{"id":9080,"date":"2020-06-12T13:50:43","date_gmt":"2020-06-12T12:50:43","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=9080"},"modified":"2023-01-17T10:26:08","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T10:26:08","slug":"part-4-call-centre-trends-cloud-contact-centres","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/part-4-call-centre-trends-cloud-contact-centres\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 4: Call Centre Trends: Cloud Contact Centres"},"content":{"rendered":"

The contact centre<\/a> industry is at the vanguard of <\/span>digital transformation<\/span><\/a>. Our previous posts in this series looked at the tech trends that are reshaping the sector. One of the trends we mentioned was a move toward cloud-based call centres.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s an evolution of the industry that looks set to continue as we move deeper into the 2020s. A shift en masse from on-premises infrastructure to cloud-based would be a significant change in the niche. That\u2019s why the topic of cloud contact centres and their growth deserves closer examination.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this post, we\u2019re going to explain the ins and outs of cloud-based contact centres; as well as their two main alternatives. We\u2019ll also explore industry statistics to get an idea of where the niche currently stands. Finally, we\u2019ll look closer at the prevailing trend in the industry toward the cloud, and what is driving it.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On-Premises, Cloud & Hybrid \u2013 What Does it All Mean?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Unless you\u2019ve been on another planet for the past decade, you\u2019ve probably heard of <\/span>the cloud<\/span><\/a>. It\u2019s a phrase that\u2019s infiltrated most areas of business and day-to-day life. Precisely what \u201cthe cloud\u201d or \u201ccloud-based\u201d means depends on the niche or process on which you\u2019re focussed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the world of contact centres, \u201ccloud-based deployment\u201d is one of three types of systems. The others are the traditional \u201con-premises\u201d alternative, and a \u201chybrid\u201d version. Before we get into where most contact centres are aligned, it\u2019s vital to know what each one of the three descriptors means:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On-Premises Contact Centres<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On-premises deployment of contact centre systems is the most traditional kind. An on-premises centre is one where all hardware and software get installed and run on-site. The equipment needed to operate all features of a system is present at the contact centre itself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Part<\/p>\n

That hardware includes the data centres onto which necessary software gets installed. Typically, the centre operator will buy that software from a third-party vendor. They may, however, develop unique software solutions themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cloud-Based Contact Centres<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When a contact centre is cloud-based, most of the infrastructure gets hosted online. Software, routing, networking architecture, and other critical elements get transferred to the cloud. That dramatically decreases the amount of hardware needed at the contact centre.<\/span><\/p>\n

A cloud-based call centre doesn\u2019t need data centres onto which to install any software. All the software gets accessed from external physical or even virtual servers. That\u2019s whether the software is from a third party or is a proprietary solution owned by the centre operator. The centre itself may need little more than computers and headsets or desk phones for its agents.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hybrid Contact Centres<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As you may have guessed from the name, a hybrid centre is one that combines elements of the other two. Such centres blend aspects of cloud-hosting with features of an on-premises solution. For example, a hybrid centre may run cloud-based call reporting or recording functions. The centre\u2019s main telephone PBX<\/a>, though, may remain as an on-premises system.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hybrid setups often get adopted by contact centres as a stepping-stone. They’re a half-way house towards transitioning from on-premise to the cloud.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bonus Definition \u2013 Managed or Hosted Contact Centres<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Another well-used term in this area is that of \u201cmanaged or hosted\u201d contact centres. This phrase often gets mistaken as meaning the same as \u201ccloud-based\u201d. It doesn\u2019t. A managed or hosted solution is one provided or <\/span>operated by a third party<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That third party leases or sells equipment or software to a centre for their operation. A managed contact centre, then, can be either on-premises or cloud-based. In the case of the former, the centre would lease all hardware installed at the centre. In the latter situation, all the software and solutions get hosted on the third party\u2019s servers.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How Are Most Centres Aligned & Are Things Changing?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Go back ten years or more, and all contact centres would have been the on-premises variety. Today, things are very different. Cloud-based contact centres represent a significant proportion of the industry. They are not, however, in the majority.<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, the exact balance of cloud-based, hybrid, and on-premises centres isn\u2019t easy to pin down. Different studies and research reveal varying figures. A recent <\/span>State of Customer Experience Study<\/span><\/a> found that 39% of centres asked had migrated to the cloud. A separate <\/span>industry survey<\/span><\/a> discovered that 23% of centres surveyed were cloud-based.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source: <\/b>Call Centre Helper<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What both significant pieces of research agreed upon was the direction in which the niche is trending. You see, 53% of respondents to the first survey claimed they planned to move to the cloud in the next three years. Close to half of those in the second study (38% from 77%) who weren\u2019t cloud-based, planned to move that way. That meant only 39% of those surveyed had no such plans.<\/span><\/p>\n

A sensible look at that and other data reveals a significant trend in the contact centre niche. Centres are increasingly turning to cloud-based rather than on-premise solutions. What\u2019s more, many operators in the niche see the move as one they need to make sooner rather than later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A vast majority of respondents to both studies planned to make the move within three years at the latest. What, then, explains this industry-wide migration away from traditional on-premises systems?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Have On-Premises Solutions Had Their Day?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As with most decisions, there are many factors behind the trend for contact centres to move to the cloud. A blend of the following <\/span>benefits of cloud-based solutions<\/span><\/a> push firms toward that type of system:<\/span><\/p>\n