In the past few months, many people who could do their jobs remotely transitioned to working from home to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A survey conducted between April 1 and April 5 by researchers from MIT, Stanford, Upwork and the National Bureau of Economic Research found that more than a third of employed Americans had switched to working from home because of the pandemic.
Although many states have begun the process of reopening, many of us will likely keep clocking in from our kitchens and bedrooms for a while yet. Some companies might allow employees to stay home indefinitely. Last week, for instance, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey gave his team the go-ahead to work remotely forever, even after the pandemic is over, according to BuzzFeed News. More organizations might follow Dorsey’s lead, especially since the majority (59 percent) of employed Americans have said they want to “work remotely as much as possible” post-pandemic, according to Gallup.
This significant shift to working from home necessitates an overhaul of how contact centers operate. On-premise solutions are no longer adequate in a world where remote work has become the new normal. For businesses searching for a way to keep their contact center agents healthy and safe while still providing them with the resources they need to deliver a great customer experience (CX) from home, cloud contact center software can help your organization maintain productivity, provide exceptional service and overall stay competitive, despite the current crisis.
Cloud Contact Center Features That Empower Remote Agents
Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) solutions deliver comprehensive contact center functionalities via the cloud, allowing your agents to address customer inquiries from any device and location. Here are some features that CCaaS platforms commonly include to help end users ensure a standout CX:
- In-depth analytics: Cloud contact center offerings often include reports on performance to assist with coaching and help agents improve.
- Omnichannel communication capabilities: Today’s consumers don’t want calling to be their only option for contacting your company. CCaaS platforms give them plenty of options, such as web chat, email and texting.
- Integration with CRMs: CCaaS solutions often integrate with apps like Salesforce, Zendesk and Dynamics – allowing agents to pull up customer info and deliver highly personalized service.
- Skills-based routing: The software often has the ability to direct customers to the agent who’s best able to handle their inquiry. This promotes faster resolution and better service.
Why Businesses Choose CCaaS
Even before the current crisis made remote work capabilities a top priority, many companies already migrated their contact centers to the cloud to accommodate more mobile workforces. Here are a few other key reasons why businesses switch from on-premise to CCaaS:
- Cost containment: Cloud contact center software often comes with a considerably lower price tag than on-premise solutions, since there’s no hardware to maintain, among other factors.
- Scalability: It’s easy to scale your CCaaS platform up or down to accommodate fluctuations in demand. This is especially convenient for companies that experience seasonal fluctuations in demand.
- Reliability: In the event of an on-site disaster, your agents will still have access to your CCaaS platform, since it’s hosted in the cloud. Many cloud contact center providers guarantee uptime of up to 99.99 percent.
- Mobility: You can install most CCaaS solutions on mobile devices, in addition to desktops and laptops. This gives your agents the ability to field customer inquiries on their smartphones and stay connected on the go.
If you’re interested in learning more about cloud contact center software, our team of trusted technology advisors would be happy to answer any questions we have. Based on your company’s needs and goals, we can assist you in identifying the right CCaaS offering for your team. Our advisors can even provide you with a side-by-side comparison of different platforms from suppliers in our partner network. Take the first step toward better contact center performance today by calling 877-599-3999 or emailing sales@stratospherenetworks.com.
