Nowadays, business communications have become an integral part of any kind of business as they increase the penetration of brands in markets. Technology is the rudimentary part of the business communication edifice. Among these technologies, contact centers are one of the most used systems since they are considered reliable. It is the system that enables businesses to manage numerous communication streams like calls, emails, live chats, instant messaging, SMS texts, and social media. It is also used as a help desk which enables brands to respond to their customer’s inquiries or complaints.
Contact center solutions offer many functions and come in various forms encompassing auto dialer, call accounting solutions, call analytics, call center monitors, predictive dialer, computer telephony integration (CIT), automatic call distributor, and interactive call response. However, you need to understand your needs to extract maximum values from the system. You must understand all the implications of the unique features of this system.
Therefore, we are here to help you understand the call center’s software, its uses, and most importantly, which setup would be best for your business. We will do some comparative analysis of various types of Cloud call center software so that you can take a productive purchase decision.
Features of Contact Centers
Before buying any setup, you must know its functions. The system enables an organization to run a contact center to support their customers by answering their queries and registering their complaints; in addition, it serves as a help desk which is a useful means to address customers’ problems effectively. It is a way via which customers can interact with your company directly regarding matters involving your business, services, or products. Now, this is the interesting part; the call center offers a two-way service; it is not only a mean for your customers to contact the company, but it also connects you with your customers.
You can run marketing campaigns and promotions, make offers or deals, and also you can get feedback from your customers through this system. You can utilize the features or instance, voicemails, emails, support tickets, chat, and conferencing, among others, in this regard. In order to get inclusive data about your caller, this system provides combination capacities with CRMs, helpdesks, eCommerce platforms, marketing software, and a chat system. All the mentioned functions can empower you to give better services to your customers and smooth workflow for your workers.
How does This System Work?
As the primary function of a call center is to administer incoming calls of customers and commutation regarding business, products, and services, furthermore it also entertains departing calls to potential targeted customers or existing customers for marketing, promotions, etc. The systems normally adopt the following steps.
- The software identifies the caller through a database; if the person is not in the database, it adds them automatically.
- If there is some previous record of the caller in the database, then the system fetches it and presents it to the operator, equipping him with enough information so that he can handle the caller efficiently.
- When the automated verbal response is provided to the caller, the call is queued.
- As the call travels up in the queue, the operator has the option to choose anyone manually or leave it on the automatic scheduling system.
- After taking, the operator listens to the customer’s problem and gives instructions. Besides this, the operator can take remote access to his system to solve the problem.
- If the problem cannot be solved on the spot, the agent can interact with the callers afterwards and also can keep a regular follow-up.
- Depending on the caller’s response, the agent can mark the ticket as open, closed, resolved, or requires follow-ups.
- When the ticket is marked as closed, an automatic call, text message, or email is sent to the caller for feedback.
Types of Call Center Software
The sole purpose of contact center solutions is to help businesses to communicate with their customer so that they can provide them with better products or services. Based on how the communication is processed and how the system is installed, call center software is divided into the following categories.
On-Office Contact Center Services
They usually come with an on-time utilization license; therefore, the company itself takes care of the up-gradation and maintenance of the setup. Typically, private branch hardware and equipment are installed as the physical platform to support the software since this is the most executive type; therefore, you have to have significant capital to purchase and run them.
Cloud-Based Call Center Systems
They are SaaS models (a software delivery and licensing method in which software is only accessed via an online subscription instead of buying and installing physical computers or hardware). They are easily accessible from anywhere and can be operated remotely. But they require a good internet connection to be operated. Otherwise, all the setup will collapse. However, they are the most affordable cloud based call center software.
Advantages of Call Centers Software
- They add more value to your business as compared to their cost. However, the on-premises system is expensive, but SaaS systems don’t require any hardware and maintenance; therefore, they are super cost-efficient.
- A small team is required to operate the system unless you are not running a BPO operation. Hiring a remote team for a virtual call center will make it more cost-efficient.
- It enhances your data security. As everything is operated through a data cloud, there is a remote chance of data theft unless you get a reliable provider.
- Systems like SaaS give you operational flexibility. It enables your worker to work from home instead of a closed box, which ultimately improves the productivity of your employees.
- Perhaps the biggest advantage of a call center is that it improves your customer service exponentially; this builds people’s trust in your brand or company, which is everything in the business.
Final Thoughts
Contact center solutions have become integral in any business since they are the most effective tools for customer care and support that builds trust. If people trust your brand, we are a champ!
