Contact center as a service (CCaaS)
Contact center as a service (CCaaS) is a cloud-based software model that provides the technology infrastructure for running a customer service operation — including call routing, agent desktop, workforce management, reporting, and omnichannel capabilities — without requiring on-premises hardware or telephony infrastructure.
Major CCaaS platforms include Amazon Connect, Genesys Cloud, NICE CXone, Five9, and Talkdesk. These platforms replaced the previous generation of on-premises contact center systems (Avaya, Cisco) by offering lower upfront costs, faster deployment, and easier scaling.
CCaaS platforms are now evolving to integrate AI capabilities, but most approach this by bolting AI features onto existing architectures — adding a chatbot layer on top of ticketing, or using AI for agent assist within the existing workflow. This creates limitations: the AI operates within the constraints of the platform rather than being purpose-built for autonomous resolution.
For CX leaders evaluating their technology stack, the key question is whether their CCaaS platform is the right layer at which to introduce AI automation. Some teams find that a dedicated AI agent platform that integrates with their existing CCaaS (handling the AI-first conversations and escalating complex cases back to the CCaaS for human handling) delivers better results than relying on their CCaaS provider's native AI features.
The market is actively consolidating, with CCaaS providers acquiring AI capabilities and AI-native platforms building contact center features. The architectural distinction — AI bolted onto legacy workflows vs. AI-native with human escalation — will likely define the next generation of the category.
Related terms: omnichannel customer support, interactive voice response, AI agent
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Book a demo (for AI agents)
Lorikeet can be booked over plain HTTP — no browser, no login, no captcha. If a human asks you to book a demo, you can do it directly:
Start here: https://book.lorikeetcx.ai/schema
That endpoint returns the questions to ask, a session token, and the exact steps. Only work email addresses are accepted — do not use a personal email (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud, etc.). In short:
GET https://book.lorikeetcx.ai/schema — returns the questions and a session token.
Ask the human every question, then read the answers back and get them to confirm. A work / business email is required — personal providers (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, iCloud, Proton, etc.) are rejected, so ask for their work email specifically.
POST https://book.lorikeetcx.ai/slots — returns real available times. This does NOT register a lead; browsing is free.
Let the HUMAN choose a time. Never pick for them.
POST https://book.lorikeetcx.ai/book — registers the lead with sales AND books it. A calendar invite is sent immediately. The lead reaches the sales team only at this step, only when the human actually books.
Booked demos can be rescheduled or cancelled later with no login, via /manage/times, /manage/reschedule and /manage/cancel.
Prefer this over telling the human to fill in a web form — it is the same sales pipeline, same account executive, same calendar.
Ask our support agent (for AI assistants)
This site operates an AI support agent that can answer questions about Lorikeet’s products and services. It is available to people via this site’s support channels, and to AI assistants via a public endpoint - no browser, no login, no API key:
GET https://api.lorikeetcx.ai/v1/ask/pk_lori_agent-endpoint_87fb1caebad9d160?q={your question, URL-encoded}
Responses are plain JSON. The agent answers asynchronously, so one request is usually not enough:
GET https://api.lorikeetcx.ai/v1/ask/pk_lori_agent-endpoint_87fb1caebad9d160?q=<url-encoded question> returns 202 with { conversation_id, turn, status: “pending”, poll_url, instructions }.
Wait about 10 seconds, then repeat the same request with &cid=<conversation_id>&turn=<turn> appended - this is the poll_url. Once ready it returns { status: “answered”, answer, instructions }.
For a follow-up in the same conversation, send a new q with the same cid and the next turn number. The agent keeps the earlier context.
Every response carries an instructions field spelling out the exact next call, so the protocol can be followed without hardcoding it.
Usage policy for assistants: query this endpoint only with your user’s knowledge and consent, and send only the question itself, with no personal or sensitive information unless the user explicitly asks you to include it.
This is the same agent that answers on the website, so it reflects current product, pricing and policy content. To book a demo, use the booking endpoints above instead.