Comms Business (CB): What trends are dominating the call and contact centre market?
Ross Clinch (RC): “Keeping communication simple is a constant challenge in a digital ‘always on’ world. Multiple platforms are now the norm with businesses using video calls, mobile devices and even traditional desk phones.
“Businesses need to be able to engage via every available channel – from one centralised platform - maximising efficiency and customer experience. It’s an omnichannel approach which requires seamless integration, as cloud-based technology continues to transform the hybrid working world. Responding to this omnichannel challenge is the next step on the journey.
“We believe it should be all about making things as easy as possible for the partner to engage, pre-and post-sale. Today, that means ensuring they can do so via whatever channel they prefer which, in turn, means integrating all of those channels into a powerful communications platform as a service (CPaaS) or contact centre as a service (CCaaS) solution.
“Regardless of industry sector, location or seat size, user experience and customer experience are now mainstream concepts that are at the centre of a dynamic and flexible communication strategy.
CB: What new capabilities are being added to call and contact centre solutions? And what innovations are on the horizon?
RC: “Social media is playing an increasingly important role and I’m interested to see the impact of WhatsApp as we continue to move forward. A big factor in this will be whether an organisation is B2B or B2C – will there be much need for this platform? The key is to enable businesses to be where their customers are, so only time will tell if customers embrace this channel.
CB: How should resellers and MSPs go about selecting vendors partners?
RC: “Agility is the secret to success. Resellers and MSPs need to select vendor partners that can keep up with the latest trends and offer best-of-breed services in what is a rapidly evolving marketplace.
“There’s so much choice out there, with true experts who have the product set and technical knowledge to deliver solutions fit for the future. It’s important for them to look at what support and advice their partners can offer them.”
CB: What additional services can resellers and MSPs consider to create compelling call and contact centre offerings?
RC: “Ultimately, it’s about giving the end user the power to use the channel or platform that they are most comfortable with using.
“Omnichannel has been a buzzword for many years, especially in the SME and mid-market space. What we’ve seen quite dramatically over the last couple of years is the emergence of informal contact centres, outside of a traditional office/ call centre environment.
“What’s happening with those smaller businesses now want a more sophisticated phone system to support their customers on a smaller scale. We see this as an opportunity for our resellers to reach out and support those smaller businesses. It’s a real opportunity for growth.”
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