It is highly likely that the words Contact Center and Call Center are part of your everyday vocabulary and sometimes you use them as synonyms. However, it is important to know the technical differences between both typologies to make an informed decision about which software to choose for your business.
A Contact Center focuses on managing all communication channels with customers, while a Call Center focuses specifically on managing phone calls. Both have their advantages and disadvantages and the choice will depend on your specific needs. In this post, we will delve into these differences and help you choose the option that best suits your business needs.
Differences between Contact Center and Call Center
A call center is a place that receives calls from customers and offers assistance or solutions. It also manages outbound customer communications such as surveys, marketing campaigns, and sales. Although it is usually a voice-only operation, you can also offer chat support. It is a service focused on dealing with customer queries and complaints by phone, while offering support for online transactions or sales.
A contact center, on the other hand, is a much more holistic customer service solution. It offers access to all kinds of communication channels, such as voice calls, email, chat, social media, etc. Like the call center service, it manages interactions with both incoming and outgoing customers, and can operate within the organization or, conversely, be outsourced to another company.
In this case, an omnichannel strategy allows a greater number of customers or potential customers to get in touch with customer service through more than one channel.
Keep in mind that a contact center is not only in charge of managing interactions, procedures and queries of customers with the company, that is, customer service. Currently, it is the neuralgic point from which any type of interaction is managed, also supplying the sales and marketing section, collection management and outsourcing actions and BPOs.
So, despite the similarities, we can see that the two models vary both in terms of the channel, the way the data is collected, the integration of self-service solutions, the type of agent skills and the technology to use. If you have doubts about which of the two models is the right one for you, check out the following post.
Contact center types: Cloud contact center
Not long ago, a Contact Center was a physical space where were located all the equipment and facilities necessary to provide customer service to a company. Therefore, the activity could only be carried out in an office, therefore requiring a large initial investment. However, thanks to constant technological advances, these tools have gone a step further. Now, it is possible to carry out these procedures over the Internet thanks to Cloud Contact Centers.
The contact center in the cloud, also known as cloud contact center, is a technological solution that allows companies to offer high-quality customer service through different channels, such as phone calls, instant messaging, email, chat and video calls.
1. A flexible solution
The main advantage of using a cloud contact center is the flexibility it provides. It allows companies to adjust their customer service capabilities in real time to meet changing customer needs. In addition, the cloud contact center is a mobile solution, which means that customer service agents can respond to customer interactions from anywhere at any time, as long as they have Internet access.
2. Efficiency at the lowest cost
Being a cloud-hosted technology, it means that the resources and infrastructure are located on remote servers instead of being hosted locally in the company. This allows companies to avoid costly hardware and software expenses and focus on improving the quality of their service. In addition, these types of solutions are usually more scalable than traditional ones, allowing companies to quickly adapt to changes.
3. Use of new technologies
In addition, having a contact center in the cloud offers a variety of advanced features that improve team productivity. For example, artificial intelligence and data analytics can be used to prioritize and assign calls and messages in real time, helping to reduce wait times and improve the customer experience. In addition, these solutions also offer integrations with other business tools, such as CRM and ERP systems, allowing better customer relationship management.
4. Real-time data analysis
Another advantage of the cloud is the availability of information in real time, a super useful resource, especially for managers or those responsible for the Contact Center. Having reports and performance metrics is essential to be able to make decisions and improve efficiency and quality of service.
5. Solution suitable for all types of companies
Having a contact center in the cloud is an ideal solution for all types of companies, since it easily adapts to the resources and needs available in each case. Small businesses can take advantage of the advanced features of the contact center in the cloud avoiding an investment in infrastructure, while large organizations rely on this service to manage large volumes of data quickly and efficiently.
Even so, having a service in the cloud can also be a challenge, especially in terms of team management. Companies around the world are looking for the most flexible way to ensure their teams stay productive, wherever they are. Although there are challenges to overcome along the way, quality planning and a quality provider will quickly improve your digital transformation strategy.
If you’re concerned about the performance of your contact center agents when working remotely, be sure to take a look at our blog post on Maintaining agent performance when working remotely.
Features of a contact center
Customer service
The first and most basic rol of any contact center is customer service. It is the first touch point between a customer or potential customer and the company, so it is essential to invest in a good team and tools to offer an exceptional service capable of making a difference.
