It seems that technology is always caught in a state of evolution. It’s always booming with some sort of new innovation or venture, which makes it easy for call center leaders to focus on the newest forms of communication and client interaction. This is especially true now that the smartphone (what is essentially a fully operational computer) represents a quickly growing percentage of customers’ pockets. E-mailing, text-based chatting and video calls are simply a button away with smart devices and, for the contact center manager, this means profit.
Despite this, though, it is important to not let seemingly older technologies fall by the wayside, no matter how tempting it may be. In a 2012 study commissioned by Firstsource Solutions, it was shown that of all the objectives of a call center, improving call center interactions and IVR services fell behind improving mobile and online experiences by a wide margin. While it is an aging technology, consulting firm Fifth Quadrant noted that 70 percent of consumers still prefer using the phone to contact a live agent when looking to resolve a problem – including navigating through companies’ IVRs.
This presence shows that that the call center industry is still a thriving and quickly growing one. This continued growth has prompted call center owners and managers to expand operations faster than ever before, and that’s where virtual call center software comes into play. Virtual call centers offer a multitude of advantages over in-house options. Not only are they less costly to maintain, but because there is an option for working at home or an offsite location, the costs incurred for maintaining in-house systems can be essentially nonexistent.
Additionally, because virtual call centers are maintained via a third party, the maintenance and upkeep required is taken care of by the provider. Because virtual call centers are completely IP-based, they offer incredible flexibility, requiring no hardware or software to be installed and can be accessed by employees anywhere and at anytime.
Click here to see how a virtual solution can benefit your existing in-house call center facility.
