Reasons to Switch to a Cloud Contact Center: Quicker deployment and increased speed to market

By: Chris Recio, Director of Contact Center and Advanced Applications

This post is part four of a 5 part series of reasons why you should switch to a cloud contact center. Up next: providing flexible contact options for customers.  Click back here to read part one: increase flexibility and stability

Did you miss part two: How to stay relevant without large initial investments? Click here.

Part 3: Improved data and systems integration here!

One of the biggest challenges for any contact center is overcoming or decreasing the delay in productivity that comes with introducing new technology, new equipment or even new agents. There will always be a delay, but switching to a cloud-based solution can significantly decrease the time it takes to deploy new solutions and get agents up to speed.

The problem of deployment in contact centers

It takes time to deploy new technology at contact centers. Not only is there a delay to ensure requirements for deployment are met but, even when the system has been installed, it takes time to train agents on the new system or technology.

Most contact center executives understand this, especially when thinking in terms of hiring a new agent for the contact center. There is always a ramping up period for full productivity and it is not uncommon for that ramp-up period to be three to six months, depending upon the products, services, and knowledge required to support the business.

But fewer executives consider the delay when deploying new technologies or strategies. I am often surprised at how many contact center managers, supervisors, and contact center technologists underestimate the psychological impact to the agent that is caused by introducing new technologies to the agent landscape. This won’t just cause delays in resolution times, it can also cause the quality of service to fall.

Cloud solutions can decrease deployment times and increase speed to market

Cloud-based solutions provide a way for contact centers to significantly decrease deployment times and help agents to get to grips with new technologies quicker. In fact, this is one of the things they excel at. That’s because most cloud-based contact center solutions have a unifying experience that brings together the various communication options into a single user interface.

The very best solutions provide the same process regardless of the communication type. All activity pops into the same interface, where almost all options are the same, yet subtle differences highlight the type of communication interaction arriving at the agent’s desktop.

Don’t overlook the importance of a unifying experience

In my opinion, glossing over this can have a significant impact on the agent and the speed to market for productivity sake, as well as the rate of adoption by the user. Ultimately, it has a negative impact on your business.

In evaluating many solutions, the user interface is a critical piece of the puzzle. While the interface must change depending on the product, having a familiar and similar process across products drive adoption and the perception of ease.

It’s not enough just to go cloud-based, then. The right solution is key. When evaluating cloud products, executives should always look for adaptability and ease of use. The impact to the agent cannot be understated and should always be a key consideration, alongside the deployment process and the time required for speed to market productivity.

About Inflow

Founded in 1997, Inflow Communications is a national leader in unified communications and Contact Centers. With over to 100,000 endpoints under Inflow’s innovative support plans around the world, their dedication to knowledge, innovation, and unrivaled customer support has landed them in ShoreTel’s top 2% in global customer satisfaction, and as a winner of ShoreTel’s coveted Circle of Excellence Partners award. For two years in a row, Inflow is a ShoreTel Platinum Partner, the highest level of partnership, and is their fastest growing partner globally. In addition, Inflow is one of the few Cloud Contact Center providers that offer implementation, ongoing support, and comprehensive consulting and training programs.  Inflow services clients across the globe and has local offices in over 10 major cities in the US.