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Customer Support · head to head

8x8 Contact Center vs IBM Watson Assistant

8x8 Contact Center logo

8x8 Contact Center

Customer Support

Integrated cloud communications and contact center

From
$85/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
IBM Watson Assistant logo

IBM Watson Assistant

Live Chat & Chatbots

IBM's enterprise AI platform for conversational experiences

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only IBM Watson Assistant has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 8x8 Contact Center listed on G-Cloud 14 directly by 8x8 UK Limited (not a reseller) at £0.68 to £113.40 per user per month for 8x8 Contact Centre; IBM Watson Assistant listed on UK G-Cloud 14 at £112 per instance per month, submitted directly by IBM United Kingdom Limited for IBM watsonx Assistant
  • They diverge on capability: 8x8 Contact Center covers Voice, IBM Watson Assistant covers NLU engine.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 8x8 Contact Center and IBM Watson Assistant actually diverge.

Attributes where 8x8 Contact Center and IBM Watson Assistant differ
Attribute8x8 Contact CenterIBM Watson Assistant
Starting price$85/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Desktop, Ios, AndroidWeb, Mobile, Messaging, Voice, Contact centers
CategoryCustomer SupportLive Chat & Chatbots
Founded19871911

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 8x8 Contact Center

  • Voice
  • Digital channels
  • IVR
  • ACD
  • WFM
  • Quality management
  • Analytics
  • Microsoft Teams

Only in IBM Watson Assistant

  • NLU engine
  • Dialogue management
  • Integration with Watson services
  • Multi-language
  • Slack
  • Teams
  • SAP
  • Mobile support

Both cover

  • Salesforce
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

8x8 Contact Center

  • Unified communicationsnot IBM Watson Assistant
  • Contact centernot IBM Watson Assistant
  • Remote worknot IBM Watson Assistant
  • Customer support

IBM Watson Assistant

  • Customer engagementnot 8x8 Contact Center
  • Lead generationnot 8x8 Contact Center
  • Customer support
  • Sales automationnot 8x8 Contact Center

Both are used for customer support, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

8x8 Contact Center

  • Listed on G-Cloud 14 directly by 8x8 UK Limited (not a reseller) at £0.68 to £113.40 per user per month for 8x8 Contact Centre

IBM Watson Assistant

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud 14 at £112 per instance per month, submitted directly by IBM United Kingdom Limited for IBM watsonx Assistant

Pricing, plan by plan

8x8 Contact Center

$85/month
  • X6$85/month
    • Voice contact center
    • ACD
    • IVR
  • X7$110/month
    • X6 + Digital channels
    • Quality management
  • X8$140/month
    • X7 + WFM
    • Speech analytics
    • Advanced AI

IBM Watson Assistant

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic chatbot
    • Limited interactions
  • Plus$140/month
    • Unlimited interactions
    • Advanced features
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Full customization
    • Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

Choose 8x8 Contact Center if

  • You need voice.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android.
  • You also want digital channels.
8x8 Contact Center review

Choose IBM Watson Assistant if

  • You need nlu engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Messaging, Voice, Contact centers.
  • You also want dialogue management.
IBM Watson Assistant review

Questions people ask

Is 8x8 Contact Center or IBM Watson Assistant better?
Neither clearly leads. 8x8 Contact Center starts at $85/month and IBM Watson Assistant at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 8x8 Contact Center or IBM Watson Assistant?
IBM Watson Assistant has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $85/month for 8x8 Contact Center and Free for IBM Watson Assistant.
Does 8x8 Contact Center or IBM Watson Assistant run on more platforms?
8x8 Contact Center runs on Web, Desktop, Ios, Android. IBM Watson Assistant runs on Web, Mobile, Messaging, Voice, Contact centers.
Can I use IBM Watson Assistant for free?
Yes. IBM Watson Assistant has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 8x8 Contact Center starts at $85/month.
What is 8x8 Contact Center best used for?
8x8 Contact Center is most often used for unified communications, contact center, remote work, customer support. Of those, unified communications and contact center are not what IBM Watson Assistant is typically brought in for.
What can 8x8 Contact Center do that IBM Watson Assistant cannot?
8x8 Contact Center covers Voice, Digital channels, IVR, ACD. IBM Watson Assistant covers NLU engine, Dialogue management, Integration with Watson services, Multi-language. Both handle Salesforce, Web support.
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