Alfredo González, Product Marketing Director at Presence Technology, analyzes the procurement models of the different technology tools in order to optimize resources and reduce costs in Contact Centers

The crisis is a reality in the Spanish market and as such it directly or indirectly affects most agents of the economic market. We have to adapt and get through this period by making the right decisions to ensure our companies suffer as little as possible in the short term. Optimizing resources and minimizing costs becomes an essential part of business management. When it comes to choosing Call Centre technology tools, it is important to analyze each situation and what each tool has to offer in order to make the ‎right decision. Furthermore, we have to be imaginative and analyze different ways of achieving this, adapting each type of purchase to each situation.

The key to choosing the best software model is to always bear in mind the environment and the available liquidity in each case. So, purchasing software with cash is attractive when a one-off payment can be made and a fixed number of licenses is required for an indefinite period. If sufficient liquidity is not available or a one-off investment is undesirable, it is best to pay in installments. We do not have to forgo the best technology; rather it is a case of adjusting the type of purchase.

Other software procurement channels

Renting software is the most appropriate action when a certain number of licenses is required to cover a one-off need. This is the case for a Contact Center with its own technology infrastructure that needs to cover a spike in growth for a few months. This model allows the software to be purchased, should the client so desire, once the rental agreement expires, with part of the sum paid during this period being offset against the purchase price. For software that increases Contact Center productivity, the rental option gives rise to the possibility of reinvesting the direct financial gains obtained from its use in its subsequent purchase. In most cases, the financial benefits provided by the software during the rental period are greater than the remaining amount to be paid to the supplier. This option is therefore very attractive, since actually using the software itself generates sufficient liquidity to subsequently purchase it.

In the situation that a Contact Center has its own technology infrastructure and software use varies greatly from one month to the next, the best solution is pay-per-use. Here I normally draw an analogy with the world of the motoring, where pay-per-use software would be like hiring a car and paying by distance travelled.

An extremely interesting procurement model that is gradually finding its way into Contact Centers is SaaS, or Software as a Service. The "Software as a Service" model consists of providing clients with a complete Contact Center platform that includes software, hardware and, of course, services (configuration, maintenance and support). Continuing with the car metaphor, it is like hiring a limousine with a chauffeur: all you have to do is get in and tell the driver where you want to go. In this regard, SaaS is extremely cost-effective for companies that do not want to lose the focus of their business and prefer to leave the task of managing the entire infrastructure to someone else. The Software as a Service model can offer greater cost savings and flexibility and simplifies technology infrastructure, allowing organizations to concentrate on their ‘Core Business’.

Given the current economic climate, maintaining customer loyalty has become the key issue for businesses. Companies are increasingly striving to offer bespoke services that meet the needs of each customer and it is in this regard that Software as a Service comes into its own, offering more dynamic services adapted to the particular requirements of the moment. So now you know: in times of crisis we do not have to go without the best technology, rather it is just a question of adapting and looking for flexible suppliers capable of offering dynamic models.