Boosting efficiency and customer experience with a cloud contact centre: 6 steps
Business continuity concerns have prompted many Australian and New Zealand organisations to consider switching to a cloud contact centre. If yours is among them, here are some tips to help you choose wisely and make the most of your investment.
Assess your needs
Choosing the optimum contact centre solution starts with defining your requirements – the features you need and those you can do without. This will prevent you being over-sold on something that’s too complex for your needs, or undersold on a solution that can’t grow with your business.
Research the market
In a crowded market, determining the best platform for your business is not easy. Taking time to explore the options, research the costs, including total cost of ownership, and obtain references from vendors will give you the best shot at a solution that helps your enterprise deliver top notch service.
Plan your roll-out
In 2020, the contact centre is the heart of the business, whose activities impact on all aspects of operations. That’s why involving leaders from across the enterprise in the planning and implementation will help you derive maximum benefit from your investment.
Meanwhile, big bang roll-outs can be dangerous; most often it makes sense to take it channel by channel, training your team and troubleshooting as you go.
Test and train
‘Hasten slowly’ is a great motto for contact centre project managers. Allowing extra time upfront, to test the solution and upskill your agents, can mean less time spent at the other end, addressing technical issues and keeping your team onside while you iron out wrinkles.
Going live quietly
Even when you’re uber-prepared, switching from one contact centre platform to another can be fraught. That’s why scheduling your ‘go live’ for a quiet time, day or period makes more sense than throwing your team into the deep during ‘peak hour’.
Check your progress
A contact centre solution shouldn’t be ‘set and forget’. Catching up with your vendor, frequently in the early days and periodically once your new platform is bedded down, will help you manage issues as they emerge and stay abreast of upcoming enhancements.
Maximising your return
In 2020, your contact centre may well be your primary interface with customers. Choosing the optimum platform and managing its implementation smartly will help you make the most of your investment.
