The idea of moving call center interactions to the cloud or a hosted environment can be overwhelming for the organization new to this way of doing business. Interestingly, doing business in the cloud is not new. What is new to the call center manager is the availability of complete support in a hosted contact center environment.

This same manager may be very accustomed to the personalized communications available in the cloud, yet access to a complete solution through a Web browser regardless of location is a newer capability that may reside outside of his or her comfort zone. While the hosted solution can seem limitless, laws, devices, country of origin and even technology limitations can still dictate the extent of the benefits provided in the hosted contact center. In an ideal situation, however, the company stands to gain significant benefit.

The hosted contact center is referred to as such because the software running the call center is located off site. Such a solution is generally connected directly to a single network from the cloud by way of an access point. The customer may have other access points, depending upon need. The solution is cloud-based, as it is hosted by the vendor. In other words, the supporting vendor maintains the server and other technology elements that contribute to complete operation.

The vendor hosting the solution will deliver the software, keep upgrades up-to-date and ensure continuity. Agents pick up the phone and access data through the browser, updating it while on the phone and archiving in the cloud. A cloud-based solution is also often integrated with a customer relationship management (CRM) solution, so that updates are made in real-time. The completely hosted solution allows for information to be completely updated and managed in the cloud.

The primary goal for the hosted contact center is to provide the organization with a more efficient approach to managing information, extending capabilities to the agent base and streamlining connected technologies. It also generally extends features to the contact center that were previously unavailable due to technology or budget constraints. At that point, the contact center is better equipped to support the virtual agent and maintain a robust call center environment.

The delivery of that maintenance by the hosting vendor is one of the perks of leveraging the cloud for operations. The call center organization no longer has to employ an extensive IT staff simply to maintain the switch and the infrastructure. The hosting provider can work with the call center to determine the best approach for features, configuration, support and ongoing maintenance.

Companies like Five9 (News - Alert) fill that role for a number of organizations, extending greater capability at a lower cost than the on-premise solution. The goal is to identify the best configuration and support contract to the meet the needs of the customer-facing organization. With the expertise and experience Five9 brings to the table, the outcome is often a positive one.