For instance, if a customer has sent an email query and follows it up with a phone call, the same agent can read the email query and also converse with the customer on phone. This omnichannel capability enables a contact center to deliver seamless customer support. It also bolsters the customer experience as the customer does not have to use separate channels or repeat the information for issue resolution.
Phrased differently, a contact center acts as a single point of contact for customer interactions originating from various communication channels.
Broadly, there are two types of contact centers:
1. Inbound contact center - where only incoming queries through email, chat, phone, social media, etc. are handled.
2. Outbound contact center - where only outgoing queries through email, chat, phone, social media, etc. are handled.
A contact center might also handle both inbound and outbound operations. However, rarely do the same agent handle both inbound and outbound operations. Hence, a contact center handling both inbound and outbound will have separate internal teams or functions.