Running a call center is crucial for many businesses that want to provide customer service and give customers an outlet to connect with. However, call centers can also be expensive to operate and maintain depending on the platform that is chosen and the technology that you integrate with your call center platform. For this reason, when selecting a call center software and running a call center, it is important to balance cost efficiency with having the most effective solution. The costs of running a call center can come from many different sources as well, including labor costs and agent pay, the cost of hardware and software upgrades, downtime that affects customer service, investment in equipment and facilities, and the need for scalability. Here are some ways your call center can improve cost efficiency while maximizing performance.
Selecting Cloud-Based Contact Center Solutions
One of the best ways to optimize the call center performance while reducing cost is selecting a cloud-based platform. A cloud-based platform is one that is hosted on a secure data center, and makes the software available with just an internet connection. Cloud-based platforms are usually on a pay-per-use basis as well, meaning you only pay for the number of agents you have. This is a great way to optimize call center costs because your call center doesn’t need to pay for seats that aren’t being used, and your call center only needs to pay for the exact number of agents that are live.
A cloud-based solution also has many other benefits and features that balances optimizing cost efficiency and workforce performance. A cloud-based solution provides your contact center with the latest in call center technology with no downtime. All that is needed is an internet connection to download the latest call center technology. A cloud-based solution eliminates the need to maintain on-premise hardware and software, and eliminates the need for in-house IT teams to constantly manage an on-premise solution. Finally, a cloud-based solution improves scalability and flexibility by allowing your call center to hire remote workers and hire workers from just about anywhere in the world.
Utilizing a BPO and Outsourcing
Another way to optimize call center costs while maintaining workforce performance and customer satisfaction is to outsource call center responsibilities to a third-party provider or BPO that specializes in call center customer service. Through outsourcing, businesses can scale and save on costs while running customer service more efficiently through large, experienced, and capable BPOs.
Many BPOs with the right call center software can provide great customer service and have the staffing capabilities to support a great customer experience. BPOs have access to experienced, trained agents that are very capable of providing a great customer experience over any channel.
Self-Service
Call centers can utilize self-service in the form of a conversational IVR to help improve workforce efficiency while optimizing costs. Self-service allows customers to direct themselves through a menu, and potentially resolve their issues on their own. If the issue needs further assistance, they can be easily directed to the right resource. Self-service can decrease the number of mundane tasks, and filter these tasks out so that more important, complex issues can be prioritized. This makes the agent’s time much more productive, and improves the customer experience as well.
With a conversational IVR, customers can use the power of their natural speech to navigate the menu, further improving the personalization of the customer journey and improving the customer experience.
Bright Pattern’s Cloud-Based Call Center Software
Bright Pattern’s call center software provides many capabilities that can help balance between improving workforce productivity while optimizing costs. Bright Pattern provides technology like AI-powered self-service, omnichannel communications, integration with CRMs, and more, all on a cloud-based platform.
