Cisco rolls out 15,000-seat cloud contact center for Maersk globally

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND — Cisco, a worldwide technology leader, has completed one of its largest cloud contact center deployments to date, rolling out a 15,000-seat contact center across 150 global locations for integrated logistics company Maersk. 

The project consolidates Maersk’s sprawling patchwork of on-premise systems into a single cloud-powered platform, creating new efficiencies and paving the way for advanced technologies like AI.

Global cloud migration unifies Maersk’s contact centers

Before the move, Maersk managed a complex legacy setup that stretched across 120 countries, relying on multiple phone systems and third-party integrations. 

Maintaining the architecture was both costly and unsustainable, with estimates showing a $10 million upgrade would have been required just to scale. Instead, the company decided to unify its contact center operations through Cisco’s Webex suite. 

By decoupling its contact center application from its phone system and integrating tools such as intelligent routing, unified desktops, CRM connectors, and conversational intelligence, Maersk created a more agile support framework.

Steven Vickery, enterprise voice and contact center service owner at Maersk, emphasized the benefits of the Salesforce integration: “The Salesforce CRM integration… allows our agents to view customer data in real time. The enhanced reporting capability helps our supervisors no end. With Webex Contact Center and analyzer, we have granular information that our supervisors can consume.”

He also noted how the deployment introduced new channels: “We’re utilizing Webex Connect and Webex Contact Center to allow truck drivers and agents to exchange SMS messages. We’ve never had to consume before, so this is a new, exciting opportunity for us. Webex has massively saved us operational costs.”

Cisco gains ground in CCaaS market

The Maersk deployment underscores Cisco’s growing momentum in the Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) market. 

According to the company, its Webex Contact Center is now available in 157 countries, with more than 180 new features added in the past year alone. 

Cisco says its platform now supports over 50,000 internal agents, as more enterprises migrate from on-premise systems to the cloud.

Vinod Muthukrishnan, VP and COO of Cisco’s Webex Customer Experience Business Unit, pointed to its omnichannel approach and AI advancements as key differentiators. These, he said, have helped Cisco secure “Customers’ Choice” recognition in Gartner’s Peer Insights report.

Cloud-native CX drives enterprise agility

Cisco’s rollout with Maersk reflects a wider industry shift where large-scale enterprises are prioritizing flexibility, data-driven decision-making, and AI readiness in their customer support strategies. 

For the outsourcing sector, where efficiency and agility are critical, such transformations highlight how cloud-native platforms are no longer just about cost savings. 

They are becoming enablers of smarter, more resilient operations that allow companies to adapt quickly to shifting customer expectations.