Cloud-based contact center technology is a boon for today’s centers. It provides access to the latest features and functions with increased flexibility and decreased IT burden. Attractive economics and the promise of a speedy implementation provide strong inducements for decision makers. And yet, it still takes careful planning and intentional design for the technology and associated business processes to achieve a transformational impact.
Strategic Contact helps companies realize the full potential of their technology investments through meticulous project planning and execution. We bring extensive technology expertise, stellar project management skills, and real-world implementation experience to each engagement. Our vendor independence ensures delivery of expert advice with no hidden agenda. And we’ve been in the trenches long enough to know where the “gotchas” lurk and how to navigate the path to success.
The Challenge
Contact centers with outdated technology prove strong candidates for cloud-based technology. They’ve been forced to do the best they can with limited tools at their disposal. They may lack visibility into the customer experience and the underlying staffing issues that give rise to poor service levels and high abandon rates. They may not realize what’s possible with the latest technology. The impetus for change may simply be a notice that their current systems will no longer be supported by their vendors.
To their credit, cloud-based vendors have created an efficient way to get things rolling. They capture client input via “workbooks” to help them configure their offerings. Unfortunately, all this efficiency results in delivering the same old solution on a shiny new platform. It solves the technology obsolescence problem, but it doesn’t elevate the operation to a whole new level.
Without upfront planning, the center may not choose a vendor solution that best fits their circumstances or their plans for the future. They may underutilize their solution for lack of understanding what it could do for them. They may have a messier experience of implementation, testing, and cutover because staff is so busy with their day jobs that they can’t keep up with the myriad of tasks that they’re expected to fulfill. And they may have difficulty adjusting to all the changes that a new system brings post-cutover.
The Solution
We kick off the planning process by helping center management set operational objectives for the technology change while simultaneously gaining insight into what’s possible.
A detailed design session translates the high-level objectives into concrete instructions for system configuration. The end result may entail a radical shift in operations, or simply re-create a substantial portion of the existing set-up with the integration of features such as callback queuing and omnichannel routing and management. The flexibility inherent in cloud solutions makes it easy to get up and running now and add capabilities over time.
Thereafter, Strategic Contact can serve as project manager to ensure clarity on roles and responsibilities and keep everyone on task and on time. We can also be the go-to Subject Matter Expert (SME) throughout the implementation. We provide coaching on business process design to take advantage of the new capabilities and establish a more customer-responsive, efficient operation. We’re also adept at handling all the changes that spring forth as folks traverse the learning curve on technology and get excited about the possibilities it brings. These adjustments can have implications for process or technology design, training, test plans, and rollout.
We provide oversight of the vendor’s training program to ensure that front line and support staff get what they need to do their jobs. We guide the testing process that is so critical to a successful cutover. And we’re there at cutover to help with problems and issues as they arise. We work with the cloud solutions vendor and the network vendor to correct problems (e.g., routing errors, poor voice quality, delays, dropped calls) and develop methodologies to resolve intermittent issues.
Post-cutover, we work with clients to make sure that they have all of the tools and training that they need to use their new systems effectively. We also help clients plan for the future and determine the time frame for taking the next steps to further leverage their new solution.