Call centre managers and MDs are finding that they can no longer rely solely on their IT managers to make the call when it comes to choosing the right technology for their business, says Jed Hewson, director of 1Stream.
“We’ve seen a shift in the decision-making process,” Hewson says. “More and more MDs or Operations Managers are becoming involved when it comes to choosing the technology for their call centres, and with good reason.”
Hewson attributes the shift to the rapid changes the call centre industry has undergone within the last few years.
“IT departments base their performance on stability,” he explains. “How often they experienced downtime, how few errors were encountered, and so forth. Unfortunately the very nature of that model means that they are often the most resistant to change, because it puts their performance at risk.
“It’s understandable, but not at all conducive to running a successful business in today’s marketplace. You can’t afford to fall behind the curve.”
Hewson believes that the success of call centres can be measured based on their ability to adapt.
“This could mean scaling up or down as demand fluctuates, which optimises your productivity and lowers costs, or it could mean adjusting to new communication channels as they crop up. We’re living in the age of the customer experience.
“Five years ago, we didn’t even have smart phones. Now, customers are expecting call centres to accommodate their smart devices. And even if you refuse to take part in it, you will get dragged in. You might not want a Facebook page, but that doesn’t stop a customer from setting one up about you and slating you. They will drag you into the world of social media, on their terms, if you aren’t willing to meet them there.”
But although the cloud model promises flexibility and scalability, it does not mean that a cloud solution is easy for an IT department to implement.
“It’s very difficult to find IT staff that specialise in the field, and unfortunately, experience is crucial. But even if your IT staff have experience, they will struggle to maintain an entire call centre if their department is understaffed or under-resourced,” Hewson says.
“And selecting the right solution is the first step, but even if a solution meets your needs at one point, there’s a very good chance you’ll have to modify it four months down the line. You need the right technology, and the right management team to manage it, and support staff that can help you adapt. If you don’t have the right provider assisting your IT team, you may find yourself running into problems – fast.”
A good rule of thumb is to opt for a provider that has the capability to consult and work with you to come up with an offering tailored to your unique needs and goals. “Business owners should take charge of their call centre technology,” he concludes.
“The beauty of working with a reputable hosted provider is that you don’t need to focus your energy or efforts on technology – that is taken out of your hands. You know your business goals, your customers and your industry better than anyone. By taking that information to a technology provider who knows which products and solutions are best suited to those goals, you will instantly access the best of both worlds.”