The Inner Circle Guide to Cloud-Based Contact Center Solutions

CLOUD: WHAT IS IT AND WHO’S USING IT?

Having technology provided and managed by a third-party away from a customer's premises is not a new idea, with service bureaux and ASPs (application service providers) being around for many years. PBX functionality through Centrex has been available since the 1960s, with IVR and ACD functionality often being offered through a network provider too.

In the past decade, the success of SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) solutions, especially for CRM, have paved the way for widespread creation and adoption of cloud-based solutions, both from incumbent vendors and solution providers new to the industry, with the take-up of IP and movement towards more open systems also driving the use of cloud. The recent requirement for mass remote working has further strengthened the hand of those who say that the argument for cloud has been won.

Pressures on capital investment capabilities makes businesses demand more flexible pricing alternatives, which means that the pay-as-you-go, operating expense of cloud-based solutions is an attractive proposition. Many CPE (customer premise equipment) vendors have reacted to this demand by offering rental-based options similar to their cloud competitors, although CPE provision will still require payment for hardware, testing and other items.

The modern contact center has a multitude of applications supporting it, with hardware, middleware and networking equipment around and inside it. The traditional method of deploying these resources has been on a CPE basis, with the business's IT resource implementing and maintaining it.

Now, the vast majority of this equipment, functionality and supporting resource is available in a thirdparty hosted environment, through one of the various types of cloud-based delivery.