How VoIP Can Reduce Contact Center Costs

Businesses today rely on efficient telecommunications systems to get the job done as efficiently and effectively as possible. Many large companies are employing VoIP contact centers to manage customer and technical support, as well as to streamline marketing and promotional communications. A VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) system can aid a contact center in reducing costs while also boosting productivity.

Communications (voice or data) are transmitted across an Internet connection with VoIP contact center technology. With just a single network, multiple calls can be placed, and many different data applications performed. Because of its simple yet also highly practical functionality, a VoIP contact center is a very attractive option for companies with contact centers.

A VoIP contact center manages communications for a company in two ways, through either inbound or outbound support.

An inbound VoIP contact center offers customer support by fielding calls from consumers who need assistance, for instance, or who have questions or concerns about a particular product they have purchased or are using.

A VoIP contact center providing outbound support conducts telemarketing, sales, or survey assignments for the host company. This type of contact center may also need to gather customer history information for product development and other marketing services.

Though each type of VoIP contact center has its own specific telecommunications needs, both will find VoIP technology to be beneficial for their business needs. For example, with VoIP, personnel costs can be kept to a minimum because VoIP technology eliminates the need for an organization’s locations to be in close geographical proximity to one another. VoIP contact centers can thus be located in places with lower labor costs.

VoIP contact center systems also help in reducing the costs associated with older telephone equipment infrastructure. At both types of contact centers, the usually more expensive toll-free numbers and outbound lines are much more reasonable under VoIP service plans, as compared to traditional network service and private lines from a phone company. Also, because VoIP is based on the Internet, many other related job functions (such as email, faxing, and instant messaging) can be performed concurrently through the VoIP system by contact center staffers. This is another way using a VoIP contact center boosts workplace productivity.

Utilizing VoIP technology is a smart way for companies with contact centers to increase efficiency while also lessening telecommunications costs. VoIP reduces telephone infrastructure costs, and it also significantly lowers labor costs because business locations do not need to be near each other to work effectively. VoIP contact center makes sound and practical sense for companies with contact centers and significant communications needs.

Following are some unique cost-cutting benefits offered by employing a VoIP contact center for your company:

VoIP contact centers are able to improve customer engagement, streamline communication, and promote teamwork within your staff. Call monitoring would allow your company to measure the performance of VoIP contact center agents and optimize how they handle customer service queries. As a result, your VoIP contact center’s efficiency will increase and the cost to run your VoIP contact center will decrease.

Skill-based call routing can be a lifesaver when dealing with disgruntled customers. Your company’s VoIP contact center agents will be directed to calls based on the level of priority of the customer’s call. This way you wouldn’t be an unnecessarily frustrating customer by passing them off from agent to agent till the right man for the job is on the phone. A VoIP contact center is able to transfer the call to the most experienced call agent to increase first call resolution and thus, improve customer satisfaction. 

A standard VoIP contact center will come with self-service options to reduce the volume of incoming calls. Employing self-service options in your VoIP contact center for repeat and routine queries will give your VoIP contact center operators more time to handle more complex queries. This will, in turn, reduce the cost of running your company’s VoIP contact center. 

As your business expands and the need for more location-based VoIP contact centers becomes apparent, your VoIP contact center can easily facilitate. And also, with the growing need to facilitate a hybrid workplace model that is now preferred by employees, it is a good idea to consider remote options for a VoIP contact center. 

VoIP contact centers can easily be set up anywhere due to cloud technology. A cloud-based VoIP contact center can be a game-changer for your company’s customer service strategy and will be significantly lower than the cost of setting up on-premise call centers in multiple locations. 

If needed, you can completely outsource your call center to a region with cheaper VoIP contact center operational costs and further reduce the costs associated with providing customer service for your business. 

First of all, you will have to understand that servicing each customer that calls into your VoIP contact center will run you a tab each time. From the cost of the call, compensation for the agent’s time, and many other hidden costs that you may not anticipate, running a call center will cost you a pretty penny. Hence, it is important to be able to resolve customer service-related calls within the first interactions to ensure that you’re not wasting company resources as well as tarnishing the reputation of your business by requiring a customer to call in multiple times without resolution. 

Using an integrated system such as a CRM in which an agent can see a customer’s call history can help reduce the likelihood of the call getting bounced around from agent to agent. Skill-based routing can ensure that the right agent handles these calls right away. Providing VoIP contact center agents with the appropriate resources to help a customer reach a resolution within the first interaction will ensure that your VoIP contact center will always run lean. 

Using the recommendations discussed above, you can ensure that your VoIP contact center will always be running efficiently with no unnecessary costs. If you need more assistance in choosing the right VoIP contact center partner for your business, you can consult with our VoIP contact center buyer’s guide and also compare the best VoIP contact center providers in the market.