Unboxing UCaaS and CCaaS to Empower Customer Service

Unboxing UCaaS and CCaaS to Empower Customer Service

When questions or challenges arise, we all want answers fast. The advent of the smartphone, along with search engine technology, has made it possible to ask any query and obtain useful information in mere seconds. Likewise, customers expect that when they have a question about your company’s product or service, they will get the details they need more or less instantly.

If that sounds like an exaggeration, it really isn’t. Studies have shown that customers expect businesses to answer their questions and resolve their concerns in 45-60 seconds; some studies even show businesses losing customers if their response time surpasses 20 seconds.

Naturally, the only way to provide prompt response times to customer inquiries is to implement robust technological solutions. There are two basic options for businesses to consider: UCaaS (Unified Communications as a Service) and CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service). Both can be essential for creating a positive customer experience, but how exactly do they work? And which is better for your business? Let’s unbox some key points to consider…

What are UCaaS and CCaaS?

A good starting point is to define the terms.

For example, a UCaaS platform may integrate telephony, video conferencing, team messaging, and more. Generally, companies can choose the specific communication tools they need a la carte. And, because the platform is cloud-based, it shouldn’t require a major investment in hardware installation.

CCaaS might include customer interaction tools such as chat, social media, email, and both inbound and outbound calls.

So, while the two platforms have some similarities (e.g., both are cloud-based, integrative, and customizable), they serve two very different goals. UCaaS is primarily designed to streamline internal communication, while CCaaS is intended to streamline communication with external users.

The Benefits of UCaaS and CCaaS

Each platform offers distinct benefits. Consider some of the primary advantages of UCaaS:

• It provides employees with a way to communicate in a number of different ways, all from a single platform. So, there is no longer any need for employees to navigate back and forth between different apps. All of their communication tools are housed in one place.
• UCaaS enables greater, more efficient collaboration between employees or even between different departments. Some potential options include task management, file sharing, etc.
• Additionally, UCaaS can be integrated with current phone systems, limiting the extent of “new tech” that employees have to master.

There are also some distinct advantages to CCaaS:

• Ultimately, it provides a better customer experience. Not only does it offer the tools needed to ensure customer queries are addressed promptly, but it also has options like skills-based routing, ensuring customer questions are sent to the correct team member or department.
• CCaaS can also offer features that allow you to analyze employee performance and to identify pain points. This information may be used to optimize your workforce, support team members, and improve employee engagement.

Improving the Customer Experience with UCaaS and CCaaS

For companies seeking a way to streamline their customer service offerings and ultimately to provide a better user experience, UCaaS and CCaaS offer much to consider.

At first blush, CCaaS seems like the obvious option for improving customer experience; indeed, that’s the entire goal of CCaaS implementation. However, it’s important to keep in mind that you don’t actually have to choose one over the other. In fact, the best way to streamline your customer experience may be to integrate the two, using them together in harmony.

The Benefits of Combining UCaaS and CCaaS

Specifically, what are some ways in which uniting these two platforms can enhance the customer experience, and provide your team agents with the tools they need to deliver superior service?

• One common application of UCaaS and CCaaS technology is to integrate them with customer relationship management (CRM) software, which records a history of each client’s previous interactions with the company. Agents who are chatting with customers via CCaaS technology, or consulting with other agents via UCaaS, can immediately access these customer files to know exactly what problems the customer has experienced in the past, what products or services they are interested in, etc. This can allow for a much more personalized customer experience.
• Another example? When customers reach out to the company with a more complicated or technical concern, agents can collaborate with other employees, seeking rapid answers to ensure a speedy resolution. (Note that this can also be an opportunity to bring non-agent subject matter experts into the conversation as needed.) And, because all of their communication tools are conveniently located in a single platform, the agent doesn’t have to deal with the headache of mentally managing multiple applications. Again, this can lead to less stress for the agent, and a more satisfying and prompt resolution for the customer.

Learn More About Integrating UCaaS and CCaaS

For companies that hope for a smooth, streamlined, and efficient customer experience, there are many advantages to using UCaaS and CCaaS in harmony with one another. Learn more about this integrative approach by scheduling a consultation with TelWare. a trusted telecom provider. We’d love to tell you more about the benefits of these cloud-based communication tools.

To learn more about staying current with the latest communications technology, contact us at 1.800.921.9680 or email us at info@onecloud.com. OneCloud provides UCaaS solutions for businesses of all sizes. Manage calls, voicemails, business texts, video conferencing, and more on any device, and from any location.