As cloud computing continues to grow and take off, we’re seeing all kinds of reports, surveys and predictions about what the IT landscape will look like three, five or even 10 years from now. While no one has a crystal ball, it’s interesting to see what’s predicted for the future of cloud growth.
One of the latest reports makes some big predictions for the future of the cloud-based contact center market. A report by research firm MarketsandMarkets expects it to reach $11 billion by 2019, nearly triple its $4 million size now. That’s a growth rate of more than 20 percent each year, which is huge.
We don’t know exactly why or how MarketsandMarkets came to that conclusion – a copy of the report costs $4,650 – but we’ve got some good ideas, since this is what we do everyday. Here’s why the cloud contact center market is poised to not just take off, but to explode in growth over the next five years.
1. Do more, spend less
Cloud call center software offers greater functionality than the vast majority of existing on-premise software, but it costs less. Very few things in life work that way, which is why the cloud has taken off. Rather than paying tens or hundreds or thousands upfront for call center software, you can can pay a low monthly per-agent fee with no long-term commitment.
2. Flexibility
With the cloud, you’re not committed to one software vendor for years, as is the case with on-premise software. Obviously, you don’t want to change vendors all the time and constantly have to learn new software. But if a product doesn’t work for your call center or doesn’t offer all the features you want, there’s no reason you can’t switch.
3. Aging IT infrastructure
Contact center leaders, CIOs and IT experts have long known the benefits of cloud software. But many are still tied to legacy on-premise systems. They haven’t wanted to abandon expensive systems that are still functional. However, as more of these systems finally age out and become obsolete, contact centers will be ready to make the move. This should spur growth year after year.
4. Remote agents
Contact centers are increasingly warming to the idea of remote and/or home-based agents. When there are no geographical limitations, the pool of talent from which to choose is much broader. And studies have shown that home-based agents are happier and more productive. Allowing agents to work from home also keeps facilities costs down. With cloud-based contact center software, people in remote locations can work together seamlessly. On-premise software, on the other hand, means they need to be in the same building.
5. Changing perceptions
For many years, call centers were hesitant to make the switch to the cloud. As with anything that’s relatively new, there was some fear of the unknown. Would cloud software be reliable? Is it secure? What are the pitfalls of handing over system control to an outside vendor? Those fears are easing as the IT world becomes more comfortable with the cloud and more companies make the switch. People better understand the advantages of the cloud now, and they realize it’s not a passing fad but here to stay.
Kunnect sells 100% cloud-based call center software that includes a predictive dialer to businesses and political campaigns. Our software, hosted seamlessly in the Amazon platform, manages all inbound and outbound calling for a flat rate of $125 per agent per month with a flat deposit of $125 per user. There are no hidden fees. In addition to the predictive dialer, features include: inbound and outbound calling, CRM integration, call scripting, call recording, ACD, skills-based routing, IVR, live monitoring, real-time statistics, historical reporting and more.