Cisco is preparing to buy cloud communications company IMImobile in a deal worth almost €750 million. The acquisition, which will be Cisco's largest in the UK for around three years, will see the company pay IMImobile shareholders 595 pence per share. IMImobile has gained great popularity by providing interactive communication channels that allow businesses to stay constantly connected with their customers. Once the acquisition is complete, Cisco will be able to integrate IMImobile solutions to provide an end-to-end customer interaction management solution for its customers.
Customer's journey
This acquisition will also help Cisco deliver the services organizations need in a world where remote work has been widely adopted. Businesses have embraced contact center-as-a-service offerings to manage increased call volumes and the transition to working from home caused by the coronavirus pandemic. By combining the Cisco Webex Contact Center solution with IMImobile software applications, Cisco will be able to provide customers with a contextual, collaborative, and programmable omnichannel solution. Artificial intelligence will create augmented frontline workers and customer data will be able to personalize interactions to a greater extent. Cisco's proposed acquisition remains subject to approval, but is expected to close in the first quarter of next year. Upon completion, the IMImobile team will join the Cisco Contact Center business unit. "Great customer relationships are built on consistently enjoyable interactions where every touchpoint on every channel is an opportunity for companies to deliver rich, engaging and intuitive experiences," said Jeetu Patel, senior vice president and general manager of Apps Business. and Cisco security. "We look forward to working with IMImobile to help create a Marketplace Solution – a solution that provides businesses with a platform to deliver compelling experiences throughout the customer lifecycle."