• Thread Author
The digital transformation of customer service has seen significant acceleration in recent years, driven by advances in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and an industry-wide shift toward offering seamless, personalized customer experiences. Yet, as organizations strive to balance efficiency with empathy, new solutions are emerging that promise not only to streamline operations but also to humanize digital customer interactions. One such solution now making waves is Glance Cobrowse for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center, newly launched on Microsoft AppSource—a development that signals a new era for visual engagement in regulated, service-driven industries.

A woman in a business suit discusses with a colleague during a virtual presentation or meeting.Cobrowsing: Beyond the Hype​

At its core, cobrowsing technology enables a representative and a customer to simultaneously view and interact with web pages or app interfaces in real time. Unlike basic screen sharing, true cobrowsing is more secure—supporting granular controls, masking sensitive information, and restricting agent actions to avoid overreach. Glance, a recognized leader in this space with over two decades of experience, is now extending that expertise directly into the workflow of Dynamics 365 Contact Center.
Glance’s arrival on Microsoft AppSource is not just a technical milestone; it’s a market signal. The AppSource marketplace is the backbone of Microsoft's business solutions ecosystem, facilitating billions in annual revenue and empowering organizations to discover, purchase, and deploy tailored line-of-business applications with confidence. The formal inclusion of Glance Cobrowse in this arena means rapid deployment for enterprises, robust security assurances, and, crucially, native integration with the rest of the Microsoft Dynamics and Azure platforms.

Seamless Integration with Modern AI-Powered Contact Centers​

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center is already known for its strong AI components, thanks to deep integrations with Azure AI and Microsoft Copilot. These platforms handle critical tasks such as intelligent routing—directing customers to appropriate agents based on language, sentiment, and issue complexity—sentiment analysis, live transcription, and context-aware agent suggestions. It’s in this kind of high-tech, real-time environment that Glance’s visual engagement tools shine.
Adam Atwood, Glance CMO and Head of Strategic Partnerships, emphasizes a subtle but pivotal industry trend: “Customer experience leaders are embracing AI for efficiency, but they also know that empathy and human connection are irreplaceable.” Glance positions itself as the essential human layer, complementing AI-driven automation with real-time visual collaboration, so customers receive both smart service and a tangible sense of care.
Glance’s Intelligent Connect leverages artificial intelligence not just for analysis, but for timing and context—automatically triggering cobrowse or video collaboration when the system detects the need for a more hands-on, human interaction. This orchestration ensures that the right agent is connected with the right customer, at the right moment, and with the optimal set of collaborative tools.

Key Benefits for Enterprises in Regulated Industries​

For highly regulated sectors—banking, insurance, healthcare—compliance, security, and privacy are paramount. Glance touts ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 certifications, providing hard evidence that their solution is auditable, secure, and enterprise-ready. These certifications are recognized industry-wide and independently verified, offering significant reassurance for risk-averse buyers.

1. Cobrowse, Screen Share, and Video Chat—all in one workflow

Agents can now launch Glance sessions directly from Dynamics 365 contact or case records, without switching screens or breaking focus. This integration is designed to reduce friction for both agents and customers, enabling:
  • Live, collaborative navigation of complex forms or account portals.
  • Hands-on technical troubleshooting, guided by an expert.
  • Personalized walk-throughs of products, services, or web resources.
  • Rapid escalation from chat or call to a visual session as needed.

2. AI-Enhanced Guidance with Copilot

The synergy of Glance and Dynamics goes beyond mere cobrowsing. By tapping into Microsoft Copilot’s real-time agent assistance, Glance sessions can trigger or respond to context derived from conversation data, history, and AI-powered insights. For example, Copilot may detect customer confusion on a specific workflow, suggest escalation to a visual session, or proactively provide agents with recommended scripts or documentation.

3. Secure and Scalable for the Enterprise

With ISO/IEC 27001 and SOC 2 credentials, Glance’s architecture meets the rigorous compliance demands of large enterprises. Its design intentionally excludes the ability for agents to view or interact with certain sensitive fields (e.g., Social Security numbers, credit card details), offering configurable privacy settings that align with sectoral regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS.

4. Cross-Channel Consistency

One of the persistent challenges in omnichannel contact centers is maintaining continuity across digital touchpoints. Glance addresses this by supporting:
  • Consistent cobrowse and visual engagement within mobile apps, enterprise portals, and public-facing websites.
  • Integration with Dynamics’ native capabilities for voice, chat, and social messaging—ensuring agents can escalate to or from any channel without losing session context.
  • Flexible deployment options, including cloud and hybrid models for organizations with unique infrastructure demands.

5. Revenue and Loyalty Outcomes

The business justification for advanced engagement solutions like Glance is compelling: Forrester and Gartner have both published research supporting the ROI of visual engagement, linking solutions such as cobrowsing and video to measurable gains in customer satisfaction, resolution speed, and net promoter score (NPS). Glance enhances agents’ ability to not only troubleshoot issues, but also to identify upsell or cross-sell opportunities during live sessions, directly boosting conversion rates and customer retention.

Critical Analysis: Strengths and Caveats​

While the integration and feature set are impressive on paper, discerning technology buyers naturally seek to scrutinize both strengths and limitations.