In the human aspect, it is important that all members of this area have the necessary skills and knowledge to give precise answers to customer queries, deal with possible complaints and claims, and know how to act in the best way so as not to damage the image of the company. Remember that the health of a company often depends on the number of satisfied and loyal customers to the brand, while serving as a speaker to attract new customers.
As for the tools, having a contact center software solution powerful enough to cover all the interactions, channels, and new actions that contact centers perform today is more than essential to achieve success.
To offer efficient and effective customer service, a contact center must have a software that offers tools that facilitate both the work of agents and the end user experience. Some of these are:
- Automatic Call Distribution (ACD): These systems allow customer service agents to handle incoming and outgoing calls in a much more organized and efficient way.
- Omnichannel: The integration of multiple communication channels (calls, instant messaging, email or social media) allows establishing a much more agile and simple relationship with customers, while increasing user satisfaction by having a much faster response on the channel of your choice. If you want to know how to create an omnichannel strategy from scratch, check here!
- Chatbots: Artificial intelligence solutions help to facilitate the tasks of agents since they can answer frequently asked questions automatically, while increasing the productivity of the contact center. With an effective and intuitive chatbot you will be able to design interactive experiences for web and mobile in minutes.
- CRM: A customer relationship management (CRM) system is a valuable tool for customer service, as it allows all team members to access relevant information about customers, such as call history and previous purchases. Discover all the advantages in this post. With EVOLUTION Connect you can natively link your Contact Center with the leading CRMs on the market: Salesforce, Zoho and Microsoft Dynamics.
Marketing and Sales
Another important function of a contact center is to support the sales and marketing actions of a company. In this case, the agents perform as sellers and assistants, with the objective of selling and promoting the brand. To do this, it is necessary that they have a good persuasive capacity and that they are up to date with both market trends and the changing needs of customers in order to offer appropriate solutions and increase sales. In addition, it is important that they have excellent communication skills to build trust and credibility among consumers.
In terms of technology, in the sales and marketing sector, it is necessary that the contact center software allows covering all the actions of the commercial activity. Some of these solutions are:
- Dialer: These systems allow members of the telemarketing team to make automated calls to leads and potential customers. Discover all the advantages in this post.
- Lead tracking tools: Having solutions that allow lead tracking is essential to improve prospecting efficiency. In this sense, make sure you have contact center software that allows CRM integration.
Collection Management
The collection management function in a contact center is essential to guarantee correct and timely payment by debtors. This task involves a series of processes, from identifying customers who must pay to taking steps to recover outstanding payments. The collection management team must have a good understanding of the products and services offered, as well as the payment policies and procedures. In addition, you need to be able to communicate effectively and assertively with these people and resolve any problems or complications they may have.
In the field of collection management, it is important to have a powerful software tool to facilitate the processes. You must integrate:
- Collection management solutions: These systems allow collection managers to control the company’s accounts receivable. At ICR Evolution we have a Pop Up system with which the agent will see all the information related to the debtor and can review it at the right time. In addition, at the end of the call, the agent can add the debtor’s payment commitments, as well as the result of the conversation and the next actions to be taken.
- Call progress analysis technology (Call Progress Analysis): To reach more contacts in the shortest possible time, it is essential to have this type of technology, which detects failed calls such as answering machines, no answer, among others. You will be able to maximize the volume of contacts to inform them of their debt without taking up resources.
Outsourcing & BPO
Outsourcing involves hiring an outside company to provide customer service, sales and marketing, billing, and other contact center-related functions. BPO involves the management of business processes by an external company. Both functions aim to reduce costs and improve the operational efficiency of the company that hires them. Here we discuss technical aspects that you should ask for if you are going to outsource your Contact Center.
To provide an efficient and effective outsourcing and BPO service, a contact center must have a software that allows efficient management and monitoring of processes and tasks. Some of these tools include:
- Reporting & monitoring: These systems allow managers to monitor and track tasks, while allowing you to measure the performance of both the team and the campaigns. In addition, it is a very useful tool to react quickly to unexpected situations.
