Contact Center & Call Center Differences

Contact Center / Call Center

Is a contact center different than call center? By the traditional definition, yes. A call center is setup more like an answering service where the operators answer inbound telephone calls, answer basic questions, follow basic account instructions, and dispatch accordingly. A contact center as defined is more of an interactive response center where customer needs are met through many different forms of inbound and outbound communication lines including email, instant message, fax, VoIP, and telephone. A contact center service is where the customers choose the best method of contact to reach your company, and that method of contact is monitored 24 hours a day by a skilled agent. These separate definitions are intertwined with how Specialty Answering Service defines its service.

Specialty Answering Service is a mix of call center and contact center services. We are able to manage traditional call center or answering service account models which involves basic applications, as well as complex contact center applications such as monitoring your live chat or instant message module or being there 24 hours for a click to call application.

A Call Center & A Contact Center

Our call center is a physical place where call center attendants or representatives answer calls from current and perspective clients of the company they have been contracted to represent. This type of center covers small to large volumes of calls. The attendants in it are articulate speakers with a large base of information about the company. These attendants (or operators) are also trained contact center representatives and are able to answer any type of communication from calls to emails to even text messages. This is the "new age" customer service center that companies looking to serve all types of customers at any time or place chose to employ.

Defining Both Call & Contact Center As One

The similarities and differences between these two types of centers are both obsolete in the way Specialty Answering Service approaches its service. We are highly efficient by encompassing all types of customer communications from simple message taking to complex accounts. The difference between a Specialty Answering Service call center and a contact center are nothing. A company looking to spread to an international level cannot be paying for long distance phone calls every day (and neither can most consumers), so they need a text message, email, or instant messaging capability to stay in touch with their clients. A company selling its products to a mostly rural population won't need all those "bells and whistles" and are simply looking for help handing the volume of calls they receive. So, it doesn't make sense to contract with a company who cannot handle all of this and more. If your needs are simple but they may turn advanced, you need a service who can handle both call center and contact center activities.

Contact Specialty Answering Service

If you are deciding between a call center or contact center, don't choose by choosing both. Specialty Answering Service can be as advanced or as simple as you need us to be and your business can grow with us. We offer your business a balance of outbound and inbound services through many different communication channels meaning no customer is left wanting information they cannot get. We have the call center contact center solutions to make your business more productive. Call us at 1-888-532-4794 or fill out the form below to contact us.