Hosted Call Center: What It Is, How It Works & Why You Want One

Research suggests that any business switching to a cloud-based phone system will save 49-69% on monthly communication costs*. 

A cloud-based hosted phone system gets rid of expensive infrastructure costs, limited features, and rigidity in favor of flexibility, utility, and scalability. It also comes with advanced functionality designed to boost productivity, personalize communication, and transform the customer experience. What’s more, the system only needs a solid internet connection and basic hardware to work from anywhere in the world.

In this article, you’ll learn how a hosted contact center actually works, key features, and tools you can use to boost efficiency across the board.

Key Takeaways

• A hosted call center is housed and managed by a third-party provider, whereas an on-premises solution is housed on your business’s physical premises.
  
• Hosted contact centers are cost-effective, scalable, easy to integrate, and have advanced features.
  
• CloudTalk is a cost-effective hosted phone system that offers an advanced feature set designed to boost productivity and transform the customer experience.

What Is a Hosted Call Center?

A hosted call center is a phone system that’s based entirely off-site. Since it’s accessed through the internet, it allows call center agents to be based in a physical office or anywhere in the world.

By hosting functionality in the cloud, hosted contact centers cut down on the expensive installation and maintenance costs of complex traditional business phone systems.They can also integrate with a wide range of other software, such as CRM systems or data platforms to allow for personalised communication and advanced analytics. They are made more effective by  efficiency-boosting features like Power Dialers, Workflow Automation, or Interactive Voice Response to cut wait times, improve customer service, and drive growth.

How a Hosted Call Center Works

Bei einer gehosteten Contact Center-Lösung zahlen Sie eine Abonnementgebühr an einen Drittanbieter, der Ihnen dann Zugang zu der von Ihnen benötigten Hardware und Software gewährt. Der Anbieter ist für die Aktualisierung und Wartung der Lösung verantwortlich und nimmt Ihnen diese Sorgen ab.

On-Premises vs Hosted Call Centers: The Fundamental Differences

Ein stationäres Contact Center befindet sich in Ihren Geschäftsräumen und wird von Ihrem Unternehmen verwaltet. Ein gehostetes Contact Center (Hardware, Software und Infrastruktur) ist außerhalb Ihres Unternehmens untergebracht.

Here’s a table that sums up the main differences:

Benefits of a Hosted Call Center

Lassen Sie uns die Vorteile einer gehosteten Contact Center-Lösung näher beleuchten.

Cut Operational Costs

Affordable hosted phone system pricing enables much lower upfront investment since there’s no need for expensive hardware or IT specialists for setup and maintenance. With a third-party provider handling infrastructure, you can also avoid ongoing costs like utility bills, server room expenses, and expensive hardware upgrades.

Plus, hosted contact centers support remote working. It’s cheaper to onboard remote employees and you don’t incur additional overheads. For example, extra office space, equipment, and utilities.

Scale Up and Down as You Need

Die Vergrößerung und Verkleinerung eines Altsystems ist riskant. Wenn Sie mehr Mitarbeiter aufnehmen, neue Funktionen hinzufügen oder in globale Märkte expandieren wollen, müssen Sie kostspielige, komplexe Infrastrukturänderungen vornehmen. Und wenn Sie Ihr System verkleinern möchten, könnten Sie auf ungenutzte Ressourcen zurückgreifen.

Mit einem gehosteten System können Sie neue Benutzer und Funktionen hinzufügen und entfernen, um sofortige Anforderungen zu erfüllen und ein nachhaltiges, sogar globales Wachstum zu erzielen.

PlanRadar’s partnership with CloudTalk is a great example of how a hosted solution can help achieve this. PlanRadar quickly realized that they were “in dire need of a reliable and flexible VoIP solution that could handle [their] international communication requirements”. 

So, they traded their legacy VoIP system for CloudTalk and leveraged the 160+ International Numbers on offer along with speedy Number Porting and streamlined number acquisition.

The result was a 70% increase in call handling efficiency and, in 2023, the handling of 144,652 calls using 585 international numbers. That’s a growth of 122.14%.

