While Cloud based telephony services come with a range of different options, call center tech hasn’t evolved to keep up.
When you own or operate a call center, you know all about the number of calls and the large portion of data that you mine through every day. When you have outdated equipment and complex systems that make onboarding difficult, you are sure to end up with a complicated array of daily failures that need correction.
Cloud based telephony systems, on the other hand, are as up to date as your computing systems are. Provided that you have an internet connection with a secure network, all you need to do to start receiving calls through the Cloud is a device that can connect to the internet. It could be a mobile phone, it could be a laptop or tablet, or it could be a $3,000 PC. It doesn’t matter. The call is received and dealt with either way.
So how do these two operating methods differ from each other in the long term? Let’s find out.
Cloud Based Phone Systems are Different from Call Centre Software
Advanced cloud phone service for businesses provide powerful flexibility for an increasingly remote workplace. There are several factors that make cloud-based phone systems stand out against the backdrop of call center software. Let’s look at what each does and summarize the pros and cons.
Call Centre Software
A regular call center software system would involve a building where everyone answers calls, which are logged in a central system. That system is right there in the building, so everything is in the same place. Each call handler has a headset and a telephone, as well as a computer, and they all work on the system at the same time.
The pros of call center software are that everything is together, nothing is lost in data transfer, and that data retrieval can be faster.
The cons of call center software are that a fire or other disaster will put you out of business. That software is buggy and might bring your business to a halt, and that once something is lost, there’s no copy of it.
Cloud Based Phone Systems
When you use a cloud-based system, all of your data is stored offsite. If you have a fire, it won’t be destroyed. The people who call your center don’t need to physically speak to someone either. They can interact through a mobile app, or chat with employees live, online. You can purchase servers to run maximum bandwidth to accommodate the data storage, or you can hire someone else to do it.
The pros of this are that less hardware is involved, you save massively on productivity time and initial startup costs, and you know that your data is protected.
The cons of the Cloud based phone system are that data could potentially be lost during transit, that you need to pay for space/a third party host, and that your customers need to be internet savvy enough to use your app.
Key differences Between Call Centre and Cloud Based Phone Systems
Let’s summarize by rounding up the key differences then.
1 – Cost
Setup costs of a call center using standard software are higher due to the equipment needed. This equipment must be maintained and refreshed. With Cloud based telephony systems, you will need one device only.
2 – Versatility
There is a lot of scope for new apps and technological improvements when you work through the Cloud. Employees can work from home if they want to, whereas being on-site is necessary for call center handling.
3 – Productivity
The opportunities for better productivity with Cloud cannot be denied. You can collaborate with team members on opposite sides of the world, handle calls on the same systems that deal with issues and improve time consuming tasks.
The Conclusion
Cloud based telephone systems and call center software vary greatly, but only one of them is the way of the future.