Cloud Computing

If you've ever wondered what cloud computing is, or how it (and inContact) can improve your contact center's profitability and operations, we've laid it all out for you in a two minute, thirty-one second video. Sit back and enjoy!

Every now and again you get to be a part of something that's truly great. I've had such an opportunity this year as I've had the pleasure to work with Frost & Sullivan as they put together their "Premise Vs. Hosted Contact Center: Total Cost of Ownership Analysis". The report analyzes and compares the TCO of the general hosted and premise markets for contact centers. Much like listening to albums of your favorite band for years, and finally seeing a live show, I had the pleasure of hearing Ashwin Iyer, Global Director of the Contact Center Practice at Frost & Sullivan, present on the study recently.

Ashwin began his presentation by stating that most contact centers today are tasked with three primary goals:

• Reduce customer service / support costs
• Improve customer satisfaction
• Increase revenue

In the first two installments of this series, we discussed myths that are used to dissuade companies from choosing cloud-based communications solutions.  In the first blog we discussed the differences between public and private clouds and whether a cloud solution means a forklift upgrade.  The second installment challenged myths related to security and reliability in the cloud.  In this final piece, we look at whether cloud solutions imply a lack of control over company data and an inability to integrate with other installed applications.  

There’s an entertaining series on the Discovery Channel called MythBusters, which “mixes scientific method with gleeful curiosity” to test long-held, but often erroneous, theories.  A typical recent experiment evaluated whether when you “get cold feet,” your feet really get cold.

A number of unsubstantiated myths have likewise been developing around cloud-based communications services (often propagated by vendors with premises-only offers).  In a series of blogs over the next month, I’m going to discuss some of these – and using less exciting methods than available to the Discovery Channel – offer logical arguments that “bust” the myths.   Read more»

Cloud computing is definitely making a difference in companies around the globe, and over the past couple of years, it has become an important initiative of state, federal and local governments. The reasons for the shift to cloud computing by government entities, which have gained attention with Pres. Obama's "Cloud First" Policy, aren't so different from those of private corporations: scalabiilty, pay-as-you-go, addressing inefficiencies, etc.   Read more»

I’m a marketing person. And for those of you who understand the intricacies of balance sheets, NPV, FPV and all other finance-related terms, you know that numbers are not usually a marketer’s strong point.

However, in the past few years, we’ve seen a significant shift in marketing. Instead of talking about the latest and greatest advertisement, brand awareness or the number of press releases sent out on a monthly basis, marketers now need to be prepared to discuss conversion rate, cost per lead, contribution to revenue and opportunity value creation. Metrics have become paramount to any discussion with the CFO, particularly when budget time rolls around.   Read more»

There have been some recently who have said that a cloud-based contact center solution is not as customizable as a traditional premise-based solution.  That’s somewhat like saying that a rock is more fluid than water.  In thinking about this analogy, there are actually a lot of similarities between water and a cloud-based contact center versus a rock and a traditional premised based system.

If I were to ask you to describe what water looks like, it’s actually somewhat difficult to do.  You’d probably describe it as a fluid with no defined shape that it has to conform to.  Similarly, a cloud based contact center solution really has no pre-defined shape or parameters that it has to conform to.  For instance, if a cloud-based contact center needs to add additional ports, that activity can be accomplished very easily without adding any additional customer-purchased hardware.  Whereas in a traditional premised based system (the rock in this case), there are limits on scalability that often times result in additional hardware needing to be added.  The additional hardware being added often has to conform to the original, and often outdated, design of the “box” that it needs to fit.   Read more»

Have you ever tried to talk to your best friend, neighbor, dad or any other non-call center buddy about ACD, scripting, unifying agent desktops and improving self-service? If you're anything like me and have made that socially awkward mistake, those comments are usually met with blank stares or people just walking away from the conversation altogether. So, I've been a bit leery to start bringing the topic of the cloud into everyday conversation, just in case it isn't completey ubiquitous. Well, the wait is over. The cloud has officially arrived in popular culture.   Read more»

There's a new trend in town - company growth. Everyone is doing it or, at the very least, planning for it. I have the pleasure to hear firsthand how some of the companies that have presented as part of our Problem Solved Tour and our case studies are gearing up for company growth.

What I find interesting is that this trend seems all encompassing and very much enabled by the cloud. As one of our customers said, "If you are at a steady state and will never change your number of agents and don’t want to change, grow, or improve your business strategy, the cloud is not for you. However, if you don’t fit that description...”

He hit the nail on the head with that characterization - the cloud enables business growth. And just how does it do it? Well, here are a few ways:   Read more»