If you want to deliver the best customer experience, this guide has you covered. We’ll dive deeper into what is CCaaS and how it’s different from UCaaS and other software solutions. Then we’ll share our recommendations for what to look for in a CCaaS provider.
What is Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS)?
Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) is cloud-based software that provides customer communication functions without using traditional call center equipment.
CCaaS solutions streamline every customer touchpoint into a single platform. These interactions include outbound and inbound phone calls , website chats, emails, support tickets, and text messages.
By consolidating customer interactions into a single contact center solution, companies can focus on delivering value at every point along the customer journey.
Some of the most popular features found in CCaaS offerings include:
Call queueing to increase agent productivity and customer satisfaction
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) for automatic call routing to the best agent
Call recording to listen to calls between agents and customers
App integrations with existing business systems such as CRM and workforce management
Artificial intelligence to help with forecasting contact volume and optimizing customer support interactions in real-time
Now, let’s look at the critical differences between cloud-based and on-premises contact centers.
Cloud-Based vs. On-Premises Contact Centers
Companies upgrade their call center technology to the cloud as a service for a few reasons.
When compared to an on-premises contact center, a cloud contact center is:
More cost-effective . Cloud-based contact center solutions let you pay as you go with a monthly or yearly plan, so they don’t require a significant upfront investment. The cost savings continue to rise since there’s also zero maintenance.
Easier and faster to set up . Deploying an omnichannel contact center in a matter of days — rather than months — is attractive to many businesses. With less hardware, your team focuses on exceeding customer expectations.
Best for several communication channels . Even though inbound calls are the preferred customer contact method, your support reps can manage requests by email, text, chat, or message you via social media.
Adaptable to work anywhere. Employees don’t need to be in-office with contact center software to help customers. This flexibility enables call center managers to scale workforce management and continuity planning.
Connected with integrations . Today’s contact center solutions have built-in API integrations with your existing tools. This functionality means your team can stay in sync no matter what apps they use.
Scalable and flexible . A cloud-based solution lets you expand your contact center when it’s time. You don’t need to pay upfront for anything you don’t need, nor worry about crazy expensive costs when it’s time for an upgrade.
New projections from Gartner forecast contact center revenues will reach $17.9 billion by 2024. The research firm also expects on-premises call center infrastructure will decline.
This outlook suggests that on-premises call center technology still lags behind the market’s demands. Cloud contact centers boast a faster setup, more customer communication features, and better value overall.
What’s the Difference Between a Call Center and a Contact Center?
Contact centers and call centers are often used interchangeably but serve customers using two distinct customer support technologies.
A call center handles voice calls only. Call center software is ideal for outbound and inbound calls, such as sales teams and customer support.
A contact center functions over the phone, email, text message, and social media. Contact centers field customer interactions over several touchpoints. Today’s customers no longer funnel through one channel to reach a business.
Companies primarily serving customers over the phone should turn to a hosted call center . However, if you want to give your customers multiple options for contacting you, a cloud contact center is the better choice.