Integrate More Easily With Existing Tools

Der Versuch, Altsysteme mit anderen Tools zu integrieren, kann zu Datenverlust, Korruption, Sicherheitslücken, Ausfallzeiten und einer Vielzahl anderer Risiken führen.

On the other hand, cloud-hosted phone systems are built for integration. Many providers—CloudTalk included—offer native integrations with business tools, including your CRM. 

So können Sie Ihre Kundendaten mit Ihrem Telefonsystem verbinden, damit Ihre Agenten personalisierte Angebote machen können.

Access a Wider Range of Features

Vor Ort installierte Systeme können in der Regel nur grundlegende Anruffunktionen bieten. Gehostete Contact Center-Lösungen hingegen sind vollgepackt mit ausgefeilten Funktionen, die für Geschwindigkeit, Effizienz und hochwertige Kundeninteraktionen sorgen.

Diese Funktionen umfassen Dinge wie intelligente IVR, anpassbare Weiterleitung und integrierte Analysen. Interessiert? Lassen Sie uns diese Funktionen genauer besprechen.

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Must-Have Hosted Call Center Features

Auf welche wesentlichen Funktionen sollten Sie achten, wenn Sie sich für eine gehostete Contact Center-Lösung entscheiden?

Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

Interactive Voice Response ist ein automatisches System, das mit Ihren Kunden interagiert und sie an die richtige Abteilung weiterleitet.

IVRs improve call routing, reduce average call duration by 40%, and boost customer satisfaction. Callers can input their reason for calling into the system, and be directed to the right department in seconds—no frustrating call transfers or repeated explanations.

Callers are automatically guided through branching options to connect them with the right agent every time. This cuts down on transfers and boosting first-call resolution rates.

Call Flow Designer

 Call Flow Designer is an interactive contact center tool that lets you build custom call flows. Using what you know about your customers, you can create an inbound calling journey that’s optimized for them—and your business. 

Der Call Flow Designer von CloudTalk bietet 20 verschiedene Routing-Optionen. So können Sie konsistente, zuverlässige Erfahrungen schaffen, die zu schnelleren Lösungen und höherer Zufriedenheit führen.

International Phone Numbers

International Numbers help you gain your customers’ trust and establish a local identity—even if you’re based on the other side of the world. Plus, they reduce international calling fees.

When you’re choosing a call center solution, opt for a provider that offers lots of international numbers. Make sure they cover the countries you currently serve, as well as any countries you’re looking to expand to. 

You can’t go wrong with CloudTalk and its best-in-market 160+ international numbers to propel your global growth.

Call Monitoring

Call Monitoring features give you the power to listen in on live calls and offer support to agents. The three main call monitoring features to look out for are:

• Call listening: Supervisors can listen in on agents’ calls to evaluate their performance and identify training opportunities.
• Call whisper: Supervisors can join the call and offer support to agents without the customer being able to hear it, driving faster resolutions.
• Call barging: Supervisors can jump in on live calls to talk to the customer themselves, preventing calls from heading south and improving satisfaction.

Customizable Call Routing

Effective Call Routing optimizes your resources. It ensures that calls reach the right destination as efficiently as possible while preventing bottlenecks and balancing call distributions. 

Die besten gehosteten Call Center-Dienste bieten eine Reihe von Optionen für die Anrufweiterleitung, darunter:

• Skills-Based Routing
• Festes Orderrouting
• Routing nach dem Rotationsprinzip
• Prozentuales Routing
• Caller-Based Routing

Versuchen Sie, eine Lösung zu finden, die ein Maximum an Anpassungsfähigkeit bietet, indem Sie die Routenführung nach Ihren eigenen Regeln gestalten können.

Call Recording and Transcription

Hosted contact center providers securely record and store your calls so that you can access them later for evaluation, training, and compliance purposes. 

