The times when a wired phone was the main communication tool for answering customer calls are far gone, and that’s great. Development of digital technologies made it real for call centers to switch to IP telephony as the main communication technology, which is now available not only for phone calls but also for other communication channels. Nevertheless, there are still some companies that don’t want to switch to modern omnichannel communication platforms. Why? Well, the main issue is irrational prejudice over modern solutions, and we are here to deal with it and describe real differences between business phones and modern contact center solutions.
So, what are the key differences between business phone and contact center?
Business Phones And Contact Center: What Are They Exactly?
Business phone is a basic telephony system that works as a simple telephone with some advanced features, such as call forwarding to different extensions and option to receive voicemails. It can also include auto attendant, call conferencing, option to attach headphones, and other basic features.
Contact center software is the entire working environment for setting up a call center from scratch, which includes numerous advanced features, such as omnichannel communication, self-service options, smart IVR system, analytics and reporting, call monitoring, intelligent call routing, workforce management, third-party software integration, and so on.
Difference Between Business Phones And Contact Centers:
The main difference between these two business systems is that a business phone is nothing more than a phone – it has some additional features, but yet it is still a tool that handles calls. Contact centers, on the other hand, integrate numerous communication channels, provide deep analytical insights into call center performance, offer integration opportunities and use different additional modules, such as workforce management or CRM software.
Business Phone Systems Are Of Three Major Types:
Key Service Utility (KSU)
This is the entry level business phone system, which is suitable from small businesses that have less than 100 employees. This is an on-premises system that requires specific configuration and installation provided by professional specialist. The features are limited and include basic telephony options, like on-hold, speakerphone, etc.
This is a traditional telephony solution, so it uses phone landlines, which means it has limited opportunities to use phone lines. Thus, such systems are now rare to see, even though they are still used as legacy solutions.
Private Branch Exchange (PBX)
PBX systems are advanced type of KSU, which means it is much more capable and suitable for a modern business environment. It has an opportunity to set up internal call routing, and it can also be cloud-based solution, which eliminates the need to pay for hardware and its installation.
Cloud-based PBX systems are more preferable for SMBs, as you don’t only save money on hardware, but also on maintenance and on further scalability.
Also, the vendore is responsible for ensuring business continuity and stability of software functionality. Nevertheless, PBX systems are also limited in features, for instance, they don’t provide outbound calling – thus, for ambitious businesses a PBX solution may be considered only a temporary option.
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
VoIP technology is closely related to PBX solutions, as it is, in fact, a synonym with IP telephony – a technology that allows to transmit different types of data through Internet. Thus, using a VoIP technology eliminates the need for using traditional telephony landlines, which is a perfect option to cut operational costs and upfront costs, and also to provide international or interstate (for the US) service.
VoIP can transmit not only voice data, such as phone calls or voicemails, but also media and video, which makes even video conferencing a basic feature for modern solutions that use VoIP.
There are also other features provided by VoIP technology such as:
1. Call Waiting
This includes informing customers in the call queue about estimated waiting time and playing background music for those who are waiting in the queue.
2. Call Forwarding
This feature, also known as call routing, allows the system to automatically choose appropriate (or just a free) agent to connect him to the customer call.
3. Auto-Attendant
Auto Attendant is basic form of IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system, which can greet customers and let them choose which department or specialist they would like to call.
4. Call Conferencing
Call Conferencing allows you to create a call for multiple people, thus they can communicate with each other. Call conferencing can also use video connection, or voice when needed.
5. Multi Line Handling
This means that there are multiple phone lines, so contact center agents can handle multiple calls simultaneously, and switch between them in the case of a need.
Contact Centers Are Of Six Major Types:
Inbound Contact Centers
With Inbound Contact Centers, the main purpose of their existence is to service incoming calls from customers. Thus, incoming calls mean the same as inbound calls. Such contact centers are focused on providing customer service with high customer satisfaction levels through different digital channels. Such inbound call centers can handle customer communications and customer interactions 24/7 or during business hours, while the main goal is to provide positive customer experience and answer customer inquiries timely.
Outbound Contact Centers
Outbound Contact Centers are focused on sales, customer feedback collection, market research, and so on. In most cases, outbound call centers work with cold calls or with warm calls in order to do telemarketing. In other cases, outbound phone calls can be used for debt collection, customer feedback collection, customer service operations, etc.
Cloud Contact Centers
Cloud Contact Centers can be either inbound or outbound, but their main feature is the use of cloud computing to set up the call center infrastructure and architecture. Thus, such call centers store all data in the cloud and require minimum hardware to be all set.
On-Premise Contact Centers
On-premise contact centers use hardware to build the contact center infrastructure on the facilities of your business, which means you own and maintain all the infrastructure, which requires additional expenses on installation and maintenance.
Omnichannel Contact Centers
Omnichannel Contact Centers offer customers to choose between different communication channels, such as social media channels, phone calls, self-service channels, email, messengers, etc. Customer can switch between channels during the conversation, as well as call center managers have access to analytics about each separate contact channel.
Multichannel Contact Centers
Like the former, Multichannel Contact Centers are also operating with different communication channels available for clients, but yet customers can’t switch between channels as the data about conversations isn’t synced automatically, which means that even if customer wants to choose a different channel, all the progress of conversation will be lost as next agent won’t have access to such data.
Contact centers offer a wide variety of features beyond handling calls:
Automated Call Distribution (ACD):
- ACD swiftly identifies, answers, and directs incoming calls, aiming to distribute them efficiently among different teams/agents to minimize wait times. Skill-based call routing ensures customers connect with the appropriate agent trained in their specific field.
Enhanced Analytics and Reporting:
- Contact centers empower businesses with comprehensive insights through detailed reports. Real-time monitoring and customizable reporting features provide a holistic view of business performance.
Seamless Integrations:
- Integration capabilities are pivotal in contact centers, enabling seamless communication with preferred tools. Integration with CRMs ensures up-to-date customer information and interactions. At ConnectWave, we facilitate CRM integrations, WhatsApp integrations, and other platform integrations tailored to business needs.
Self-Service Capabilities:
- This feature empowers customers to select options using their keypads. Based on their input, the contact center routes the call to the appropriate team or department. For example, customers seeking product delivery updates can simply select the relevant option, streamlining inquiries and enhancing satisfaction with minimal agent intervention.
Omnichannel/Multichannel Support:
- Contact centers address diverse customer needs by providing comprehensive communication channels on a unified platform. Whether through social media, web chat, email, or other mediums, customers receive end-to-end support, ensuring no interaction goes unnoticed.
In Conclusion:
As traditional phone systems become outdated and cumbersome, transitioning to VoIP contact centers offers myriad benefits. Small businesses can significantly reduce costs while providing intuitive solutions for customers. Cloud-based solutions represent the future, enabling businesses to thrive and achieve exponential growth through adoption.