Cloud based contact centers continue to grow

The importance of cloud-based Contact Centers systems continues to grow because of the convenience of implementation, reduction in operating costs, scalability, and the ability to easily integrate the latest technologies.with According to industry estimates, the overall contact center market (premise and cloud-based solutions) is expected to exceed $10 billion within the next five years. Recent research indicates that cloud-based contact center solutions are gaining popularity.  The majority of companies utilizing contact center solutions have either fully, partially or are intending to explore the integration of cloud-based contact center technology into their customer interaction planning.

All indications seem to point to a continued growth in the cloud-based technologies being utilized by companies because of the unique service offering and the interest in cost savings by corporate management.

Some of the benefits of cloud-based technology include:

1. Continuity of business functions and the ability to keep up with the latest technology advances
2. Lower cost of start-up since equipment purchase or lease is not required
3. Flexibility and availability to match future customer contact needs
4. Ease of scalability to support business growth with minimal impact on operations
5. Supervision and staffing can be done remotely so staff can work from home, saving in office space expenses

Proper planning and the use of analytics can overcome some of the restrictions of cloud-based systems including:

1. Control of equipment
2. Limited or restricted customization
3. Supervision challenges of remote staff

Planning the daily activities, operational procedures, and ongoing training is paramount to developing an effective and efficient cloud-based call center.  Since the equipment is off premise, customized services may not be practical, and often the staff is in remote locations, proper planning, daily supervision, and constant lines of communications are essential to maximize potential, avoid breakdowns and control costs.

Establishing meaningful reporting into the cloud-based system combined with comprehensive analytics of data can result in the ability to adapt call pattern, adjust content, and conduct staff training to achieve the desired business results.

Proper planning, ongoing data analytics, and regular staff training can achieve more effective call interaction, more efficient staff scheduling, enhanced staff performance, and lower operating costs.

As contact center technological advances, there is a trend to integrate non-voice channels into the customer experience to match the way that customers want to communicate. At the moment, website-based chat, SMS texting, and email are all popular add-ons to the traditional customer service phone operations.  The variety of methods of communicating create a tremendous opportunity to improve customer relations but require careful attention to proper training, operational functioning, monitoring, reporting, adjusting and analyzing the non-voice functions to take full advantage of the technologies.

Since 1992, Global Link has been on the forefront of communications technology and the management brings over 40 years of C-Level technology planning and strategic development to each and every project. For a free, no-obligation consultation on how your business can utilize cloud-based contact center solutions to better communicate with and service your customers, contact sales@glci.net, 800-494-LINK.