Understanding the value proposition in using call center software on rent. -By Sumit
Malik
The paper discusses the evolving call center environment, challenges facing call centers
and the advantages of using call center applications through the ASP model.
Call Center Technologies: The Dawn of a New Era
Call centers have entered an era of unprecedented change. Once viewed as labor-intensive, back-
office operations dedicated to niche markets, today’s call center is an essentia l business tool for
companies across a broad range of industries. Today all businesses depend on call centers to
lower costs, deliver new services and, most importantly, solidify customer relationships. The
impact of technology on call centers is perhaps best demonstrated in the growing number of
distributed call centers.
In distributed call centers, agents from different locations are all connected by a network (WAN,
VPN, Internet or extranet). Data and processes are shared across multiple sites for multiple tasks.
Advantages of distributed call centers:
• Flexibility in assigning the right resources
• Reduced labour costs
• Availability of expert resources
Technology is having a tremendous effect on the size and scope of call center operations around
the world. The dramatic growth of distributed call centers is leading to an increase in the total
number of seats in the U.S. and Canada, even as the number of large, single -site centers is
leveling off. In Europe, where call centers are often smaller than their U.S. counterparts, market
growth is strong, largely because the European business community invested heavily in
technology that permits them to unite multiple small call centers into a single large virtual call
center. This enables scalability without the need to relocate staff from country to country.
Projections for call center growth in the Asia Pacific region are virtually limitless, with Japan and
Australia showing the greatest potential. In fact, the total number of call centers worldwide will