Twilio Flex - Cloud Contact Centre as a Service

Service scope

Software add-on or extension: No
Cloud deployment model: Public cloud

Private cloud
Service constraints: No. The service is available with a 99.95% uptime SLA.
System requirements: Supports all leading web browser

Internet connectivity (of 1.5 Mbps download and 800 Kbps upload)

User support

Email or online ticketing support: Yes, at extra cost
Support response times: The service is monitored and supported 24 hours * 7 days per week.
Ciptex offers two support plans - Standard and Extended.

Standard Support provides access to the Ciptex helpdesk during UK standard business hours.

Extended Support is tailored to customer needs and can be a 24*7 service is required.

Priority 1 calls - guaranteed response in 2 hours
Priority 2 calls - 4 hours (within Support Hours)
Priority 3 calls - 8 hours (within Support Hours)
User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
Online ticketing support accessibility: None or don’t know
Phone support: Yes
Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
Web chat support: No
Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
Support levels: All customers are assigned a Technical Account Manager and an Account Executive.

We provide two levels of support - Standard and Extended (described above).

The cost of standard support is calculated monthly as the higher of 8% of total SaaS and usage spend or £2,000 per month.

Extended Support is quoted on an individual customised basis tailored to the customers' needs.
Support available to third parties: Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

Getting started: Ciptex provides a complete turnkey implementation service for Twilio Flex and our associated add-on products.
We provide consulting, project management, development and training services.
Implementations are usually a combination of onsite and online.
Documentation is provided as is end user training guides.
Service documentation: Yes
Documentation formats: HTML

PDF
End-of-contract data extraction: At the end of a service Twilio Flex provides APIs that can be used to extract data. You can use the Twilio REST API to programmatically retrieve your data. This might involve writing scripts that call the API endpoints and download the data in a structured format like JSON or CSV.
End-of-contract process: Offboarding and transition services can be included as an additional cost on a time and materials basis.

Using the service

Web browser interface: Yes
Supported browsers: Microsoft Edge

Firefox

Chrome

Safari

Opera
Application to install: No
Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
Differences between the mobile and desktop service: Twilio Flex Mobile extends the capabilities of Twilio Flex to mobile devices, enabling customer service agents to interact via voice, chat, and messaging from iOS and Android apps.

This solution supports omnichannel communication and integrates seamlessly with existing CRM systems and enterprise applications. It offers customisable interfaces, real-time notifications, and offline support.
Flex Mobile is ideal for providing flexible, remote customer support and enhancing the customer experience with immediate responses, suitable for businesses of all sizes. Agents can offer support from anywhere, improving accessibility and operational efficiency.
Service interface: Yes
User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
Description of service interface: Through the Twilio Flex service interface, administrators and supervisors can monitor and manage a wide range of functions. This includes real-time and historical reporting on agent performance and customer interactions across channels.

The interface also allows for the configuration and customisation of workflows, agent assignments, and communication routing.
Furthermore, supervisors can listen in on live calls, offer coaching, and manage queues and service levels. The dashboard provides analytics and insights, enabling proactive management and decision-making to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction. This comprehensive control suite makes it easier to maintain high service standards.
Accessibility standards: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
Accessibility testing: Twilio Flex is designed with accessibility in mind and has been tested to ensure it works well with assistive technologies.
Twilio aims to comply with global accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.1 Level AA and Section 508, which cover a range of recommendations for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities.
Twilio Flex has been developed to be compatible with screen readers, keyboard navigation, and other assistive technologies, helping users who rely on these tools to interact effectively with the Flex interface. Twilio encourages ongoing testing and improvement in response to user feedback to ensure that their platform remains accessible and inclusive.
API: Yes
What users can and can't do using the API: Twilio Flex allows users to interact via APIs by offering a powerful, programmable interface that integrates seamlessly with various systems and third-party services.
Users can customise workflows, manage communications, and enhance functionality using REST APIs and Twilio’s SDKs. This includes modifying user interfaces, integrating with CRM systems, automating tasks, and syncing data across platforms. APIs facilitate real-time data exchange and updates, enabling dynamic interaction handling and personalization at scale.
Flex’s APIs are well-documented, providing developers with the tools to build, extend, and connect communication channels effectively within the Flex environment.
API documentation: Yes
API documentation formats: Open API (also known as Swagger)

HTML
API sandbox or test environment: Yes
Customisation available: Yes
Description of customisation: Twilio Flex is highly customisable, allowing businesses to tailor both the front-end interface and back-end functionality to fit specific needs.

