Contact centres are expected to manage the omnichannel touchpoints of customer service and create a seamless framework for internal communications if they want to stay competitive in the 21st century, a daunting task for any organisation. However, UC solutions provide the communications framework contact centres need for perfect CX and seamless internal communication.
21st-century technological innovations that power UC solutions
We firmly believe that UC solutions are best equipped to deal with the needs of customers. No other system comes close to delivering the top tier service consumers expect today. The reason being the new technological innovations powering UC allow for more responsibility and responsiveness. Chief among these innovations is the cloud. Cloud computing allows businesses to run an omnichannel contact centre while streamlining processes and eliminating costs.
With cloud computing, contact centres can run a variety of services like video messaging, instant messaging, phone communications and email from one location. Running these services would strain the bandwidth network, but several 21st-century innovations have been able to significantly reduce the strain on the network.
Software-defined networking (SDN), Quality of Service (QoS) and third-party app integrations keep bandwidth resources under control. For example, with QoS enabled in a network, VOIP packets retain priority and keep travelling without delay through the network. While third-party integrations allow the contact centre to expand functionality when needed. The aforementioned technological advancements have made UC solutions have been transformed into open, flexible environments, which have created tremendous benefits for contact centres.
Several operations from one single platform
Most UC solutions lack any real unification. They consist of several third-party vendors wrapped under a UC banner. Thus, increasing the number of servers they work with, raising operational costs and making scalability harder to accomplish. Most UC vendors, like Genesys, are looking to change this by creating new business solutions that allow for omnichannel communication from a single platform reducing operating costs, server maintenance and improving software scalability.
Contact centres will be able to perform several functions like outbound predictive dialling, business process automation with applications and licensing all on a single platform. They can also connect several departments and even extend call and message capability to thousands of users, all on a single platform without the need for third party vendors.
The benefits of a truly integrated platform include better control over customer and business communications at a lower cost and straightforward scalability. It will be easier to manage omnichannel communication while also reducing operating costs.
Cloud-first UC
Cloud-based architecture is the best technology for unified communications. Research reveals that over 67% of organisations have part of their UC applications on the cloud, while one third have everything on the cloud. Having worked hundreds of clients over the years, we think that cloud approaches will vary depending on the size of the company. Large organisations use custom-built, private servers while smaller companies will use multi-tenant servers because they require fewer resources compared to a private cloud server.
AI for internal and external communication
AI will play a huge role in UC solutions helping contact centres improve communications. The most well-known application of AI is in chatbots. The bots act as virtual assistants to answer simple queries, thus, reducing the burden on the human agent and giving them the freedom to answer more complex questions. However, did you know that AI chatbots could also be used to optimise internal communication? Bosch Service Solutions used chatbots combined with Natural Language Understanding and other AI technologies to enhance communication between different departments.
AI is often seen as the technology that will kill jobs. While that may be the case in the future, right now, its making customer agent’s job much easier. AI enhances CX by simplifying behavioural analytics, integrating customer data into a single view, delivering real-time insights and much more. Customer service agents do not always know a customer’s history when they come into contact with a customer but armed with data and AI, agents can bring up the customer’s past interactions with the company, allowing them to deliver more succinct, satisfying service.
How can Blackchair help with UC Solutions?
Contact centres need assistance migrating to a cloud-based platform. We can help you migrate to a new cloud-based platform, including legacy data and third-party apps – the platform’s translation service identifies automation opportunities to improve efficiency. If you are looking to invest in UC solutions, you need a partner who can help you with the transition while also providing a platform that can significantly test, improve and enhance your customer experience journey.
In the 21st century, we feel that UC solutions put more focus on simplification, integration and seamless services. What else do you think unified communications solutions have been able to deliver – specifically within the context of your organisation’s contact centre operations?