ADDING CLOUD CAPABILITIES ... ALSO GIVES YOU FLEXIBIL- ITY AND AGILITY TO RESPOND TO CYBER- SECURITY THREATS .
We saw what happened when MGM ’ s and Caesars ’ call centers were infiltrated ( read the Vox article ). Suddenly call center security was on the radar of every executive . In fact , PwC reports that managing cyber risk is a top priority for CEOs , second only to digital and technology risk .
We can no longer leave it to InfoSec to identify every weakness and solution . It ’ s a contact center leader ’ s job to contribute to overall security with new tools that protect from fraud and spoofing .
Third , and at the top of the apex , you can make big improvements in operating efficiency when you improve the Agent Experience .
From better schedules to more ergonomic headsets , there are lots of small things you can do to improve agents ’ satisfaction . But the biggest gifts are strategic performance metrics , smart filtering , and information tools .
When your agents are supplied with the right tech , your contact center succeeds . Outfitting hybrid and remote agents can be especially challenging , but another plus of cloud-based systems is that they ’ re built to be location-agnostic .
THE CLOUD NETWORK EFFECT
As a contact center pro , this foundational piece will come as no surprise . When you have a reliable network and plenty of plan B (... and on down to Z ) options , you ’ re saving yourself from future headaches . Because it is virtually inevitable that there will be a time when the local network goes down . So having an automatic fallback plan in place ahead of time is key .
That ’ s why migrating to the cloud can be such a difference-maker . As of 2023 , 37 % of enterprises had fully migrated to the cloud according to Thoughtlab : and this trend appears to continue .
Adding cloud capabilities not only gives you resiliency in the face of tech problems and natural disasters , but it also gives you flexibility and agility to respond to cybersecurity threats . And that ’ s a must for smart risk management .
Plus , emergency calling compliance gets easier when you choose a provider with E-911 capabilities .
Moving to the cloud is not only about preparing for worst-case scenarios , though . You ’ re also increasing efficiency and giving yourself the chance to plugand-play with best-in-class contact center-as-a-service ( CCaaS ) platforms .
Whether you ’ re aiming for a hybrid system with on-premise equipment , or going fully cloud-based , you have more options than ever for creating a streamlined , secure contact center .
HANG UP ON BREACHES BEFORE THEY HAPPEN
As we climb higher in the hierarchy of contact center reliability , things get more interesting , because the contact center now sits at the very core of a brand ’ s security , reputation , and revenue generation .
I hear about contact centers struggling with a double-digit percentage of spam calls on a regular basis . That means agents are actually answering calls to hear about their supposed expiring car warranty over and over , all day long . Only 0.64 % of calls may be truly dangerous , but many , many more are a waste of time : and lost revenue according to Pindrop .
If you ’ re not already , it ' s time to start taking advantage of an API that can give you data on these calls , warn you with spoof scores , and filter them out of your agents ’ queue .
But it ’ s not just about cutting down thousands of time-wasting spam calls .
RELIABILITY
It ’ s now a matter of company security .
There are integrations that will filter all incoming calls and provide spoof and fraud scores so you can reserve your agents ’ time for real calls , while greatly reducing the chances of getting voice phishing , or vishing .
Vishing is a big issue . It was the method of attack in both the Caesars and MGM cases . Because this style relies on social engineering , it ’ s difficult for busy agents to identify fraudsters once they ’ re on the phone . Automatically filtering calls beforehand helps .
Call verification tools can hit the budget of either a chief technology officer ( CTO ) or a chief information security officer ( CISO ), because implementing a fraud filtering system is in the interest of the entire organization . Whereas contact centers used to be self-contained divisions , they now call for cross-functional collaboration at the executive level .
Finally , take security to the next level by considering voice authentication tools . Contact centers have been using knowledge-based authentication ( KBAs ) for many decades now , and it ’ s time to move beyond asking customers for the name of the street they grew up on .
Here ’ s why . KBAs are basically security theater ; they make it seem like we ’ re doing something to keep our data secure . Because we all know how easy it is to find enough personal information on a person to pass a KBA screening .
Voice authentication , on the other hand , is a true security measure . And it makes life easier for your callers too . Nobody calls to take an oral exam . If that wasn ’ t enough motivation to move beyond KBAs , Pindrop found that when you remove one to two questions , you save 13 to 25 seconds per call .
MOVING TO THE CLOUD IS NOT ONLY ABOUT PREPARING FOR WORST-CASE SCENARIOS , THOUGH . YOU ’ RE ALSO INCREASING EFFICIENCY ...
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