While many companies use total cost of ownership (TCO) to compare and contrast solutions before a purchase, when it comes to evaluating a switch to a cloud-based contact center solution from a premise-based installation, it becomes tricky. Using TCO as a tool becomes a bit like comparing apples to giraffes.
According to a recent article published by 1to1 Media, there are a number of IT and operational differences between cloud and premise-based contact center platforms that are required to calculate the true TCO of a contact center. These include the size of a business along with the number of customers being supported, the number of IT personnel needed to maintain a contact center platform along with associated hardware and other IT components, and other factors.
In other words, asking how much a cloud-based contact center platform can save you is a bit like asking, “How long is a string?”
While cloud-based contact centers make sense for nearly every kind of business, they make more sense for some than others. Call centers with multiple locations, for example, or those that utilize home-based agents can be well served by a cloud solution. Any contact center with strong business continuity needs would be well served by a cloud solution, which allows agents to be up and running with access to all critical systems from any location, allowing call centers to continue to operate during outages or weather emergencies.
Cloud solutions are also an excellent options for smaller call centers that lack the kind of capital to splash out on a pricey premise-based system, or those hoping to attain the kind of complex features, such as analytics, speech recognition or 100 percent call recording that were formerly the provenance of only the largest and best funded companies.
Beyond practical considerations, however, a cloud-based solution is a good idea for most contact centers simply because of the benefits it can offer to care quality and the customer relationship. Most contact centers today are looking for ways to increase customer retention, boost their engagement and broaden their sales opportunities. The cloud is one way to help do this.
On Thursday, July 25 at 2:00 pm ET, cloud contact center solutions provider Five9 and its client Positec, together with analyst group Frost & Sullivan (News - Alert), will present a live Web event entitled, “Using the Cloud to Enhance the Customer Experience.” Attendees will learn from contact center industry experts how cloud contact center solutions can accomplish a number of goals in the call center, including enhancing the customer experience, increasing staff productivity and effectiveness, lowering and better managing costs and providing increased flexibility.
Edited by Blaise McNamee