VoIP Call Center

February 12, 2013

Is it Time for a VoIP Call Center?

By Susan J. Campbell TMCnet Contributing Editor

The term call center is often used to refer to the customer service division of a company, making it easy to assume that the smaller organization or one without a customer service division doesn’t need its own center. If the organization has a high volume of calls coming in and employees frequently miss calls, such a center may be exactly what the organization needs.

 A recent blog post takes it one step further, suggesting a company can benefit the most from having a VoIP call center in place. Businesses have been known to improve their customer service overall with advanced calling features available to callers. For instance, a dial-by-directory option enables the caller to get right to their desired party while the auto attendant and call queues allow employees to better manage both outbound and inbound calls. 

There are a few things to consider before implementing the VoIP call center, however. The organization may be ready for the value and advanced calling features, yet a mismatch won’t produce the reduction in frustration or improvement in customer and employee satisfaction. Instead, the organization should ask a few important questions first:

• Is there enough call volume to justify a call center?
• Is the Internet speed fast enough to handle a VoIP call center? Is there enough bandwidth to support the volume of calls currently supported by the PBX (News - Alert)?
• Have the details of the on-premises and hosted solution options been explored to identify the best fit for the environment?
• Have VoIP call center providers been researched and vetted according to the needs of the organization?

Once these questions have been answered, the right VoIP call center solution must be selected. If an on-premises solution is selected, that hardware and software must be purchased and installed. If a hosted call center solution is preferred, the optimal vendor must be selected. The implementation of the solution must be followed by a few important steps:

• Implement the desired support for the call center, whether in-house or via a cloud-based solution.
• Deploy security measures for all employees and members of the IT team. A policy needs to be put in place to support encryption, authentication and privacy measures and activities.
• Assign a team to manage and maintain the system. Secure proper training from the vendor involved before signing off on installation.

The capabilities and benefits of the VoIP call center are helping to drive greater demand for this type of deployment. Companies are seeking low-cost methods for extending their customer service divisions and on-premises call center operations are seeking the best methods for streamlining their operation and driving greater efficiency. 

As highlighted in this article, a number of companies have already implemented VoIP as their communication strategy, making the expansion into the VoIP call center an easy migration. The reduction in cost is certainly a key driver, but organizations are also enjoying a more efficient contact center, access to next-generation applications and an increase in productivity. Now that all communications and information are on one network, transactions are quickly completed, leading to a more satisfied customer base.

Edited by Jamie Epstein

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