Natürlich kann es ineffizient sein, sich durch Aufzeichnungen zu wühlen, wenn Sie nach etwas Bestimmtem suchen. KI-gestützte VoIP-Lösungen können Ihre Anrufe in Text transkribieren, so dass Sie das Transkript einfach scannen können, um die benötigten Informationen zu finden. Außerdem können sie die Transkripte der Anrufe automatisch in Ihre integrierten Tools exportieren.

Power Dialer

Power Dialer sind automatische Wählsysteme, die Agenten nutzen können, um Kampagnen mit hohem Anrufaufkommen zu verbessern.

They automatically dial numbers for you, eliminating manual dialing and giving agents more time to digest customer information and focus on their sales strategy.The best dialers for call centers can help your agents reach three times as many prospects each day.

Workflow Automation

Hosted contact center services provide functionalities that automate the time-consuming, repetitive tasks that can drain productivity and frustrate your agents. 

Nehmen Sie zum Beispiel die manuelle Dateneingabe. Die manuelle Dateneingabe ist nicht nur mühsam und zeitaufwändig, sondern auch fehlerhaft und beeinträchtigt die Qualität Ihrer Daten und damit auch Ihre Erkenntnisse.

Workflow Automation eliminates manual data entry to improve productivity, data quality, and employee satisfaction. Other possible automations include after-call work activities, transcriptions, follow-ups, and ticket creation.

Built-In Analytics

Gehostete Contact Center-Lösungen sammeln Echtzeitdaten, die Sie für strategische, datengesteuerte Entscheidungen nutzen können.

Using CloudTalk, you can view a range of call center metrics, including:

• Durchschnittliche Antwortzeit
• Anrufe insgesamt
• Gesamtzahl der beantworteten Anrufe
• Durchschnittliche Sprechzeit
• Anzahl der verpassten Anrufe
• Erfolgsquote ausgehender Anrufe

CRM Integrations

An integrated CRM and phone system centralizes data and functionalities, streamlining workflows and empowering agents to deliver better customer experiences. So, look for a solution that offers one-click integrations with your existing CRM. The best providers offer integrations with popular CRMs like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho. But if you use a different CRM, such as Onpipeline or Kommo, double-check that the provider supports it.

Other Considerations When Choosing a Hosted Call Center Provider

Was sollten Sie neben den Funktionen bei Ihrer Suche nach einer gehosteten Contact Center-Software noch beachten?

Pricing Plans

Hosted phone system pricing plans vary significantly, so you’ll want to establish a clear budget. It’s also wise to make a list of all the features you’ll need, as most providers have three or four different plans.

Security and Compliance

Triple-check the security measures put in place by your provider. For reference, CloudTalk secures your data with a range of strict cybersecurity measures: end-to-end encryption, multi-factor authentication, global data centers, penetration testing, regular software patching/updates, and more. 

Vergessen Sie auch die Einhaltung von Vorschriften nicht. Prüfen Sie, ob Ihre Lösung mit Branchenvorschriften wie STIR/SHAKEN und MAN konform ist.

Reliable Help and Customer Support

Überprüfen Sie, ob der Anbieter einen zugänglichen und reaktionsschnellen Support bietet, indem Sie die folgenden Fragen beantworten:

• Availability: Can you get support around the clock, or is it on a 24/5 basis?
• Accessibility: On what platforms can you access support? Are there self-service options?
• Timeliness: How quickly does it take for support to respond? For reference, CloudTalk’s average response time is less than one minute.

Cut Costs and Improve Productivity With a Hosted Call Center

85% of businesses are transitioning to a cloud-first model. And it makes sense—with a hosted call center solution, you can remove the unnecessary overheads of traditional on-site systems. Meanwhile, you can leverage advanced features to drive revenue.

Tools like International Numbers and Call Flow Designer let you scale easily and customize call flows to your needs. Moreover, features like CloudTalk’s Power Dialer gets your agents into more conversations, while integration with your CRM provides greater context for a tailored approach. 

CloudTalk also makes it easy to adjust your support strategy by analyzing customer sentiment. Once you know what customers want, you can improve decision-making and monitor success with powerful tracking and analytics.

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Sources

• VoIP Advantages & Disadvantages: All You Need to Know, 2023