Evolving from Contact Center 1.0, which was heavily grounded in physical infrastructure and significant budget demands, Contact Center 2.0 is agile, lean, and able to adapt to customer demands with much less friction.
We defined Contact Center 1.0 and its many limitations in the previous blog in this series.. Now, we’ll look at five of the key Contact Center 2.0 benefits that cloud technology is delivering to the contact center.
1. Keeping Costs Affordable
One of the most significant benefits of cloud technology is that it drives down costs across system lifespans when compared to a platform that has large equipment requirements. With Contact Center 2.0, you only need an Internet connection, which can be located anywhere in the world. That means cloud contact centers can utilize remote workers, which frees companies to grow without the worries of physical space concerns. In addition, it’s easier to expand agents in multiple areas and provide support across more time zones.
Scaling as needed is as simple as adding a license and downloading software, as opposed to the hours needed for IT to install each new desk—which could also involve work inside the walls of your building. Scaling down is just as easy, with significantly fewer infrastructure requirements or costs.
2. Helping Agents Stay Agile
Contact Center 2.0 solutions are built around data, helping remove traditional silos to give your agents (as well as engineers, managers, and other team members) access to large knowledge bases. When data and systems interact, agents can find answers without changing screens or having to put customers on hold.
In addition, new support tools, such as chatbots, can be added to the overall system as needed, without having to change an agent’s hardware. Rolling out an update to everyone doesn’t keep them offline or prevent them from providing service.
Agents also appreciate cloud platforms because they’re intuitive and often similar to the software they use in their daily lives. Everything from banking and bill pay to watching our favorite shows and ordering pizza happens online. Help your agents by embracing the experiences they already know.
3. Expanding to Meet Multichannel Customers
Thanks to electronic data exchanges and APIs, it is becoming easier to integrate new communication channels, such as messaging apps and social media, with no fuss. Adding support for text messages can be as simple as acquiring and turning on a new module that already lives in your dashboard. Flip a switch and your team now has the next channel that your customers demand.
RingCentral’s latest report, Contact Center 2.0: Tomorrow’s Solutions for Today’s Customers, specifically looked at these channels and how customer demand is growing beyond what any Contact Center 1.0 solution could provide. During the next 12 months, contact center owners expect to provide a variety of support across nearly all channels available:
- 66% email
- 61% chat
- 60% voice/phone
- 52% social media
- 47% text and text message
- 44% video solutions
4. Always Staying Up to Date
One of the most straightforward benefits of a cloud contact center, particularly for anyone who has worked in an outdated one, is that every agent gets access to the latest software updates at one time. With less time spent on upgrades, your IT team can look for threats or exploits within your platform, protecting data and customers in a world where they’ve become prime targets.
5. Being Ready for What’s Next
The many benefits of Contact Center 2.0, including real-time collaboration and simplified adoption of new channels and support technologies, helps reduce infrastructure requirements and build scale anywhere there’s an Internet connection. For many, this leads to reduced costs and improved customer service levels.
Best of all, it helps you take a more proactive approach to customer service. You can look to the horizon and try to see what’s coming next, instead of always looking back to put out fires, rewire buildings, or struggle as hardware ages.
Cloud means you’re ready for the next customer demand and product need.
Get a better understanding of how to transition from Contact Center 1.0 to 2.0 with our free eBook.
Originally published May 28, 2019, updated Jan 30, 2023
