Overview
Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) is a cloud-based customer experience solution that allows companies to utilize a contact center provider's software. A CCaaS model allows businesses to purchase only the technology they need, reducing the need for internal IT support.
Why CCaaS?
Choosing CCaaS can offer several advantages for businesses that rely on customer service and support. Here are some reasons why you might consider adopting CCaaS:
Lower Costs
With CCaaS, you can avoid upfront hardware and software costs typically associated with traditional contact center solutions. Instead, you pay for the services and features you need on a subscription or usage-based model, reducing capital expenditures and enabling predictable operating expenses.
Rapid Deployment
CCaaS solutions are cloud-based, enabling quick and easy deployment. You can set up your contact center and start serving customers within a short time frame, bypassing complex on-premises installations and configurations.
Advances Features
CCaaS providers offer a wide range of advanced features and functionality to enhance customer interactions. These may include interactive voice response (IVR), automatic call distribution (ACD), skills-based routing, real-time analytics and reporting, omnichannel support (voice, email, chat, social media), and integration with customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
Easy Scalability
CCaaS allows you to scale your contact center operations up or down based on business needs. You can easily add or remove agents, adjust resources, and handle fluctuations in call volumes without the need for significant infrastructure investments or lengthy setup processes.
Disaster Recovery
CCaaS solutions are hosted in the cloud, providing built-in redundancy and robust disaster recovery capabilities. In the event of outages or disruptions, your contact center can quickly recover and continue operations from alternative locations or devices.
Integration & Data Analytics
CCaaS platforms often offer seamless integration with CRM systems, allowing agents to access customer information and provide personalized service. Additionally, robust data analytics and reporting capabilities provide insights into contact center performance, customer behavior, and operational efficiency, enabling data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
Flexible Workforce
CCaaS enables remote and flexible workforce management, allowing agents to work from anywhere with an internet connection. This flexibility can enhance employee satisfaction, improve work-life balance, and attract talent from diverse geographic locations.
Continuous Innovation
CCaaS providers continuously update and enhance their offerings, ensuring access to the latest technologies and features. This helps future-proof your contact center operations and enables you to take advantage of emerging customer service trends and technologies.
Why Choose NorthStar for your CCaaS Needs?
There are many facets to consider when exploring CCaaS solutions, and it can be very confusing to figure out who is going to be the right CCaaS partner for your company. We understand this, and have helped other companies like yours navigate their way through this complex process.
Assessments
We can help you identify the current state of your Contact Center architecture, identify your requirements and gaps, and help you choose the correct CCaaS solution providers to bring in.
Audit Services
We will audit your current Contact Center architecture and provider(s) to determine if you are using the best and most cost-effective solution(s) for your business.
Design
We can recommend CCaaS solutions based on current industry trends and best practices, so you can be sure that you are receiving a quality solution.
Selection
We are CCaaS supplier agnostic and work with numerous providers. We can offer the best options from multiple suppliers.
Implementation
In addition to securing the correct CCaaS solution, we can often assist you with implementing new solutions.
Cost Management
We want to provide you with a great CCaaS solution within your budget and will work to make sure you are investing your money well.
NorthStar has reach and depth, tenured engineers and facilitators, and a deep bench of proven experience-based knowledge. We can help you assess your current state, and design, implement, and operate CCaaS solutions that will be the right fit for your organization.
Is CCaaS Right for Your Organization?
Determining if CCaaS is right for your business depends on various factors specific to your organization's needs, goals, and customer service requirements. Here are some considerations to help you evaluate if CCaaS is a suitable solution:
Customer Service Importance
Assess the importance of customer service in your business. If delivering exceptional customer experiences and support is a critical part of your operations and overall business strategy, CCaaS can provide the tools and capabilities to enhance those efforts.
Scalability and Flexibility
Consider if your contact center needs to scale up or down based on fluctuating call volumes or seasonal demands. CCaaS offers scalability and flexibility, allowing you to add or remove agents and adjust resources easily as per your requirements.
Cost - Benefit Analysis
Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of CCaaS compared to traditional on-premises contact center solutions. CCaaS typically operates on a subscription or pay-as-you-go model, reducing upfront capital expenditures and offering predictable operational expenses.
Rapid
Deployment
Determine if you require a contact center solution that can be deployed quickly. CCaaS solutions can be set up and operational in a short timeframe, enabling faster time-to-value compared to traditional implementations.
Advanced Features & Omnichannel Support
Assess if your contact center needs advanced features such as IVR, ACD, omnichannel support, and integration with CRM systems. CCaaS platforms often offer a wide range of features and integration capabilities to optimize customer interactions and streamline operations.
Remote Workforce & Workforce Management
Consider if your business requires the flexibility to support remote agents or a distributed workforce. CCaaS allows for remote workforce management, enabling agents to work from anywhere with an internet connection.
Integration & Analytics
Determine if integration with CRM systems and robust analytics and reporting capabilities are important for your contact center operations. CCaaS solutions often provide seamless integration with CRM platforms and offer data analytics for monitoring performance, optimizing workflows, and improving customer experiences.
-
How does CCaaS differ from traditional on-premise contact center solutions?CCaaS operates in the cloud, which means that the software and infrastructure are hosted by a third-party provider. In contrast, traditional on-premise contact center solutions require companies to manage their hardware and software on-site.
-
Will I be able to keep my existing PBX and just migrate my contact center to CCaaS?Yes, we would be able to implement an "overlay" architecture which would allow you to keep your PBX and the CCaaS would be on top of your PBX. This is a very popular solution.
-
What features does CCaaS typically include?CCaaS platforms generally include features such as call routing, IVR (Interactive Voice Response), omnichannel support (email, chat, social media), call recording, real-time analytics, workforce management, and integration with CRM systems.
-
Can CCaaS support multi-channel customer interactions?Yes, CCaaS platforms offer omnichannel support, enabling businesses to handle customer interactions across various channels, such as voice, email, chat, and social media, from a unified interface.
-
Is there redundancy already built in with a CCaaS solution or will I have to provide for that?Yes, redundancy is already built in with a cloud solution. There are multiple geo data centers in place to support all types of transmissions and applications. Within the data centers there are multiple redundant servers and microservers available to support the businesses to prevent outages.
-
How long will it take to implement a CCaaS solution?It will all depend on the existing environment (network, number of seats, business type, etc.) that is in place. Hwever, in most cases a 45-60 day implementation timeline (after solution selection is made) would be the average which would include the planning, implementation and support.
-
Is CCaaS suitable for small businesses?Yes, CCaaS can be a viable solution for small businesses as it allows them to access advanced contact center capabilities without the need for significant upfront investments in infrastructure.
-
How does CCaaS support remote work?CCaaS platforms enable agents to work remotely as long as they have an internet connection. Agents can access the contact center system and handle customer interactions from anywhere, enhancing workforce flexibility.
-
Is CCaaS secure and compliant with industry regulations?Reputable CCaaS providers prioritize security and compliance with industry standards such as GDPR and HIPAA. They implement robust security measures to protect customer data and ensure data privacy.
-
Do I have to purchase a full contact center seat, or will I have the option to choose only what I need at a given time?This is one of the many benefits of a CCaaS solution. You can choose only what you need at first (e.g. You can have an ACD & IVR only, without Omni-channel or WFO)
