What is CCaaS? A Definition for the Busy Customer Service Leader
Whether you’re new to the contact center world or you’ve been here for decades, there’s something we can all agree on: the acronyms are aplenty.
From FCR to AHT and UCaaS to CCaaS, contact centers practically have an entire language of their own. It can be tough to keep up with the latest lingo and to decipher between doppelganger definitions that seem almost identical.
And often, when you look for clear definitions of contact center terms, you find explanations laced with jargon. You read the definition (over and over) and ask yourself: “Okay, but what does that even mean?”
Today, we’re defining a popular contact center acronym, in human speak, for busy leaders like you.
What is CCaaS?
CCaaS stands for Contact Center as a Service. It’s a term used to describe modern contact center platforms that are more than just a piece of technology. They’re cloud-native platforms that come with technical support and guidance from your vendor.
According to Gartner, CCaaS platforms often come with integrations to other systems, like your CRM, too. CCaaS platforms have inherent flexibility and scalability since they’re built in the cloud. So as your business grows, CCaaS platforms grow with you. And as your needs change, your CCaaS vendor acts as the ultimate support system.
Rather than selling you tons of hardware and an on-premises system, CCaaS vendors serve as your strategic partner. That’s where the “service” part comes into the equation. The best CCaaS vendors don’t sell a platform then walk away. They act as the experts to guide your customer experience strategies and help you execute on important projects to reach your business goals.
>> Learn More: See how Sharpen’s high-touch partnership supports your growth long-term
What do CCaaS Platforms Include?
Every platform is unique, but if you’re searching for a CCaaS platform, look for one that can meet the needs of today’s customers and your growing business.
Look for functionality like:
- Integrations
- Omnichannel
- Flexible reporting you can act on
- Access to customer support (without paying extra)
- A simplified interface for your agents
- Data screen pops with customer history
- Performance management
- A strategic partner to shape your business plan
- Coaching and training tools
- Scalable architecture
- Security & compliance to keep your data safe
CCaaS represents a new era of contact centers – one that puts legacy technology in the rearview. These platforms are built for our connected world, where customers expect more.
