The "as a service" marketplace is changing the way that we access communication and collaboration solutions. Everything from your UC service to your contact centre strategy doesn't have to be a substantial one-size-fits-all investment anymore. With as-a-service solutions, you can build the system that suits you.
Tollring, a market leading software developer offering intuitive solutions for data visualisation ensures that companies accessing the latest CCaaS opportunities know how to make the most out of their innovations. Offering data visualisation and business insights, Tollring gives companies an insight into the customer journey so that they can implement the tools best suited to their target market and contact centre agents.
I spoke to Carl Boraman, Director of Strategic Alliances at Tollring, to discuss his thoughts on the CCaaS marketplace. He told me what he believes this innovation means for PBX vendors, carriers, and service providers.
How Does the Industry Define CCaaS?
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Carl Boraman[/caption]
Contact Centre as a Service is a cloud-based solution to growing and optimising your contact centre stack. With CCaaS, you can access contact centre software with the agility and speed that suits your business, without breaking the bank.
Boraman noted that contact centres have always been a complicated consideration for most business leaders. "In the past, they used to be very expensive and specialist applications, reserved for only the biggest enterprise businesses. You had to be a large organisation so that you could afford a contact centre. The fantastic thing with the "anything as a service" marketplace is that the market is more open than it has ever been."
CCaaS opportunities mean that small and mid-market companies now have access to the tools they need in a low-cost and easy-to-manage way. "Businesses can subscribe to small, proof-of-concept projects, and test out their omni-channel strategy before making huge investments."
Is the Era of the Single Channel Contact Centre Over?
According to Carl, it's a very exciting time for the contact centre space today. However, we're amid a journey, not a sudden switchover. There's still a place for voice and traditional contact centres in the age of CCaaS.
"Voice is still, and always will be at the heart of customer conversations"
"Companies who decide they need more than one channel to connect with their clients need to think carefully about the products they're selling, and the conversations they're having. For instance, if you're selling complex products or dealing with a regulated market, I don't think compliance can be fully managed through chatbots and social media."
Boraman believes that different market segments will now begin to deploy CCaaS solutions more freely, some focusing on voice, and others concentrating on self-service and artificial intelligence. "The important thing to remember is that you'll still need voice somewhere in your system. You wouldn't deal with a complaint or client issue through a chatbot. No matter what, there's still a place for the human-to-human connection in contact centres."
How Will Companies Choose the Right CCaaS Strategy?
For organisations using CCaaS to implement omni-channel solutions, it will be crucial to develop the right strategy. "Bringing omni-channel into the contact centre isn't as simple as it seems. Chatbots and AI sound interesting and sexy but getting ahead of customer experience isn't just about embracing the latest thing. If you have a poorly managed chatbot, you'll just end up creating customer dissatisfaction."
