Contact centers have long been interested in cloud contact center solutions to compensate for scarce IT resources and pursue enhanced contact center technology. As cloud solution providers have expanded the features/functions, architecture choices, and services provided, there truly is something for everybody. Contact center management, contact center support, and IT in centers of all sizes find the value proposition of cloud solutions worth considering.
IT Finds Peace in the Cloud
Cloud contact center vendors typically provide advanced, intelligent monitoring of all their applications. They offer trained, dedicated resources that can provide 24×7 support. They proactively manage all aspects of the technology. In some cases, they can offer a more secure data environment than the company can achieve internally. They will commit to performance standards and response times when required by contract. Last but not least, the cloud vendor’s multiple data centers and “anywhere” technology can deliver effective business continuity and disaster recovery – something many centers lack but know they need.
Using a cloud contact center solution frees IT to focus on the most pressing enterprise issues where they can add the most value.
Operations Gains Control via the Cloud
Cloud vendors offer state-of-the-art contact center solutions. Large centers get advanced conditional routing based on customer data and business rules to reach the most highly skilled agent and to determine appropriate scripts and cross/up sell offers. They also get fully integrated performance management suites that feed analytics, scorecards and dashboards. Smaller centers get skills-based, multimedia routing, and fully featured performance management tools such as QM, WFM and reporting/analytics.
Besides meeting demands for advanced functionality, cloud contact center solutions provide a high degree of flexibility in implementation. Centers pay for the licenses they use and can add or subtract when needed. Cloud solutions also enable multisite virtual visibility and remote agents – not to mention disaster recovery. And the technology stays current without struggling to find the funds and resources for upgrades or new releases.
Contact Center Support Gets the Tools They Need from the Cloud
Cloud contact center solutions offer integrated reporting, typically offered through user friendly, web interfaces. Basic offerings start with canned ACD reports with limited customization. More advanced solutions offer integrated analytics with tools such as speech analytics. The right vendor with effective integration can offer reporting and analytics functionality equal to a premise solution.
The cloud contact center solutions put more administrative ability into the hands of the contact center support resources for routing changes, adding, and deleting users, etc. The user friendly administrative Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) enable effective management without relying on IT for day-to-day changes. Additionally, when vendor support is required, the contact center can have direct access to responsive and knowledgeable vendor support resources.
Are You Interested in the Cloud?
Read the full article to get additional insights on the business benefits and gain some helpful tips on choosing the right vendor. Then check out our “gotchas” article to avoid common pitfalls.