There are many components that go into the building or creation of a contact center. However, it’s important to decide what type of contact center a business needs before acquiring components. There are multi-site contact centers and single-site contact centers. Different technologies are appropriate to support each type of contact center. For example, a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) solution may be a vital solution to success of a multi-site contact center while a single-site contact center may select another type of technology that is less expensive. Typically, contact centers with high call volumes do best with VoIP solutions no matter if they are multi-site or single-site.
Cost of Multi-Site versus Single-Site Contact Centers
A Multi-site contact center is typically more costly to implement and maintain when compared to a single-site contact center. Businesses that need multi-site contact centers might consider consolidating servers and pooling equipment resources. Consolidating servers may help to eliminate hardware that isn’t used to its full capacity and all related expenses. Pooling equipment resources increases efficiency and may help businesses save on expenses.
Contact Center Components
There are four main components that make up a contact center. These components are:
- Telecommunication Network
- Software
- Hardware
- Employees
Telecommunication Network
A telecommunication network is essential to connect a caller with a contact center employee. Generally, the following elements are needed to establish a telecommunication network:
- Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)
- Router
- Long Distance Carrier (LDC)
- Ethernet Switch
- Modem
- Server
Contact Center Hardware
The hardware needed for a contact center includes a local area network (LAN), an automatic call distributor (ACD), agent desktops, computer technology integration (CTI), web integration, and a predictive dialer. A predictive dialer enables contact centers to handle hundreds of calls simultaneously.
Contact Center Software
Important software components include customer relationship management (CRM) solutions, technical support solutions, and telemarketing solutions. These solutions help contact center employees manage customers, resolve and manage technical issues, and provide a means for marketing. Software is essential to interact with the hardware and telecommunication network.
Contact Center Infrastructure
All contact centers have different infrastructures. Implementing a contact center that provides a return-on-investment (ROI) is a task that is not always easy to achieve without the right infrastructure. Businesses that need help building or creating a contact center may want to consider seeking professional consulting services.
