Are your customer service and support operations as effective and cost-efficient as possible? The contact center architecture you choose primarily determines that.
Getting your contact center setup right will immediately make you stand out in your market in a good way. That’s because businesses only meet consumers’ expectations 23% of the time.
With the right framework, you can serve your customers better without wasting resources. Uncover the keys to maximizing the capabilities of your contact center solution architecture.
Key Takeaways:
- Contact center solution architecture consists of your entire hardware and software setup for offering customer service and support.
- The most cost-efficient and effective contact center is a cloud-based solution.
- Cloud contact centers are location-agnostic and omnichannel, working whenever and wherever.
- Metrics like first-call resolution rates and call handling time can help you determine the effectiveness of your contact center and how to improve it.
What Is the Meaning of Contact Center Solution Architecture?
Contact center solution architecture refers to the complete physical equipment and software system that allows you to manage client-facing support and customer service teams. With it, you securely and efficiently handle all incoming and outgoing communications.
The hardware components include your telephone networks, servers, computers, telephones, and other devices. The software on that equipment handles calling, conferencing, billing, data collection, security, and analytics.
The strongest contact center architecture combines most of those features in a single system. The industry term for this is contact center as a service (CCaaS). The best CCaaS solutions integrate seamlessly with other business productivity software for even more robust architecture.
What Are the Different Contact Center Solution Architectures?
Contact centers mainly fall into three different types:
- On-premise: All hardware resides at your offices. You must install and maintain the system, which provides complete control at high costs.
- Hosted (single-tenant): Run a digital contact center by outsourcing your system to a provider. Here, you are the only client on the servers for a high level of control with only slightly lower costs than on-premise options.
- Cloud-based (multi-tenant): Subscribe to CCaaS software that always offers the latest contact center security and features. Team members can use the system anywhere they have an internet connection.
Cloud-based systems deliver the highest return on investment because of their low cost of ownership. Your company does not have to buy extensive hardware for installation or hire technical teams to maintain the system.
Another advantage is that cloud-based VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) technology provide access to the lowest cost long-distance and international calling. Virtual systems also allow you to scale effortlessly. You have unlimited lines for unmatched flexibility and freedom.
What Elements Do You Require for Peak Contact Center Solution Architecture?
Pick a solution with the following characteristics for the best possible contact center architecture.
The Latest User-Friendly Technology
Your contact center solutions architecture should automate simple processes through intelligent software. This speeds up how fast you answer calls and attend to customers.
For example, automated call distribution can forward calls to the appropriate agent upon first contact. Interactive voice response software allows callers to handle basic transactions independently.
The Right Location
Where you host and operate your contact center will affect your costs, the technology you can use, and the agents you can recruit. An effective on-premise contact center requires a large office in a metropolitan area with access to a broad talent base. That gets expensive quickly!
With cloud-based solutions, you can have location-agnostic infrastructure. That gives you access to a worldwide talent pool.
Your provider also removes any worries about system security and continuity. Off-site data centers offer up-to-date protection and guaranteed 99.999% uptime.
Efficient Omnichannel Processes
A contact center must efficiently handle high call volumes and other convenient channels. Cloud-based CCaaS lets you serve clients fluidly across channels while handling the same service ticket.
Likewise, your customer-facing contact center should integrate with your internal private branch exchange for seamless connections. While that may seem like a no-brainer, not every CCaaS offers full integration. Intermedia stands apart with a truly unified solution.
The latest cloud contact center architecture enables you to monitor and optimize your processes. With analytics and reporting, managers have the right insights to train agents effectively and improve scheduling.
This efficiency level leads to a better customer experience that earns brand loyalty. In turn, you open up more opportunities to upsell and cross-sell.
Which Key Performance Indicators Serve as the Best Metrics?
It’s not enough to believe you offer a premium customer experience in your contact center. You need evidence of where you excel and what you should improve. The following metrics are helpful:
- Answer time: How long it takes your agents to pick up incoming calls
- Blocked calls: The number of incoming calls that get a busy signal
- Call handling time: The amount of time it takes an agent to complete an interaction
- First-call resolution: How often your team can resolve queries and concerns on the first interaction
- Idle rates: The average time agents spend in between calls
With Intermedia’s cloud-based contact center solution, your system already has robust reporting and analytics to help you know where you stand. You can integrate the system with your favorite workflow management and productivity software for additional insights.
Are You Ready To Install Robust Omnichannel Contact Center Solution Architecture?
With high-quality contact center solution architecture, you can enable customer-centric teams that deliver on your brand promise. Find out how easy it is to set up an omnichannel contact center with Intermedia today.
Rob Oscanyan
Rob is Director for Product Marketing for Contact Center as a Service here at Intermedia.
April 23, 2024
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