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As a provider of hosted predictive dialer technology and contact center solutions, LiveVox (News - Alert) recently issued some important thoughts on how cloud computing can help contact centers best utilize their staffing and customer strategies.

The contact center is not a stagnant entity, and as a fluid, dynamic organization, it needs a dynamic solution, noted LiveVox’s thought leaders. Until recent times, contact centers had been using fixed solutions for telephony requirements, licensing, and support. But with the latest developments in the contact center space, it has become increasingly important for them to take the bull by the horns and seriously consider the benefits of cloud technology.

LiveVox wrote, “There’s so much around cloud these days that providers start to sound the same. When it comes to capacity, bursting at all layers of the stack is the key. Cloud provides distinct benefits in terms of cost, ease of use and efficiency.  Beware of words like scalable, when what you deserve is elastic.  Hardware is scalable for a cost, but try returning it when your volume drops. Cloud is elastic.”

So, in striving for “elasticity” as opposed to “scalability,” contact centers have to consider how the cloud expands and contracts with call volumes. With elements that influence call volume such as seasonality, unexpected events, and new product launches, a cloud solution allows a contact center to retreat to better serving lower call volumes when it was required to expand services for higher ones.

“The old way, the site-premised hardware way required contact centers to reach out to at least three different vendors for network, platform and application capacity increases and wait months for them to execute. Contact centers can no longer afford to work on the old timetables, and then pay for the extra capacity regardless of need (or at least until their vendors can coordinate scaling back),” wrote LiveVox.

It has become clear to many in the industry that by not exploring cloud solutions, you are taking a step back with your contact center’s customer relationship management strategy. You’re also probably spending too much. And neither of those results makes for a successful organization.

Juliana Kenny graduated from the University of Connecticut with a double degree in English and French. After managing a small company for two years, she joined TMC (News - Alert) as a Web Editor for TMCnet. Juliana currently focuses on the call center and CRM industries, but she also writes about cloud telephony and network gear including softswitches.

Edited by Chris DiMarco