Business communications service provider Dialpad Inc. today announced it has acquired cloud-native workforce management platform startup Surfboard Technology Ltd. for an undisclosed price.

Founded in 2021, Surfboard offers workforce management software that is designed to enhance the efficiency of customer support teams. The company offers tools for scheduling, forecasting and performance analytics to streamline daily operations and improve team productivity,

Among the features offered by the company, Surfboard’s forecasting tool predicts support inflow based on historical data to help teams plan staffing needs up to 12 weeks ahead, ensuring adequate coverage during peak times. The feature is complemented by a customizable shift planner that also allows managers to meet specific service level agreements and avoid last-minute staffing issues.

Surfboard integrates seamlessly with existing systems like Human Resource Information Systems, payroll, customer relationship management and time-off management tools to centralize all scheduling information. Doing so reduces the complexity of managing multiple systems and helps support leaders focus on coaching agents and improving customer experiences.

The platform’s automated daily task scheduling and proactive resource management also enhance overall team efficiency and visibility; by reducing manual workload and offering predictive insights, Surfboard allows customer support teams to deliver better service and improve customer satisfaction.

For Dialpad, the acquisition of Surfboard will strengthen its contact center offerings by integrating a powerful workforce management solution. The addition will enhance Dialpad’s ability to streamline scheduling, forecasting and performance analytics for customer support teams and, hence, reduce operational complexity.

The combined capabilities of Dialpad’s artificial intelligence-powered platform and Surfboard’s WFM tools will also provide real-time insights and smarter forecasts for staffing needs. The integration will allow Dialpad to offer a more comprehensive and efficient solution for optimizing customer support operations.

“Looking ahead, by combining Dialpad’s AI capabilities with Surfboard’s WFM solution, we plan to develop a unique offering that leverages real-time voice, digital activity and conversation data to create smarter forecasts and actionable recommendations for support teams,” Dailpad said in a blog post. “This integration will set us apart in the market, offering a differentiated, AI-powered WFM experience.”

Coming into its acquisition, Surfboard had raised $5 million in venture capital funding over two rounds, according to data from Tracxn. Investors in the company include Speedinvest GmbH, Tokyo Black Inc., Foreword Ventures, Fly Ventures GmbH, Nomad Capitalist Ltd. and Seedcamp Investments.

Dailpad is also a venture capital-backed startup that has raised $476 million over nine rounds, including a round of $170 million in December 2021.

Image: Surfboard