TMCnews Featured Article
April 08, 2013
How the Cloud Benefits the Call Center
By Susan J. Campbell, TMCnet Contributing Editor
The arrival of the cloud seemed like a momentous occasion – who knew that a number of companies were already utilizing cloud-based technologies without realizing it. The name ushered in a whole new approach to the industry; a way to use the Internet to benefit a company without the resources to invest in the infrastructure necessary to compete with larger players.
The cloud also introduced a way for the larger players to make efficiency changes when legacy investments were no longer viable. The predictive dialer is one example where companies of all sizes are leveraging a proven technology platform to efficiently and effectively reach prospects and drive revenues. Today, organizations can get more done in less time and with fewer investments than ever before by utilizing a predictive dialer
.A recent Gadget Gestures piece highlights how businesses are developing more competent services and products thanks to cloud-based technology. The call center is certainly no exception. At the dawn of this innovative approach to customer care, the launch of the call center required real estate, equipment, furniture and the technology available at the time – the telephone. Today, a computer, a phone connection (analog or digital) and high-speed Internet are all that is needed to launch a full – and effective – call center organization.
The cloud enables the call center to leverage extensive platforms that were once out of reach for smaller performers. For instance, the predictive dialer feature would require extensive implementations on the server side to implement in-house. When delivered through the cloud, companies can leverage a powerful solution with deep integration with other applications. The extent of the features and integration does depend upon the provider, but capabilities were extended considerably when hosted solutions became available.
Predictive dialer solutions enable businesses to immediately respond to leads captured over the Internet as it automatically dials the number and then connects an available agent. As a result, a call center can close the lead while it’s still hot.
Other benefits associated with the cloud and the predictive dialer include less IT as all maintenance, upkeep, upgrades and more are handled by the hosted provider. Larger businesses can increase their marketing efforts with automated solutions that reach a larger audience at less cost. Solutions that monitor call volume help the call center to stay on track with its automated efforts, adjusting the system as necessary to maintain expected call volume and quality levels.
While the cloud is not necessary new, it is possible that we have only begun to explore the possibilities when it comes to the call center. As quality customer care continues to be a primary focus for differentiation in the market, competitive solutions that enable better service will always be in demand.
Edited by Ashley Caputo
Internet Telephony Magazine
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