Zoom Arms Integrators in SAARC

AI was supposed to slash contact center costs, but customers don’t trust clunky bots, and workflows remain a mess. This week, Zoom shook up the landscape by appointing Arijit Dey to spearhead its channel strategy in India and SAARC, betting that systems integrators (SIs) are the real power brokers for winning major deals. By doubling down on partner-led growth for its AI-powered collaboration and contact center tools, Zoom is aiming to challenge Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex in a region where buying through SIs is the norm. The stakes are high—if Zoom’s execution lands, both partners and customers could see real gains, but there’s a risk of margin pressure and internal conflict as the partner ecosystem grows.

But here’s the catch: None of this matters if the AI experience backfires. Research highlighted by CX Today and Five9’s Steve Blood reveals that bad automation isn’t just an annoyance—it drives customers away and jeopardizes billions in revenue. For AI to deliver real savings, trust is non-negotiable. Metrics like bot escalation rates and repeat contacts are now the leading indicators to watch; if automation blocks escalation or loses context, costs just shift and customer loyalty drops.

Meanwhile, ServiceNow and NICE have teamed up to tackle workflow fragmentation by connecting front-line customer signals directly to back-office action. If this partnership delivers on its promise of faster, end-to-end resolution, it could upend competitors that can’t close the loop—making “containment first” solutions look obsolete. Based on reporting from CX Today and insights from Five9’s Steve Blood.

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