In new Parature release waves, Microsoft adding 30+ features, operational improvements

Microsoft has announced plans to release updates to Parature, the multi-channel self-service and knowledge management solution. The updates will add new features, stronger knowledge management integration with Dynamics CRM, improved global availability, and it makes Parature available through Microsoft Online Services.

The release will be the most extensive in Parature's history, according to Bill Patterson, senior director of self service solutions at Microsoft. It introduces more than 30 high priority features and expands the product to work in fifty geographies and at least ten languages. The updates are in line with Microsoft's stated goals after the aquisition in February 2014.

Parature in Office 365 (second row, far right)

Parature also officially becomes a cloud service from Microsoft starting today. As a Microsoft Online Service, it adds the same baseline identity and user model that is consistent with other Microsoft properties. Performance has increased by about 25% and provisioning will be faster in the new release as well, Patterson says.

An agent's "above the service queue" view of customer historical activity data

Today's rollout introduces the concept of delivering agents a view of customers "above the queue." The concept is to give agents a full history of all points of service interaction the customer has already had with the company, whether it is web site page views, older chats, calls, or downloads.

"That's not new tech, it ...