Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) can be of benefit to the local call centre industry, provided operators do their homework, says Keith Mould, business development executive at T-Systems.
VOIP, which offers substantial cost savings, has become a viable option for the call centre industry, where the cost of international telecoms is high, he adds.
"Technology using IP offers substantial and well-published improvements, such as flexibility, opportunity and, importantly, potential cost savings," says Mould.
Call centres wanting to use VOIP need to ask the following questions: Is the provider a network owner or is it reselling another company`s network capacity? Will the relevant provider be able to provide enough bandwidth and network capacity? Will the relevant provider provide independence from a chain of partners or suppliers?
Mould adds call centres must ask whether the provider is willing to commit to written service level agreements, particularly on uptime and voice call quality.
Furthermore, he adds, call centres must question whether the provider has direct access to the network to identify and correct faults if something goes wrong.
Mould says the call centre industry is still relatively na"ive when it comes to sifting through the choices. "The benefits are clear; it`s just a matter of doing thorough research and ensuring the right and most effective option."
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