In recent years, a growing number of businesses have moved away from traditional, premises-based contact centres in favour of a cloud-based approach.
Research shows that 90% of organisations currently use some form of cloud computing in their operations. In addition, in 2019, some 60% of workloads run via the cloud (compared to 45% in 2018). While figures aren’t yet in for 2020, with a move towards working from home, it is likely that this usage rate will increase even further. In fact, according to Cisco, cloud data centres are expected to process 94% of workloads in 2021.
This trend is unsurprising given the multi-faceted advantages of cloud contact centres; they are 27% cheaper than their on-premises counterparts and can decrease downtime by approximately 35%.
A majority of new adopters observe the increase in uptime that results from using cloud contact centres, and this is a major factor in their growth in use.
During the unrest and uncertainty of 2020, businesses that had previously introduced cloud contact centres experienced better business continuity – and thus financial stability – than those who hadn’t. The ability to continue operations is vital in times of turmoil, particularly for small to medium-sized businesses which have historically been unable to attain business continuity due to the resources it has traditionally required.
Preparing for the future means investing in the technology that will help your business grow and continuously exceed customer expectations, for high levels of service and increases in profits. Cloud contact centres reduce the overheads associated with disaster recovery; offer the flexibility to scale businesses due to increased demand; allow organisations to accurately analyse data on customer contact; and create an unparalleled customer service experience for ongoing loyalty into the future.
How Cloud Contact Centres Can Future Proof Your Business
Reduce Costs
Cloud solutions can dramatically lower your operational expenditure, leading to greater profitability for your business. Licensing of cloud based systems grants users flexibility to only pay for what they need, so businesses can easily scale up or scale down according to their requirements.
The pay-as-you-go model of cloud contact centres provides a base for recurring costs and allows for better planning and staffing decisions, as IT resources are less involved in contact centre operations. With cloud contact centres, there is no need to pay for overheads such as hardware, rent or infrastructure. Even the maintenance costs are absorbed into the subscription cost of the service and are not the responsibility of the deployment partner.
Disaster Recovery and Data Protection
The inherent safeguards and redundancies built into the data centres and networks of cloud contact centres allow for data protection and ensure disaster recovery. Many small and medium sized businesses struggle to implement disaster recovery measures due to the costs and complexity involved.
Contact cloud centres provide this important safety net to ensure business continuity at a cost that is attainable for a wide range of organisations; 70% of contact centre users cite security as a motivating factor for investing in cloud technology.
Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty
$75 billion is lost by businesses every year due to poor customer service. An efficient and effective customer service experience is vital for customer retention and acquisition in the modern business world, and is made more accessible through cloud contact centres. A recent report found that 67% of customers will pay more for great customer experience and 70% crave a seamless process when reaching out to a brand.
Cloud contact centres simplify and enhance the experience for customers, through better management of agent availability and consistency across organisations. Data shows that 66% of consumers use an average of more than three or more touch-points for contact with their favourite brands. Cloud contact centres offer this omnichannel presence, giving businesses the ability to engage with customers in a way that suits them.
Flexibility and Scalability
Cloud contact centres offer a level of flexibility that is impossible in the traditional contact centre model. Agents and features can be added to the service quickly and easily, offering improved continuity and a better customer experience. While typical contact centres are limited by numbers of agents and must be guided by estimates in volume of customer interactions, a cloud model allows contact centres to extend functionality and adapt quickly to changes without the need to buy new infrastructure or engage IT staff in new projects.
Any spikes in interaction volume can be seamlessly addressed, offering a solution to the cyclical demands facing many modern businesses. The inherent scalability of a cloud contact centre allows for growth into the future.
Data Analysis and Reporting
The ability to measure success is vital for the ongoing growth and improvement of any business. Cloud contact centres offer comprehensive reporting capabilities, allowing users to analyse data and make informed decisions.
They provide real time analytics on important metrics such as First Call Resolution (FCR), which is a vital factor in efficiency and productivity, and Customer Effort Score (CES), which is based on the concept that the time and effort a customer needs to put into getting their issue resolved is a crucial element of customer experience and retention. By giving organisations fast and accurate insight into this data, issues can be quickly addressed, customer satisfaction can be enhanced, and profitability can be improved as a result.