A cloud contact center or cloud call center is a web-based communications platform that handles customer calls and queries. Whereas ‘call centers’ traditionally focus on calling alone, ‘contact centers’ support a multi-channel communications strategy which typically comprises of calling, chat and video.

Cloud contact center solutions can be accessed from anywhere with an active internet connection so they’re the ideal solution for companies spread across a number of geographic locations or with agents working remotely. Making the switch can significantly lower overheads and increase scalability, as there is no need for physical infrastructure.

It’s time to start moving your communications to the cloud. Customers are looking to communicate with businesses and service providers in more ways than ever before, so you need a solution that’s as dynamic and flexible as your business is expected to be. Traditional on premise solutions are slower and lack the feature set offered by cloud contact center platforms.

• Increased scalability: Continually meet the needs of your evolving business and increase the number of users in an instant.
• Reduced operational costs: With no onsite hardware and minimal maintenance required, you’ll significantly reduce your phone bills.
• Quick Deployment: Your new solution can be operational in less than an hour, so you don’t need to press pause on business during your migration.
• Flexibility: With a cloud contact center solution, agents can work from the office or from home with ease
• Increased Productivity: Cloud platforms offer one user friendly platform for all communication channels, so your agents can focus on conversations not admin.
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By moving your call center to the cloud, you’re already going to benefit from the increased flexibility, additional capabilities and lower running costs. To maximize the benefits to your business, make sure to choose a provider whose system is robust, reliable and secure. Here’s what to look for:

• A User Friendly Web Interface: Look for a solution that has a user intuitive interface. After all, you want your agents to focus on providing top quality customer service rather than being bogged down by usability issues and complicated training.
• Live Wallboard and Switchboard: The beauty of a cloud contact center platform lies in the additional functionality it can bring to your business. One of the major benefits is increased accuracy with real time reporting, so look for comprehensive wallboards and switchboards that have built-in training functions, such as listen and barge in.
• High Performing Mobile Applications: Queue Managers and agents alike will benefit from fully integrated mobile applications that enable them to communicate on the move. Make sure your apps support chat and conferencing too.
• Uptime: Your contact center needs to provide a highly reliable, quality connection wherever it’s located in the world. Every minute of downtime can be translated into missed revenue. Be sure to look for uptime that exceeds a 99.95% SLA.
• Live chat: 90% of consumers would now rather send a message than call. Communicate on their terms with an integrated live chat service, that lets you connect with visitors to your site or social media in real time.
• IVR: Your IVR is the backbone of your contact center. Make sure you can create menus, and greetings and continually alter your call flows to maximize customer satisfaction.
• Analytics and Reporting Tools: If you want to provide outstanding customer service you need a way to monitor the performance of our employees and your system. Cloud platforms should include a call reporting module in all contact center packages.
• Secure by Design: During discussions with vendors ask how they’re protecting your data and prioritizing security as an organization. Calls should be encrypted via HTTPS / DTLS / WebRTC, passwords and URLs should be randomly generated and malicious IPs should be blacklisted by default.