Contact Centre as-a-Service

Knowing the number of users on a call centre phone system is important, but it’s even more important to know the number of concurrent calls that will be happening at any given time because it affects the bandwidth requirements.  

A good rule of thumb for determining bandwidth needs is: number of concurrent calls at peak time x 100 kilobits per second (Kbps) = bandwidth in megabits per second (Mbps) needed.

Equipment plays a vital role in the ability to prioritise network traffic and the quality of voice data.

Generally, smaller organisations have more equipment options because they have fewer network requirements; however larger enterprises housing a dedicated call centre will need to consider the impact on traffic and may need to adjust networking equipment.

The number of ports needed per user determines the type of phones that can be attached to the call centre phone system. With only one port per user shared by both the PC and phone, the phone model with need a built-in switch. Having two ports per user makes phone administration easier and the phones more reliable.

A high upload speed will be needed to ensure audio quality. While DSL and cable modems are considered high speed, beware that data rates can be drastically impacted when used for a VoIP phone system.

Having employees located outside the office can sometimes cause bandwidth issues. This, in turn, can lead to call quality issues, which can be especially detrimental for firms with dedicated call teams. To fix this, either increase the available bandwidth or decrease the needed bandwidth for each call, which can be accomplished with a codec.

 Adding a VoIP-based call centre phone system to an existing technology stack means integration with other business applications.

Many call centre options have Microsoft Active Directory or LDAP integrations to minimise the stress of keeping up with passwords and for security purposes.

Also, ensure the phone system can integrate with CRM systems, like Salesforce, or customer service software, like Zendesk.

Implementing an on-premise call centre can take up to several months because companies must purchase hardware and licenses, set up the infrastructure, and find compatible software. A cloud-based call centre is a swift simple deployment that involves installing an app on a computer that functions out of the box.

Companies must determine whether they want a CapEx or OpEx model. On-premise call centres require upfront costs for hardware, licenses, and housing servers onsite. They also require onsite installations once every 5-10 years as hardware ages and technology evolves. Cloud call centres do not require an upfront hardware or infrastructure cost as long as there is a strong internet connection with sufficient bandwidth. Conversely cloud-based call centres costs are a monthly subscription per licence.

It is possible, but difficult, to integrate an on-premise call centre with other services, mainly because of licensing and installation. Companies with experienced IT teams can make the integrations and implementations work. Conversely, cloud call centre providers intentionally create their products to integrate with existing CRM system, call script generators, helpdesk tickets, and more.

On-premise call centres have voice-based features including transfer, hold, wait music, conferences, and call logging. Cloud call centres have the same traditional features, but build on them with the help of advancing technologies to feature live call monitoring, smart IVR, click-to-call, and more.

On-premise call centres may have more stable technology to help eliminate call lag or lower call quality, but this is dependent on the quality of its technology and hardware. Cloud call centres have high call quality so long as organisations have strong, reliable internet connections.

Leverage connected experiences with a desktop platform that quickly identifies previous interactions.

Email management tools built-in to the call centre desktop.

Converse with prospects and customers in real-time to solve issues quickly – no phone call needed.

Use modern channels to touch base with your customers without disrupting their day.

Build positive customer customer experiences by meeting customers on the platforms they already use.