Call Recording Featured Article

The cloud model of software distribution is sweeping across the business world, and with good reason: software-as-a-service turns a capital expense into an operating expense, it offers reduced costs, and businesses can scale their software spend to just what is needed, adding more or using less as necessary.

There also are additional benefits, including the ability to connect cloud services with each other and reducing complexity by not having to maintain and service the solutions since the software is in the cloud. Cloud and SaaS (News - Alert) solutions can enable agents to update shift preferences, check schedules, bid on shifts, or request vacation time from any location or device.

Workforce management software is no exception to this trend.

Cloud-based workforce management software lets contact center managers and businesses monitor employees in real-time and manage staffing. It does so through a web interface that is as easy to use as other cloud solutions such as Gmail.

One good example is the Virtual Observer Community WFM solution. It delivers screen capture and live screen and webcam monitoring, and it can transmit a relatively large amount of data with minimal bandwidth. It also, as a good workforce optimization solution, has the ability to record calls and score calls, as well as offer targeting training material to staff as needed. It enables management of contact center schedules and forecasts, and managers can run queries against indexed auto recordings to isolate trends. Customers can acquire robust enterprise caliber WFM, such as Virtual Observer Community WFM, within an opex model for a per-named agent fee per month.

Like any self-respecting cloud solution, it also can connect with other solutions such as Avaya and Cisco (News - Alert) telephony integrations, and Salesforce’s API.

This is done without the need to invest in new software or maintain new solutions.

The case for software-as-a-service is strong and growing. Workforce management software is no exception, and businesses that don’t already have a good workforce optimization solution in place should take a serious look at going to the cloud for such offerings.

Businesses that do have workforce management solutions already also should take a look; legacy, on-premises workforce management and call recording solutions are a dying breed. And there’s a good reason for it.