DMG Consulting conducted a worldwide benchmark study regarding cloud-based applications, channels and satisfaction in Q3 2013. This study of 169 enterprise, contact center, IT, operations, sales and marketing executives, managers and leaders in organizations of all sizes, found that 62.4% of the respondents’ organizations were already using one or more cloud-based contact center systems or applications. Moreover, 45.6% of the responding companies not yet using a cloud-based contact center solution planned to do so in the next 18 months.

Contact centers were slow to get on board with cloud-based solutions, but the pace of adoption has picked up dramatically in the last 18 months. Twenty-nine different contact center applications are already being used in the cloud. Among benchmark study respondents, 60% are using cloud-based contact center solutions, and 32.2% are using dialers. 52.2% of the respondents are using cloud-based recorders, which maps to market direction where users of cloud-based contact center infrastructure typically utilize recording solutions provided by these vendors. 38.9% of the respondents are using CRM solutions in the cloud. 35.6% of respondents are using a cloud-based Web chat solution. Only 20% of respondents said that they were using a cloud-based workforce management (WFM) solution.

There are many takeaways from these findings, but an obvious one is that enterprises are increasingly using a hybrid approach, combining both on-premise and cloud-based solutions. DMG believes that this is the future direction for the contact center technology market, although we are already seeing companies ask their cloud-based infrastructure vendors to broaden their suites by providing more of the traditional add-on modules such as WFM, quality assurance (QA), surveying, etc.

Adoption of cloud-based contact center systems and applications is growing, but there are still many concerns from users and companies considering these solutions. Security continues to make companies uneasy, as noted by close to half of the respondents, 48%. The second most common concern is that when using a cloud-based solution, an organization is dependent upon their vendor, as cited by 43% of respondents. (Since 45.3% of respondents indicated in a different question that decreasing reliance on internal IT resources was a top reason for moving to the cloud, DMG believes that IT is more concerned than the business is about being dependent on a cloud-based vendor.)

The most significant areas of unease are related to the platforms and dependability of cloud-based contact center solutions. In our work on this topic, DMG has found that companies expect more from their cloud-based vendors than from internal IT, as a primary reason for moving to the cloud is to address areas of weakness in the performance of their on-premise applications. 42% of respondents indicated concern over their vendor’s ability to meet service level agreements. 39% of the responding companies ranked platform reliability/up-time as a top concern. 34% of respondents pointed to network bandwidth and reliability as a major issue, and another 33% questioned the quality of service. Another 32% showed a lack of confidence in connectivity and the dependability of carriers.

This benchmark study answers many of the questions that companies have been asking. It shows investment priorities for 2014, which systems and channels are being used today, and initiative planned for the future. It provides a detailed breakdown of how these new systems and channels are going to be acquired – on-premise or in the cloud – and makes it clear that the cloud is not a passing fad. Pick up the complimentary 50-page benchmark report, and see how your company compares to others in the market.

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Training plays a major role in building a positive work environment, and is essential for the success of all call centers. Training is necessary to prepare agents and give them the information and skills they need to sell, accurately address customer inquiries or questions, and efficiently navigate systems to access information and correctly process transactions. It is also essential for teaching agents to interact with customers professionally, to inspire confidence, and to deliver an outstanding customer experience. Given that new-hire training can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks, it’s important to use a variety of media and methods (live instructors, videos, CBTs, simulations, eLearning, etc.) to keep the content fresh, interesting and diversified. Here are some best practices to foster active participation and keep trainees engaged in the knowledge transfer process.