Key Take Aways
- Organizations must sustainably maintain customer satisfaction and business growth to succeed
- With growing customer demands and weakening customer loyalty, cloud contact center solutions are the only way to keep up
- Cloud-based solutions offer several benefits that improve cost-effectiveness and customer experiences, increasing satisfaction and growth
“To switch or not to switch?” That is the question we’ve heard from countless businesses considering the choice between an on-premise solution and a cloud contact center software option. While this was a decision that required months of research and deliberation a few years ago, businesses have now reached a stage where a cloud solution is the only viable option.
And here’s why.
As with all decisions regarding contact centers, the two most important considerations are:
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- How will it help my business grow?
- How will it improve customer satisfaction and customer experiences?
No matter how well your agents perform and how many customers you connect with, your success depends on your solution’s ability to support these goals. As customer demands grow and loyalty becomes even more critical to a business’ success, on-premise contact center solutions lack the flexibility and scalability to meet business needs. Without the benefits offered by cloud software, contact centers risk stagnating future growth and losing customers in the process.
To better understand why you should choose a cloud contact center solution, explore the benefits detailed below.
1. Increasing contact center robustness and reliability
When it comes to customer service, uptime is one of the most important factors. With an on-premise solution, businesses are vulnerable to power outages and equipment failures, issues that can quickly throw a contact center into chaos — and leave customers frustrated. A cloud solution, however, only requires a reliable internet connection from its users. In an emergency, users can log onto the system from other locations and continue resolving customer issues. This freedom keeps businesses online and thriving in almost any circumstances.
Cloud-based contact center solutions are also built to eliminate software failures through multiple redundancies. Designed with multiple failsafes that are managed and maintained by the software provider, a cloud solution ensures the highest uptime possible. In fact, according to an Aberdeen survey, 73% of surveyed businesses said using redundancies to increase uptime was one of their top reasons for choosing cloud technology.
2. Improving access to new features and updates
With an on-premise contact center solution, adding new features is costly, difficult, and time consuming. Businesses often have to add or upgrade hardware and find someone with relevant experience to implement the new service, typically by hiring new staff or reallocating important manpower. For small or medium-sized businesses, this makes keeping up with the ever-increasing changes and demands in customer service next to impossible.
When using a cloud solution, however, adding new features is often as simple as integrating an app into your software. The ability to provide omnichannel customer service through an omnichannel contact center that meets every customer need gives organizations the power to successfully satisfy customer expectations. This allows contact centers to meet customers where they’re at, keeping up with consumer demands and sustainably growing their reach.
3. Providing significant cost savings
Contact center solutions can be expensive, especially with the added costs of on-premise equipment and hardware. By removing the need for on-site hardware, cloud-based options provide flexibility for contact center costs. Businesses no longer have to sink a significant upfront investment into a solution that may not support their needs for long. Instead, they can pay solely for the services they use, adjusting the features and scale of their solution as needed. This increased predictability improves budgeting, allowing contact centers to maintain the ultimate experience for customer communications.
Cloud-based contact center solutions also allow many businesses to drastically reduce IT costs. Since a cloud-based solution is typically maintained by the software provider, businesses are freed from maintaining equipment, installing updates, and solving tech problems. Support is often just a phone call away, so IT departments can focus on other priorities and minimize costs.
4. Offering unmatched scalability
When traffic increases, most contact centers have to scale up to meet growing demands. Once these peaks end, however, businesses are left with more resources than they need. On-premise contact center and call center software further complicates things by requiring new lines and equipment for every agent added. Businesses are left to choose between losing customers due to an inability to keep up or adding expensive resources that may soon be obsolete. For many, it’s a lose-lose situation.
In 2008, only 2% of contact centers used cloud-based software. By 2017, 62% of businesses had adopted a cloud contact center solution.
A cloud solution, however, can scale up or down instantly and with significantly reduced costs. Businesses can easily increase their services during high-traffic seasons and then discontinue unnecessary services when customer traffic slows. No matter what demands they face, cloud-based contact centers never have to choose between their success and costs.
5. Maintaining contact center security
In the first years of cloud contact center software growth, many businesses worried about the dangers of placing data and operations on the cloud. As data security has developed and strengthened over recent years, these fears have dwindled. Now, according to Aberdeen, 70% of surveyed contact centers say they invest in cloud technology because of security, not in spite of it. Cloud-based contact center software has also improved compliance with both communication and industry-specific regulations. Many solutions are designed to support contact center compliance needs, decreasing the pressure on the businesses and individuals involved.
6. Supporting increased collaboration
Connectivity is one of the greatest benefits of cloud technology. Contact centers are no longer limited to the workplace and can now operate wherever agents can connect. This increased flexibility and accessibility allows businesses to coordinate and collaborate with other branches, remote workers, and subject matter experts. As businesses shift to meet changing demands, their solution can both support and expand their capabilities. With real-time access to contact center data and analytics, contact centers can improve efficiency, uptime, and success in any situation.
Want to know more about the benefits of choosing a cloud contact center solution? Explore our contact center software or speak to an expert about meeting your business’ needs.
In 2008, only 2% of contact centers used cloud-based software. By 2017, 62% of businesses had adopted a cloud contact center solution.
Originally published Sep 25, 2019, updated Jan 30, 2023
