The primary objectives of both call and contact centers are the same: to resolve customer queries and sell products. These objectives must be achieved while simultaneously providing excellent customer experience. With that in mind, what exactly is the difference between a call center and a contact center? How can contact centers provide value to today’s businesses?
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Call centers and contact centers: What is the difference?
The main difference between a call center and a contact center is the method of communication. Calls centers only allow communication in the form of calls, while contact centers offer a range of inbound and outbound communication channels. These typically include email, web chat, social media and text message. Conversations can also often be maintained across channels.
Furthermore, a key difference between a contact center and a call center is flexibility. Traditional call centers offer specific opening times and communication methods. Contact centers in turn allow customers to communicate with organizations at any time, from any place, and on any channel, thus delivering a flexible and convenient solution to customer service.
Why are contact centers needed?
In today’s digital world, most people are just a few clicks away from contacting friends or family, buying products, and accessing the news. Consequently, customers expect contacting customer services to be no different. They expect to be able to contact customer services from whatever device suits them, and to be able to use any communication channel to do so.
Both call and contact center technology can be ran internally, or outsourced to a third-party Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) provider.
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Contact centers: Key advantages
Convenience: contact centers allow customers the flexibility and choice in how, when, and from where they can contact customer service.
Greater efficiency: richer utilization of communications channels means that call queues are reduced. This also means that less complex queries can resolved through a simple message or email.
Agent empowerment: agents can benefit from effortless transitions between channels. Maintaining the conversation across channels is seamless, benefitting agents and customers alike.
Ready to learn more about contact centers?
Convenience is the key to satisfying your customers and fostering customer loyalty. In short, contact centers provide your agents and managers the tools necessary to upgrade CX and offer flexibility that keeps your customers happy.
Content Guru’s Cloud Contact Center solution, storm®, services hundreds of the world’s largest organizations. storm provides businesses from a variety of sectors with a comprehensive, user-friendly interface, offering an effortless solution to resolving queries and issues without losing the quality of service that customers expect.
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