Need virtual call center software?

If your team of agents or reps is spread out and needs to regularly connect with customers, employees, or prospects, then a virtual contact center or call center is likely what you need.

Dialpad’s customer engagement platform, equipped with industry-leading AI and CCaaS tools, empowers contact center teams to boost service levels, enhance customer satisfaction, and efficiently coach and train new hires. Want to know how? Keep reading.

What is a virtual call center?

Unlike a traditional call center, virtual contact centers (sometimes also called remote call centers) typically consist of service agents who work remotely in different office locations or work from home.

Traditional vs virtual call centers

Call centers have long been the backbone of customer service operations, but as businesses evolve, so do their needs. Traditional call centers and virtual call centers each offer distinct advantages, depending on your organization’s requirements.

Traditional call centers

Traditional call centers are typically housed in a physical location where agents work on-site. This setup allows for close supervision, immediate collaboration, and standardized equipment. However, it also involves significant overhead costs for maintaining the physical space, equipment, and utilities. Additionally, traditional call centers can limit the talent pool to those living within commuting distance of the office.

Virtual call centers

On the other hand, virtual call centers allow agents to work from various locations, leveraging cloud-based software to handle customer interactions. This model offers greater flexibility, cost savings, and access to a wider talent pool, including those who prefer or need to work remotely. The virtual setup can also quickly scale up or down to meet demand. However, managing a dispersed team can pose challenges in communication, supervision, and maintaining a consistent service level.

Below is a comparison chart highlighting the key differences between traditional and virtual call centers:

An AI-powered virtual contact center solution

Benefits of a virtual call center for business

A virtual call center offers a range of advantages for businesses looking to optimize their customer service operations while maintaining flexibility and efficiency. Here are some key benefits:

• Cost savings: Without the need for physical office space, utilities, and on-site equipment, businesses can significantly reduce overhead costs.

• Access to a global talent pool: Virtual call centers allow businesses to hire the best talent from anywhere in the world, not just within commuting distance of a physical office.

• Scalability: Easily scale your operations up or down based on demand, without the need for additional physical space or resources.

• Increased flexibility: Virtual call centers offer greater flexibility for both businesses and employees, enabling round-the-clock service with agents across different time zones.

• Improved employee satisfaction: Remote work opportunities can lead to higher job satisfaction and lower turnover, as employees enjoy a better work-life balance.

• Business continuity: With agents distributed across various locations, virtual call centers are more resilient to local disruptions, such as natural disasters or power outages.

• Enhanced customer experience: By leveraging cloud-based tools and AI, virtual call centers can provide personalized and efficient customer service, improving overall satisfaction.

How to start a virtual call center (or contact center): Some hints and tips

1. Have the right tools in place for your team to work virtually

In order for your agents and supervisors to start working remotely, they need to be able to communicate with each other (and your customers) even if they're not working in the office. To do this, they need some type of customer engagement or contact center solution that lets them make and receive phone calls, answer live chat and social media messages—essentially, handle any communication channel that your company supports.

A tip here is to choose a solution that consolidates all these different channels into one place (as opposed to using one video conferencing app, a separate social media tool, another phone system, and so on). This will make it easier for your agents and managers to keep track of all the different simultaneous conversations, and keeps all that interaction data in one convenient place.

2. Have a solid workflow and QA process

When you're running a virtual call center, your team won't all be in the same room, or even the same building. If agents have questions, they can't just tap their supervisor on the shoulder to ask. This makes it more important to have your policies, product information, and any other knowledge sources that your agents will need all in one accessible place.

You could have an internal wiki or some kind of online database, but the most important thing is to make sure that anyone on your team can easily find the information they need, especially when they're live on a conversation with a customer. On a related note, your supervisors also need to be able to do quality assurance easily. You could use AI to help with analyzing or auditing calls, which can speed things up for managers.

3. Understand your team goals (and communicate them)

To start a virtual call center successfully, it helps to have everyone on the same page from the onset. Once you onboard new hires, make the company goals, team goals, and individual agent goals clear for them during training. They should know what they're being measured against, whether those are metrics like CSAT scores, average handle time, or whatever you think is most important for your contact center to run smoothly.

4. Ensure reliable internet and technical infrastructure

A virtual call center relies heavily on a stable internet connection and robust technical infrastructure. Ensure that all team members have access to high-speed internet and necessary hardware, such as headsets and computers, that meet the technical requirements of your contact center software. Consider setting up VPNs for secure access to company resources and have a plan for technical support to assist with any issues that may arise.

5. Establish clear communication channels

Communication is key in a virtual environment. Set up clear communication channels for your team to stay connected, such as dedicated chat groups, regular video calls, and email protocols. Consider implementing daily or weekly check-ins to ensure everyone stays aligned and feels supported. Having a clear communication strategy helps maintain team cohesion and ensures that no one feels isolated.

6. Provide ongoing training and development

Continuous learning is crucial for the success of a virtual call center. Offer regular training sessions to help your agents stay updated on new products, tools, or customer service techniques. Consider using e-learning platforms or virtual workshops to facilitate ongoing professional development. Additionally, providing resources for self-paced learning can empower agents to improve their skills at their own pace.

7. Implement security and compliance measures

With remote work, data security becomes even more critical. Ensure that all communication and customer data are handled securely by implementing strong security protocols, such as encryption and multi-factor authentication. Additionally, ensure your virtual call center complies with relevant regulations, such as GDPR or HIPAA, depending on the nature of your business.

8. Monitor and optimize performance

Regularly monitor the performance of your virtual call center by tracking key metrics such as average response time, call resolution rate, and customer satisfaction scores. Use this data to identify areas for improvement and optimize your processes. Consider implementing feedback loops where agents can share their experiences and suggestions for improving workflows.

Run your team of agents from anywhere with virtual call center software

If your organization is ready to open up your hiring to include remote agents, then having virtual call center software is a must. Whether you're handling inbound calls, outbound calls, or a mix of both, you'll want to explore inbound call center software and blended call center software. However, an omnichannel solution that can seamlessly manage all types of communication is often the most effective choice.

If your operations extend beyond phone calls to include instant messaging and other communication channels, then virtual contact center software might be a better fit. Having the right software is crucial for successful onboarding and training. When combined with self-service options, it can greatly enhance the customer experience.