In the communications space, there is often talk of the hosted environment. At the same time, the cloud is getting a lot of attention. These buzzwords tend to proliferate to the point that sitcoms like to poke fun and decision makers find themselves with more options than answers.

At the same time, contact centers are moving to hosted platforms to support the virtual environment. Brick and mortar operations are not necessarily the norm in this space when talking about new development and hosted solutions are providing the quality platforms without the large capital investments.

Still, it can be a challenge to try and fit the standard company into the mold of the service provider. A reseller or integrator may have great options when it comes to hosted communications, yet requires a company to select a package already in place to get the benefits they want. The problem with this approach is the company often pays for more than they need or can’t afford the platform they want.

At the same time, there are a few vendors popping up along the way who lack the necessary expertise when it comes to hosted solutions. They aren’t selling on the value of the platform, but maybe instead offering a solution based on the amount of promised commission. It’s a common problem that can often leave a business wrestling with a robust platform that can’t meet their needs.

When the right partner is found, they not only provide a robust solution, they also support it across all touchpoints. This means that all hardware is maintained on site, upgrades and updates are done on a regular basis and the Service Level Agreement meets or exceeds the industry standard. This provider also already has happy customers in the field who have experienced success with the platform and support.

These key points are essential when the contact center extends to the hosted world. This high volume industry relies on robust solutions. At the same time, scalability and flexibility are essential to ensure seamless growth, ready integration and the support of remote management and business continuity.

All of these elements are considered standard for the hosted communications environment, but if you can also add customized solutions, the value is extended one step further. TeleSpeak is trying to do just that, offering customization through a vertical approach. To share more about it, the company was on hand at the recent ITEXPO event. Chance Myers talked with TMC’s Erik Linask (News - Alert). Check out this interview to get the full scoop.