Flex's programmability extends across various components of the contact centre experience:

User Interface Customisation: Users can modify the appearance and layout of the Flex UI using CSS and JavaScript. This includes changing colors, layouts, and adding custom components to enhance the agent’s experience.

Workflow and Interaction Management: Flex enables customisation of communication workflows, such as call routing, chat handling, and task assignments. These can be configured using Twilio Studio, a visual application builder, or directly via programmable APIs.

Integration with External Systems: Flex supports integrations with third-party applications such as CRM systems, databases, and analytics tools. APIs and webhooks facilitate real-time data syncing and actions based on external triggers.

Feature Extensions and Plugins: Developers can build and deploy custom plugins using Twilio’s Plugin Builder, allowing for the addition of new features or the modification of existing functionality without disrupting the core service.

Automation and AI: Flex supports the implementation of bots and artificial intelligence through Twilio Autopilot and other AI services, enhancing automation and efficiency in customer interactions.

Scaling

Independence of resources: Twilio is highly scalable, designed to support businesses ranging from startups to large enterprises. As a cloud-based platform, it leverages robust, distributed infrastructure to ensure that it can dynamically scale to handle large volumes of communications across various channels like voice, SMS, video, and chat. Twilio's APIs allow for on-the-fly adjustments and scaling based on real-time demand, which is essential for applications needing to handle sudden spikes in traffic or continuous growth. This elasticity not only ensures reliability and performance but also allows businesses to scale their operations without significant investments in physical infrastructure.

Analytics

Service usage metrics: Yes
Metrics types: Dashboard: The Twilio Console features a comprehensive dashboard that displays usage statistics, service performance, and operational metrics. These metrics include call logs, message delivery statuses, API request logs, and error rates.

Monitoring Tools: Twilio offers built-in monitoring tools that track the performance and status of various Twilio services. Users can set up alerts and notifications for specific thresholds or incidents.
Programmable Insights

API Metrics
Metrics API: For more detailed and programmable access, Twilio provides APIs that can be used to retrieve metrics programmatically. This allows businesses to integrate Twilio performance data into their own monitoring systems or dashboards.
Reporting types: API access

Real-time dashboards

Resellers

Supplier type: Reseller providing extra features and support
Organisation whose services are being resold: Twilio

Staff security

Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
Government security clearance: None

Asset protection

Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom

European Economic Area (EEA)

Other locations
User control over data storage and processing locations: Yes
Datacentre security standards: Complies with a recognised standard (for example CSA CCM version 3.0)
Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
Penetration testing approach: In-house
Protecting data at rest: Encryption of all physical media
Data sanitisation process: Yes
Data sanitisation type: Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
Equipment disposal approach: A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

Data export approach: Export Data: Twilio Flex provides APIs that can be used to extract data. You can use the Twilio REST API to programmatically retrieve your data. This might involve writing scripts that call the API endpoints and download the data in a structured format like JSON or CSV.
Data export formats: CSV

Other
Other data export formats: JSON

CSV
Data import formats: Other
Other data import formats: JSON

Data-in-transit protection

Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

Guaranteed availability: We offer Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to provide assurance of its commitment to reliability and uptime for our services.

The SLA (99.95%) specifies certain performance metrics and guarantees regarding availability, latency, and response times. If the service fails to meet these specified performance levels within a given period, customers may be eligible to receive service level credits as compensation.

Service level credits are typically provided in the form of account credits or refunds, depending on the severity and duration of the service outage or performance degradation. The amount of credit is calculated based on the extent to which Twilio fails to meet the SLA targets. These credits are applied to the customer's account and can be used to offset future usage charges.

