MARKET REPORT Business case for hosted
The arguments in favour of selling hosted contact centres seem unassailable, especially as they are cost-effective, functional and easier to deploy than their on-premise counterparts.
H
osted contact centres offer
customers a state- of-the-art, future
proof and cost-effective inbound call centre solution. They help businesses manage costs with simple per-user billing and contribute to cost savings in the wider organisation by enabling home and remote working. “It’s also important to emphasise how hosted solutions, such as contact centres, provide access to the latest technology and software enjoyed by large enterprises at a fraction of the cost,” noted Andy Hollingworth, Director of Partners at TalkTalk Business.
Another important selling point is the smooth calling experience hosted contact centres offer clients, a vital quality when consumers are becoming increasingly frustrated with poorly run call centres. “Customers also have the benefit of a web-based portal enabling them to both manage their call system, including remote workers, and provide full management information in order to drive continuous improvement for customers,” added Hollingworth.
Hosted contact centres offer an opportunity for resellers
to build a diversified, margin rich portfolio, which builds client loyalty and creates new opportunities. “When it comes to voice resellers looking to complement their existing portfolio with a hosted offering, it’s imperative for them to go to their supplier and develop an understanding of features and functionalities,” noted Hollingworth.
TalkTalk Business’ hosted contact centre offering was unveiled at the beginning of May. “There’s a consensus among the channel that the number of end users requesting hosted solutions, without prompting from their reseller, is increasing,” observed Hollingworth.
According to Jack Michalski, CEO at Welcome Telecom, there is no real difference in deploying a hosted contact centre system when compared to a standard hosted solution. The complexities lie in delivering the precise functional requirements of each individual centre. “A hosted system is more flexible, allowing for scalability and instant reconfigurations combined with complex DR planning,” said Michalski. “Only by working closely with the end user can the
Jack Michalski The sale is now about functionality and not technical specs
complexities be resolved. Be it a soft screen reception console, click to dial or full integration with a CRM or database, all is achievable as long as the supplier has the knowledge and skills required.”
The delivery of a hosted contact centre requires a full understanding of both the customer’s requirements and of the proposed solution. To
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this end Welcome Telecom has fully trained techies who assist resellers and dealers when preparing quotes and deploying hosted systems. Welcome runs regular training days at its new offices enabling agents to see, touch and test the hosted telephony systems on offer. “The emergence and acceptance of hosted telephony has changed the approach of the end user,”
noted Michalski. “The sale is now about functionality and not technical specs. This has the effect of moving telecoms from being a commodity to a true service, one where the value added can be identified in terms of function, reliability and delivery.”
Hosted technology, to some extent, removes the specialisation of contact centre deployment. By
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