- Integrations: Having solutions that facilitate communication between systems and applications is essential for any outsourcing company. Facilitating synergies and communication is a key objective of this business methodology, therefore, make sure you have contact center software capable of transmitting the relevant information of a multi-channel interaction to your business applications, be they CRM or ERP to determine the value of a customer or facilitate both upselling and cross selling of your company.
Tips for setting up your own contact center
Setting up a contact center is an important process that requires careful planning and strategy to ensure that the service provided is efficient and effective. Here are some keys that will help you set up a successful contact center:
1. Identification of needs
Before starting, it is important to identify the needs and requirements of customers and potential customers. This includes determining the best time to contact the,, as well as the channel or tone in which to address. In the same way, it is essential to have a clear vision of the objectives and a strong company culture that helps you stand out.
2. Staff selection
The staff selection is a key step for any contact center manager. Agents need to be professional, friendly, and have good communication skills to provide high-quality service. You can check this post to discover the functions that every contact center advisor must perform.
3. Implementation of software tools
Choosing a good software tool is essential if you want to be successful in starting a contact center. From managing calls, promoting products or even taking care of collections, it is important to choose a software solution that is one hundred percent adapted to you.
4. Coaching and training
Training and education are important to make sure agents are prepared to provide high-quality service. This includes training on software, processes and customer service. If you need a good call script step by step, don’t miss this post!
5. Monitoring and continuous improvement
Monitoring and continuous improvement are key to keeping a high quality service. It is important to assess and monitor service quality and agent efficiency, and make continuous improvements to ensure efficient service.
Thus, creating a contact center is a task that requires careful and well-thought-out planning and strategy. From the identification of needs to the implementation of software tools, it is important to study each step of the process to maximize its efficiency and profitability.
Remember that having powerful software specifically developed for contact centers is key to guaranteeing an excellent customer service experience and efficient management of all processes.
How to choose the best software for your contact center
For starters, a good software tool should provide an intuitive and easy-to-use interface for agents, allowing them to manage calls, chats, and emails efficiently and quickly. In addition, it must have the ability to integrate with other applications and systems, such as CRMs and information systems, to obtain a complete vision of the client and improve personalized attention.
A good contact center software has to include real-time monitoring and analysis features to assess the efficiency and productivity of agents and improve their performance. This includes the ability to track and monitor calls, chats, and emails, and the ability to get reports and statistics to make informed decisions.
In addition, it is essential that this solution offers scalability and flexibility. So you can adjust the size and capacity of the contact center according to the changing needs of customers. This includes the ability to handle call and chat spikes, and the ability to add or remove resources as needed.
Another important aspect is the ability to provide an omnichannel experience for customers, which means that agents can interact with customers through the channel of their choice. It can be through the traditional call, such as by chat, email and even social media. In this way, a much broader and personalized customer service is guaranteed, adapted to the needs and preferences of each consumer.
Tips for choosing the best contact center software
1. Identify your goals
Before choosing a contact center software, it is important to be clear about what goals you want to achieve. Do you want to improve customer service? Do you need support for sales and marketing? Are you looking for help with collection management? Identify your objectives to choose the best software for you.
2. Investigate different options
It is also important to decide which type of contact center you have. If you prefer a Cloud, Physical option or if you intend to outsource the service. Deciding this is also of huge importance when deciding.
3. Check the experience
Having an experienced tool, with track record and secure technology is also an important factor to take into account. Research the ratings and opinions of others before making a decision. Experience and trajectory are usually a guarantee of better quality.
4. Make a research about the technology
Before deciding, investigate which facilities and integrations the different candidates of your choice provide you. Be sure to opt for the one that best suits your needs and that can offer a personalized service to your business.
5. Evaluate flexibility
Your business needs may change over time, so it’s important to choose tools that are flexible, scalable, and adaptable to change.
6. Price
While price is a determining factor, don’t let it be the only one. Look for that solution that guarantees long-term efficiency.
At ICR Evolution we have the solution you are looking for: discover EVOLUTION
Whether you are an SME or a large public or private company, you manage telemarketing or customer service operation projects, our call center and contact center software helps you meet, in real time and productively, all the needs of your customers.
A true customer experience with which we will help you maximize the ROI of your call center.
Choose a complete and quality contact center software, like EVOLUTION. We offer the best value for money on the market, unbeatable support and all the benefits of an omnichannel solution. Request a free personalized demo now!