Strengths​

1. Deep Native Integration
Unlike bolt-on screen sharing or third-party chat plugins, Glance is now tightly woven into the Dynamics 365 fabric. This means reliable single sign-on, native security policies, and unified session management for IT administrators. For enterprises already committed to Microsoft’s ecosystem, this is crucial for minimizing complexity and governance headaches.
2. Enterprise-grade Security
Verifiable ISO and SOC credentials set Glance apart from less mature competitors. The firm’s 20-year track record further bolsters trust, especially in industries where procurement cycles are long and risk tolerance is low. The ability to mask sensitive form fields or restrict agent permissions is not just a regulatory checkbox—it’s essential for customer trust in financial services and healthcare use cases.
3. Contextually aware AI triggers
The orchestration of visual interactions—automated by AI and Copilot insights—demonstrates a thoughtful approach to real-world agent workflows. Rather than simply handing agents a video tool and expecting them to know when to use it, Glance leverages context to guide those decisions, reducing agent cognitive load and ensuring value-added interventions.
4. True Omnichannel Consistency
Many visual engagement solutions claim omnichannel reach, but few can offer complete continuity across web, mobile, and voice. Glance’s deep Dynamics 365 integration, coupled with support for embedded in-app engagement, is a notable differentiator.

Potential Risks and Limitations​

1. Complexity of Deployment
Despite strong native integration, large organizations may face challenges in configuring privacy masking, integrating custom workflows, or aligning existing compliance processes. Careful planning and pilot phases will be critical for successful deployment—especially in enterprise environments with legacy system dependencies.
2. User Adoption and Training
The power of visual engagement tools ultimately depends on agent readiness and confidence. If not paired with comprehensive training and change management, there is a risk that agents may underutilize these features or default to old processes. Organizational buy-in across IT, operations, and HR is essential for realizing ROI.
3. Privacy and Data Residency
Global organizations must remain vigilant about data residency, privacy, and cross-border data transfer—especially as the regulatory landscape evolves. While Glance’s certifications offer assurance, enterprises must conduct due diligence regarding the storage and movement of session metadata, recordings, and transcripts—particularly in the EU, UK, and APAC markets, where compliance stakes are high.
4. AI Reliance—The Empathy Paradox
There is an inherent risk that, in seeking to optimize with AI, organizations may inadvertently deprioritize the very human connections Glance seeks to enhance. Overreliance on automated triggers or suggestions may introduce friction if not carefully calibrated and periodically reviewed for unintended biases or errors.
5. Vendor Lock-in
With Glance now so tightly bound to the Dynamics 365 environment, organizations may find it challenging to port workflows or data to rival platforms in the future. While this can drive efficiency, it also creates a more pronounced “lock-in” effect—an inevitable trade-off in integrated, end-to-end enterprise solutions.

The Future of Visual Engagement in Digital Contact Centers​

The launch of Glance Cobrowse for Dynamics 365 Contact Center represents more than just another app in the vast Microsoft AppSource catalog; it is a telling indication of how digital CX (customer experience) strategies are evolving. As AI becomes the backbone of routine workflows, the demand for “moments of empathy”—where a real human steps in to guide, reassure, or problem-solve in real time—remains undiminished.
Forward-thinking enterprises will likely see visual engagement platforms like Glance as essential partners to their AI investments, not competitors. By giving agents intuitive, secure, and context-aware collaboration tools, organizations can ensure that even the most automated digital journeys are punctuated by genuine human support where it counts.

Practical Steps for Adoption in the Enterprise​

For organizations considering a move to Glance Cobrowse within Dynamics 365, several best practices can accelerate both technical success and business outcomes:

1. Stakeholder Alignment

Early engagement with key stakeholders—including IT, compliance, HR, and frontline operations—ensures buy-in and smooths over cross-functional issues related to privacy, workflow design, and training needs.

2. Phased Rollout

While the core integration is streamlined via AppSource, pilots or limited rollouts can validate custom configurations, identify edge-case vulnerabilities, and collect real agent feedback before full-scale launch.

3. Agent Training and Certification

Developing a formal training program ensures all support staff are proficient in the nuances of cobrowse, screen sharing, video etiquette, and privacy protocols. Incentivizing skill development here can pay significant dividends in agent productivity and CX metrics.

4. Continuous Privacy Review

Given the dynamic nature of compliance requirements, periodic audits and field masking reviews are essential to maintain alignment with global data protection regulations. Glance’s extensible privacy settings allow rapid response to regulatory change, but only if organizations remain vigilant.

5. Analytics and ROI Measurement

Leverage integrated analytics to track key KPIs: session length, first-contact resolution, customer satisfaction, and conversion rates for upsell/cross-sell sessions. These metrics help justify investment and identify further opportunities for optimization.

Conclusion: Raising the Bar for Digital-First, Human-Centric Service​

As organizations race toward the next frontier of customer engagement, the fusion of AI-driven efficiency and genuine human connection is emerging as a defining characteristic of world-class service. The launch of Glance Cobrowse for Microsoft Dynamics 365 isn’t just about adding another tool to the agent’s arsenal; it’s about reimagining the very nature of customer support—making it more visual, more immediate, and above all, more human.
With proven security credentials, robust integration, and intelligent orchestration of visual engagement, Glance is well positioned to serve as a key enabler for enterprises seeking to differentiate on experience rather than mere efficiency. Yet, as with any transformative solution, the real magic only happens when technology, process, and people come together—delivering not just answers, but trust, empathy, and long-term loyalty in an increasingly digital world.

Source: MarTech Cube https://www.martechcube.com/glance-cobrowse-for-microsoft-dynamics-365-now-live-on-appsource/
 

Back
Top