While cloud-based call centre is not a new concept in the call centre industry, most people are still clear on the difference and the benefits that the cloud-based call centre software can do. In this article, I will break down in details on the types of call centre services that use cloud solutions in the daily call centre operations.
Benefits of using the Cloud-based Call Centre Software
- It allows the call agents to use internet from their computer at home to handle incoming calls from customers as home-based call agent and all they need to do is to install the necessary software.
- A good cloud-based call centre solution has efficient network support that can monitor and maintain the systems on the daily basis around the clock to prevent any system error that could impact the call centre operations.
- Most of the cloud solutions for the call centre has no restrictions in terms of the capacity needed to allow the business to expand their call centre’s operation as and when needed.
- Cloud-based call centre software has features to allow the management to monitor the call statistics and manage the daily service levels to maintain the customer’s expectations.
- Most of the cloud solutions for the call centre has the interface that is user-friendly and easy to learn and use.
- A good cloud-based call centre software shall be able to integrate most of the current CRM applications that are up to date in the market and if the API (Application Programming Interface) is provided by the company, it is possible to host and integrate the CRM locally.
Types of Call Centre Services available in the cloud solution
- Multi-Media Contact Distribution – this feature aims to deliver voice calls (incoming/outgoing), skills-based call routing, web-chat, fax, emails or SMS to the call agents which at the same time allows the management to monitor the call traffic, queue monitors and the agents status in real time.
This feature also can route calls which are based on the number dialed or caller ID and is possible to do multi-tenant for sub call centre setups.
Other functions include customizing of music or message while putting the caller on hold, customization of voice prompts at IVR and the ability to create virtual agent extensions across any number of sites.
- IVR (Interactive Voice Response) – It’s a common feature in the call centre that allows the customer to enter digits for the types of call inquiry.
IVR can also be used to customize the prompts and greetings when the customer calls the hotline. Other features of IVR included the voice recording on demand by the agent, unified messaging and the voice announcement of operating hour and calendars of holidays in the IVR.
- Real-Time Reporting/Monitoring – The purpose of this function is for the monitoring of service level during the operation hours, especially for supervisors or manager to check on the real-time loading and the current agents’ activities.
Other features will include the downloading of the historical call status in MS Excel format, ability to show the call status in pivot tables or pivot charts and the data can be permanently downloaded for quick access when needed.
- Call Recording and Monitoring – This feature is essential for any call centres which the voice recording can be hosted locally plus additional “Whispering” feature to provide on-call training for the agents.
Other features include Live monitoring of the agent calls in progress, recording on demand by the call agents which is retrieval by agent’s name, queue, date and time, the number of the caller, caller ID, comments and so on. Not to mention the ability to customize the voice prompts in the IVR and the Virtual agent extensions across any number of sites when necessary.
- CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) – This feature includes functions like Interactive Voice Response, screen pop from the CRM applications, transferring of the caller ID to the next agent for “screen/data” transfer and the option to host the CRM locally or remotely as and when needed.
- Email Management – Routing of the emails from the customers that are based on keywords, email address, and CRM integration. This feature is also able to route incoming emails via the queue to the selected agents which are efficient in email management.
- SMS/WEB CHAT – It’s an online feature that allows call agent to send or received SMS to customers that are done by using the agent’s desktop. Incoming SMS can also be routed via the queue to the next available agents. Live Web chat is also available for customers to state their inquiries online which the assign agents will reply to the queries.
Although there is much cloud-based software that has most of these cloud solutions for call centres in the market. There are few software that can provide full-featured, enterprise-class call centre services like All-Touch Virtual Contact Centre which is provided by Converged Solutions in Singapore that provides superior contact centre technologies and features that greatly improve your customer service quality plus great customers’ experience, and management efficiencies.
So if you need to effectively and cost savings cloud solutions to set up a cloud-based call centre. Converged Solutions can provide just the solution you need for your call centre business.