys Fisher · 22 Jul 2026
What a Stripe-PayPal Merger Would Mean for the Checkout Experience
Feature

What a Stripe-PayPal Merger Would Mean for the Checkout Experience

Stripe has reportedly made a $53 billion offer for PayPal. We look at what the proposed deal would mean for the future of checkout.

Rhys Fisher · 21 Jul 2026
Big CX News from Gartner, Genesys, Sprinklr & IBM
News

Big CX News from Gartner, Genesys, Sprinklr & IBM

The latest news and insights from the biggest vendors in the CX space, including: Gartner, Genesys, Sprinklr & IBM

Rhys Fisher · 17 Jul 2026
Why PwC and OpenAI Are Betting Big on Agentic Customer Service
News

Why PwC and OpenAI Are Betting Big on Agentic Customer Service

PwC US has launched agentic contact and service solutions with OpenAI, combining multimodal voice AI and a joint Center of Excellence.

Rhys Fisher · 16 Jul 2026
70% of Employees Are Misusing AI – CX Teams Should Be Worried
Interview

70% of Employees Are Misusing AI – CX Teams Should Be Worried

GoTo's Pulse of Work 2026 report reveals a growing AI governance gap. Here's why CX teams are at risk, and what to do about it.

Rhys Fisher · 15 Jul 2026
Gartner Magic Quadrant for Conversational AI Platforms 2026: The Rundown
Guide

Gartner Magic Quadrant for Conversational AI Platforms 2026: The Rundown

Gartner has published its 2026 Magic Quadrant for Conversational AI Platforms. Discover every Leader, Challenger, Visionary, and Niche Player

Rhys Fisher · 15 Jul 2026
Beyond the Bot: Why the Next Generation of Virtual Agents Are Built for Orchestration, Not Just Automation
Sponsored · Diabolocom

Beyond the Bot: Why the Next Generation of Virtual Agents Are Built for Orchestration, Not Just Automation

Some frustrations in life are fairly universal. Whether it’s someone stealing the parking spot right outside your house, accidentally stubbing your toe, or h...

Rhys Fisher · 15 Jul 2026
Your Contact Center AI is Failing - And You Probably Built it That Way
Sponsored · Omilia

Your Contact Center AI is Failing - And You Probably Built it That Way

In this CX Today discussion, host and Associate Editor Rhys Fisher sits down with Claudio Rodrigues, Chief Product Officer at Omilia , to cut through the AI ...

Rhys Fisher · 14 Jul 2026
Why Cancellation Friction Is Becoming a Major CX Liability
Feature

Why Cancellation Friction Is Becoming a Major CX Liability

Ofcom's record £28M fine against Virgin Media exposes how friction-by-design became a business model, and why regulators are out of patience

Rhys Fisher · 14 Jul 2026
Big CX News from HubSpot, Microsoft, OpenAI & Anthropic
News

Big CX News from HubSpot, Microsoft, OpenAI & Anthropic

The latest news and analysis from the biggest vendors in the CX space, including: HubSpot, Microsoft, OpenAI & Anthropic

Rhys Fisher · 10 Jul 2026
Zoom Brings AI Receptionist to Any Phone System – No Zoom Phone Required
News

Zoom Brings AI Receptionist to Any Phone System – No Zoom Phone Required

Zoom's standalone Virtual Agent Receptionist brings AI call handling to any existing phone system. No Zoom Phone required.

Rhys Fisher · 9 Jul 2026
Your Contact Center AI Is Cutting Costs; It Should Be Driving Revenue
Sponsored · Omilia

Your Contact Center AI Is Cutting Costs; It Should Be Driving Revenue

You’d be surprised at just how many CEOs are picking up the phone and calling their own contact centers. Not to check on staffing levels or review a transcri...

Rhys Fisher · 9 Jul 2026
The Contact Center AI Governance Gap Is Costing You
Sponsored · SuccessKPI

The Contact Center AI Governance Gap Is Costing You

When it comes to conversations about AI in the contact center, more often than not, the technology discussion is thorough, but the governance discussion is r...

Rhys Fisher · 9 Jul 2026
Meta Brings AI Business Agent to WhatsApp to Power 24/7 Customer Service
News

Meta Brings AI Business Agent to WhatsApp to Power 24/7 Customer Service

Meta's WhatsApp AI Business Agent handles queries, bookings, and lead qualification 24/7 — here's what it means for your CX strategy.

Rhys Fisher · 8 Jul 2026
Stop Calling It a Chatbot: Rewriting the Rules of Virtual Agent AI
Sponsored · Diabolocom

Stop Calling It a Chatbot: Rewriting the Rules of Virtual Agent AI

Host Rhys Fisher, Associate Editor at CX Today, sits down with Tom Azernour, AI Product Manager at Diabolocom , to unpack why the virtual agent category is l...

Rhys Fisher · 8 Jul 2026
“We Made a Mistake” – HubSpot Reverses Customer Data Enrichment Plan
News

“We Made a Mistake” – HubSpot Reverses Customer Data Enrichment Plan

HubSpot scrapped an opt-out data enrichment policy just 4 days after announcing it. Here's why customers revolted, and what comes next.

Rhys Fisher · 7 Jul 2026
The Hidden CX Cost of a Disconnected Marketing Stack
Interview

The Hidden CX Cost of a Disconnected Marketing Stack

Klaviyo's Co-CEO Chano Fernandez explains why interoperability is the real barrier to an omnichannel experience.

Rhys Fisher · 3 Jul 2026
Big CX News from Salesforce, HubSpot, Genesys & Microsoft
News

Big CX News from Salesforce, HubSpot, Genesys & Microsoft

Big CX News: The latest news and insights from the biggest CX brands, including Salesforce, HubSpot, Genesys & Microsoft

Rhys Fisher · 3 Jul 2026