What is the difference between a Call Center and Contact Center?

Does it even matter? Well, yes. Though they are often used interchangeably, there are some important similarities and differences between the two. Some similarities include using Customer Relationship Software (CRM), providing customer service, and Interactive Voice Response systems (IVR) for their telephone services.

Call Centers use phones as the primary mode of communication and were historically considered the “gold standard” of customer service. Call Centers can be affiliated with online merchants, telemarketing companies, help desks, mail-order organizations, polling services, charities, etc. Call Centers often handle a higher volume of calls that are more straightforward in nature such as: general questions, technical support, and billing help.

Contact Centers handle customer service through a variety of channels including email, telephone, live chat, social media, text messages, etc. This way, customers can interact with agents in their preferred method of communication and this also provides a more seamless customer experience. Contact Centers can handle more complex tasks, are newer, and are more prevalent now since the COVID-19 virus.

Regardless of which type of center is used, they have value beyond customer service as it is often the only opportunity to connect with customers on a personal level. Call Centers and Contact Centers exist in nearly every industry, and customers have high standards for the customer service they receive. Having high standards for customer service can have amazing benefits in the long-term. By building trust with customers through great customer service, sales increase from keeping customers, brand reputation increases, and loyal customers are more likely to generate referrals. All of this creates a competitive advantage and makes brands more valuable.