Even with hours of research and demos, you may end up with a partial solution that's not aligned with your needs or your budget. Instead of working with sales, we recommend working with an unbiased broker who works for you, not a carrier. In this article, we'll take a deeper look at the benefits of finding a CCaaS solution that's the right fit and five reasons why you should search through a broker.
Cloud-Based Contact Center Solutions
What Is Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS)?
Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) is a cloud-based software system that streamlines both internal communications and customer-facing communications. Vendors provide a comprehensive technology stack, IT support, and software integration services to businesses. Companies can then use the software solution to manage communications without having to build their own infrastructure or combine different stand-alone technologies.
Some of the key advantages CCaaS software solutions offer businesses are:
- Better (and faster) customer service: CCaaS can funnel questions and tickets from multiple channels into a single omnichannel portal for better responses and tracking.
- Cost-effectiveness: Businesses can realize significant savings by implementing CCaaS over disconnected stand-alone programs or in-house management. These savings include less need for IT support, faster billing processes that free up your accounting team, and fewer costs related to unscheduled downtime.
- Better reporting: Internal teams can analyze both customer-facing communications and internal communications to evaluate progress over time, areas for improvement, and if your business is hitting your support KPIs.
If you've already determined that your department needs CCaaS to optimize performance, it's hard to know your next step. Rather than moving straight to demos and pricing negotiations with direct carrier reps, we recommend working with a trusted advisor.
5 Reasons to Work With a Broker vs. a Direct Representative
Whether you've been burned before by a direct carrier representative or you want to streamline the buying process with real insights instead of promotional runarounds, a broker can give you the answers you need. Here are five reasons to work with a broker to find your ideal cloud-based contact center solution:
1. Get Trustworthy Advice
Direct carrier representatives are incentivized to make the sale. Their job isn't to make sure their services actually fit your needs. This can leave you with poorly fitted CCaaS that a salesperson rushed you into getting.
A broker's job, on the other hand, is to get you the right solution; their incentives are decided by your satisfaction, not sales commissions. Because of this shift in focus, you can more easily trust brokers to act in your interest. Brokers will investigate the challenges your business faces and contact multiple vendors to find the services that actually match.
2. Consider Multiple Vendors
One of the core advantages of working with brokers is their relationships with several carriers and vendors. This access to long-term relationships gives you and your company these benefits:
- Insider knowledge of promotions and discounts
- Professional advice from a neutral party with a deep understanding of multiple solutions and service providers in your area
- The ability to easily compare the "real deal" from competing carriers, not just the promotional materials vendors release
- A consultant who understands the root cause of surface-level communication and technology problems and has seen those issues from multiple different perspectives
3. Receive Dedicated Administration and Support
Brokerages don't just offer pre-sale consulting services. A broker will work with you to understand what your business needs, find the right solution, and then — most important of all — make sure the problem is solved.
They'll stay involved in the project to make sure you're receiving the right options and integrations from the carrier so your work processes actually benefit. Expect project management, account management, and post-sale assistance getting a high ROI from your CCaaS investment.
4. Benefit From Undisputed Expertise
When you're working with a broker, you know they have years of experience watching CCaaS solutions evolve and evaluating service providers. This expertise is invaluable when you're looking for a long-term solution.
But when you work directly with carriers to evaluate their products and services, you don't know the history of the representative you're working with. They could be a new hire or an entry-level salesperson. Not only are they potentially incentivized to just get the sale and move on, but they may not have the tools and know-how to evaluate what solution you need in the first place.
5. Enjoy Long-Term Satisfaction
The switching costs for moving to a new CCaaS carrier — or any new IT provider — are high. The monetary costs, time waste, and stress can put a huge strain on your department. When you're in the market for a CCaaS upgrade, you're looking for a long-term solution that fits your business now and as it grows. When you work with a broker, they can evaluate your business's current and future needs based on their experience in the industry. Working with sales reps from various carriers doesn't provide you with the same guarantee.
Find Your CCaaS Solution With Adler Advisors Today
Our advisors don't just find tailored solutions for your current communication or technology challenges. We look for solutions that also offer downstream benefits for your business's growth and bottom line. See how our team at Adler Advisors can help evaluate your business to find the root issues in your challenges and find the right solution to substantially increase your business performance. Contact us today to learn more.
