How Upland InGenius can help you stay on-Premises and tap into the latest Cloud technologies, like Salesforce Einstein AI

Contact centers serve as the frontline of customer service for businesses worldwide. Traditionally, these centers were on-premises operations, but with the rise of cloud technology, more and more companies are moving to Cloud and SaaS solutions for scalability and fast adoption. However, there are still companies that are adamant about staying on-premises. In fact, about 14% of companies that have migrated to the cloud are migrating back to on-premises solutions in what is called Cloud Repatriation or Cloud Exit.

In this blog, we’ll explore the advantages and disadvantages of on-premises contact centers and identify key players and trends in the industry. You’ll also discover how Upland InGenius, empowers on-premises customers to safeguard their investments —by enabling connections to cloud technologies.

Call Center vs Contact Center

Traditional call centers handle communications by voice calls only and are likely what you imagine when you think of customer service. However, the problem with traditional call centers is they aren’t ideal in a world where customers expect omnichannel experiences.

In today’s fast-paced, digital world, your customers are reaching out to you via multiple channels including phone, email, social media, and chatbots. That’s why many traditional call centers are transforming into contact centers, which empower agents to interact with customers through various channels rather than just voice.

Transitioning your call center into a contact center isn’t just a matter of ditching the headsets. This change requires a change in training and technology that enables blended agents. Blended agents receive and address client requests coming from various channels. A traditional agent would receive calls one after the other in a certain area of expertise, but blended agents handle inquiries from wide areas of expertise and through various channels. For example, in an hour a blended agent can respond to two calls, manage three chats, and then respond to several messages on social media.

On-Premises Contact Center: Advantages and Disadvantages

While all contact centers handle inquiries from multiple channels, they often differ in how they operate. Some contact centers are “on-premises” which means all the necessary hardware and software infrastructure is located within the company’s physical premises. This includes servers, phone systems, databases, and other related technologies.

Businesses that opt for on-premises call or contact centers typically have dedicated IT staff to manage and maintain equipment to ensure the smooth operation of the system. On-premises solutions offer high levels of control and customization, allowing companies to tailor their operations to meet specific business needs and security requirements. However, these solutions also require significant initial capital investment, ongoing maintenance, and the physical space to house the infrastructure.

Advantages

The key advantages of an on-premises call center are:

1. Control and Customization: Companies have complete control over their infrastructure, allowing for high levels of customization tailored to specific needs. In fact, many of the biggest contact centers are still on-premises because organizations have built their systems from scratch and customized them to their unique business needs, operations, and processes. With cloud solutions, this level of customization isn’t always achievable as users must abide by the same design, architecture, processes as the 3rd party provider.
2. Data Security: On-premises solutions can offer enhanced security measures, as data is stored and managed within the company’s own servers. Oftentimes, organizations in industries that deal with sensitive customer data, such as healthcare and finance, stay on premises to ensure they have full control of privacy. The risk of any data security issue is too high to be outsourced and for this reason, many institutions with high security focus choose to stay on premises.
3. Reliability: With dedicated infrastructure, on-premises solutions can provide robust performance without relying on internet connectivity. Cloud systems are reliant on internet connectivity, which means if your agents are without internet, you’re without your contact center. With an on-premises solution, you can safeguard against downtime at 3rd party providers, which is extremely important for providers in critical sectors, like utilities.

Disadvantages

The main disadvantages of on-premises call center are as follows:

1. High Initial Costs: Setting up an on-premises call center involves substantial capital expenditure for hardware, software, physical space, and specialized expertise. In fact, setting up a cloud system is usually a straightforward decision for a startup or a new company. However, companies that would like to build their own customized processes and customizations will need to pay for higher initial costs. Additionally, companies that have previously invested in high initial costs are often looking to safeguard their previous investments and customizations and do not want to move to the cloud.
2. Maintenance and Upgrades: Given that an internal team is needed to run an on-premises contact center, there is a continuous need for maintenance and periodic upgrades. When you use a cloud solution, the maintenance and upgrades are often performed by the 3rd party providers.
3. Scalability Issues: Scaling operations can be challenging and costly for on-premises solutions, as they often require significant changes to the infrastructure.

Remember, these are just a few factors that can play a role in deciding whether to move to the cloud or stay on-premises. Ultimately, your decision will come down to what systems your contact center is currently using and what

On-Premises Contact Centers Technologies

For years, companies like Genesys, Avaya, and Cisco have been top players in on-premises solutions but have moved to the cloud. For example, Genesys has recently decided to focus exclusively on Genesys Cloud CX, but what about the customers who aren’t quite ready to make the move to the cloud?

While customers can stay on Genesys Engage on-premises solution, there are less options when it comes to connecting with many of the in-demand cloud applications. For example, Genesys Engage clients who wish to connect to Salesforce Service Cloud Voice do not have an option to do so directly.

Fortunately, Upland InGenius, a computer telephony integration solution, is currently the only vendor that allows Genesys Engage customers the ability to unlock the power of Einstein AI. With this innovative connector, which is powered by Upland Transcription Service, organizations have a seamless way to access the cutting-edge AI technology they need without moving their entire structure to the cloud.

To learn more about InGenius and how it can help you remain on-premises, book a demo!