Distributed call centers have been a dream of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) for a very long time. But every time a solution appears, it seems to end up being more hype than reality. SMBs need distributed call centers to compete with larger enterprises. Distributed call centers allow for flexible staffing, teleworking and on-demand call centers to meet the needs of SMBs.
Promises, Promises…
Today, VoIP telephone systems promise great distributed call center capabilities for SMBs. Can they deliver? First let’s look at how a SMB might use a distributed call center. Suppose a small widget business has three offices in Albuquerque, Santa Fé and Gallup. Suppose each location has a widget specialist to support walk-in traffic. Now, suppose they want to start selling widgets by catalog and online. They could staff a new call center in Albuquerque to handle the calls. But this would incur all the costs associated with the new facility, equipment and personnel. Or, they could use their existing personnel to handle the calls, thereby allowing them to be more competitive.
Pick a Route
The distributed call center would route incoming calls for their catalog or online store to the Albuquerque, Santa Fé or Gallup widget specialists, depending upon who is available at the moment. Calls route to the location where there are resources available to handle them. If the Santa Fé widget specialist is bilingual, we could route all Spanish-speaking callers to that location. If the widget specialist is already on a call, the distributed call center system could queue the call, play music or promotional messages until she is available.
By using a distributed call center, the SMB has added online and catalog sales capabilities without adding the cost of a dedicated call center for those sales. Voilà! Instant profits! A distributed call center can make your company appear larger and more professional to callers, increasing your credibility with your customers. It also allows you to fully utilize your human resources, making you more efficient and productive.
Get Your Head in the Cloud
Today, distributed call center capabilities can be delivered to the SMB in two primary ways – via a traditional PBX or IPPBX installed at the customer premises utilizing SIP trunking or via a hosted solution. In either scenario, the service provider routes calls in the network and delivers them to the appropriate location as resources become available. You can probably see immediately the advantage that the cloud solution has here. Being able to switch calls in the network requires fewer lines compared to the old solution of forwarding (‘overflowing’) calls from one location to another. And, since calls are queued in the network, you only need capacity for the number of agents you have, not the total number of simultaneous calls. This monthly savings adds up over the life of your call center, adding to your ROI justification.
Utilizing VoIP for your call center doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing choice; SIP trunks can be added to a traditional PBX so the transition costs to this approach can be minimized. You can look at transitioning to a fully hosted solution as your PBX ages. There are some technical considerations to the transition to VoIP, so do your homework. There are trade-offs associated with the move to VoIP for your call center as well. You may have less detailed reporting and administrative options than with a self-hosted solution. These issues may require some adjustment, but will get better as cloud providers hone their offerings.
Distributed Agents
VoIP allows you to have agents located at any office or even at home or on the road. One of the great things about IP phones is that they can work at a remote location just as well as at the office. So, now, we have a real solution to allow agents to work from anywhere. You can use any combination of traditional agents in your offices, teleworkers or mobile agents. Some companies are now using VoIP to route calls only to mobile agents who answer calls on their smartphones. This may not be a solution that works for you, but it’s nice to have options. Another advantage of VoIP is that phone numbers are not tied to a physical location. You can have local numbers for your call center in each market you are targeting (often at very minimal cost). You can have calls to those numbers ring in anywhere you want them to. Very cool. Now you can expand to new markets in a very affordable way.
Reality Vs. Hype?
VoIP answers the question. This time we have real, actionable alternatives that allow us to build distributed call centers for SMBs. The solutions are cost effective, relatively easy to implement and allow SMBs to compete effectively with larger companies. Distributed Call Centers based on SIP trunking or hosted VoIP can help utilize resources more efficiently, making your company more productive and profitable. And, having agents where you need them when you need them insures a better customer experience.
Does your SMB utilize a Call Center? Have you considered adding one? Would a Distributed Call Center make sense for your SMB? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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