Twilio's SLA and service level credits aim to incentivise reliability and accountability while providing customers with recourse in the event of service disruptions. However, it's important for customers to review the specific terms and conditions outlined in the SLA agreement to understand the eligibility criteria, limitations, and procedures for claiming service level credits. Twilio regularly monitors and reports its performance against SLA targets to ensure transparency and accountability in its service delivery.
Approach to resilience: Twilio
Outage reporting: Twilio

Identity and authentication

User authentication needed: Yes
User authentication: Other
Other user authentication: Twilio integrates with leading SSO services.
Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: .
Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
Management access authentication: 2-factor authentication

Other
Description of management access authentication: Twilio Flex authenticates users primarily through Twilio account credentials (Account SID, Auth Token) and offers Single Sign-On integration with various identity providers. Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security. Additionally, custom authentication flows can be implemented using the Flex UI SDK, and integration with CRM or database systems for user authentication is supported.

Audit information for users

Access to user activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
How long user audit data is stored for: User-defined
Access to supplier activity audit information: Users have access to real-time audit information
How long supplier audit data is stored for: User-defined
How long system logs are stored for: Between 6 months and 12 months

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: IMSM
ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 14/08/2023
What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: N/a
ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
CSA STAR certification: No
PCI certification: Yes
Who accredited the PCI DSS certification: Securious Limited
PCI DSS accreditation date: 15/12/23
What the PCI DSS doesn’t cover: Ciptex is covered for operator-assisted and unassisted payments over the contact centre platform, when used in conjunction with our One Payment Cloud secure service.
Cyber essentials: Yes
Cyber essentials plus: No
Other security certifications: Yes
Any other security certifications: SOC 2 (Service Organization Control 2)

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)

Security governance

Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
Security governance certified: Yes
Security governance standards: ISO/IEC 27001
Information security policies and processes: .

Operational security

Configuration and change management standard: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
Configuration and change management approach: .
Vulnerability management type: Undisclosed
Vulnerability management approach: .
Protective monitoring type: Undisclosed
Protective monitoring approach: .
Incident management type: Undisclosed
Incident management approach: .

Secure development

Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v3.0)

Public sector networks

Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

Fighting climate change
Covid-19 recovery
Tackling economic inequality
Equal opportunity
Wellbeing

Fighting climate change

Twilio's cloud-based communication platform enables remote work and virtual collaboration, reducing the need for extensive travel and commuting. By facilitating remote communication, Twilio helps organisations minimise their carbon footprint and overall environmental impact.

Covid-19 recovery

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Twilio's communication tools have been instrumental in enabling remote work, virtual events, telehealth services, and contactless customer interactions. Twilio's solutions have supported businesses and organisations in adapting to new challenges and maintaining operations during lockdowns and social distancing measures.

Tackling economic inequality

Twilio's accessible and scalable communication solutions can empower businesses of all sizes, including startups and SMEs, to compete on a level playing field. By providing affordable and flexible communication tools, Twilio helps democratise access to technology and opportunities, thereby contributing to reducing economic inequality.

Equal opportunity

Ciptex's diverse workforce and commitment to inclusion and diversity initiatives promote equal opportunity within the company. Additionally, Twilio's communication tools can help organizations enhance accessibility, reach underserved communities, and bridge communication gaps, thus fostering equal opportunities for participation and engagement

Wellbeing

Twilio's communication platform supports various applications in healthcare, mental health support, crisis intervention, and community outreach. By enabling secure and reliable communication between individuals, healthcare providers, and support organizations, Twilio helps promote overall wellbeing and access to essential services, particularly in times of crisis or need.

Pricing

Price: £90 to £90 a user a month
Discount for educational organisations: No
Free trial available: Yes
Description of free trial: The first 5,000 hours of usage are free.

Twilio Flex - Cloud Contact Centre as a Service

Features

Benefits

Service documents

Framework

Service ID

Contact

Service scope

User support

Onboarding and offboarding

Using the service

Scaling

Analytics

Resellers

Staff security

Asset protection

Data importing and exporting

Data-in-transit protection

Availability and resilience

Identity and authentication

Audit information for users

Standards and certifications

Security governance

Operational security

Secure development

Public sector networks

Pricing

Service documents

Cookies on Digital Marketplace

Twilio Flex - Cloud Contact Centre as a Service

Features

Benefits

Pricing

Service documents

Framework

Service ID

Contact

Service scope

User support

Onboarding and offboarding

Using the service

Scaling

Analytics

Resellers

Staff security

Asset protection

Data importing and exporting

Data-in-transit protection

Availability and resilience

Identity and authentication

Audit information for users

Standards and certifications

Security governance

Operational security

Secure development

Public sector networks

Social Value

Pricing

Service documents