What is CX? Customer Experience Platforms vs Contact Centers (Part 2/2)

In part 1, we broke down what CX platforms are and how they work. Now, in part 2, it’s time to dive into the differences between a CX platform and a contact center. 

These terms are often used interchangeably, mainly since on the surface they have many similarities. Their differences, however, are significant enough to mean they play a very different role in an organization’s customer service strategy.

Subject A: The Contact Center 

The contact centers of today have evolved beyond the simple call centers they once were. Now it's an all-purpose platform that contains much more than just a space for agents to interact with customers. Its solutions come in many forms, including on-premises kits and cloud-based software provided as a service. 

Built by companies like Genesys, Five9, NICE, and others, contact centers today are omni-channel, meaning one platform connects agents and customers across every method of communication. This platform can integrate with telephony as well as emails, messaging, and even social media. 

Contact centers vary depending on the vendor, but they all accomplish the same goal: enabling effective communication between customers and agents across all channels. Many come with routing capabilities, advanced data collection, and AI integration. It all helps keep an organization’s customer service consistent. 

Subject B: The CX Platform 

Where a contact center enables communication across multiple channels, a CX platform unifies all the tools an organization needs to enhance the customer experience. Along with certain contact center tools, these platforms help users map the customer journey, generate insight, and synergize their customer service teams. 

Alongside many tools the average contact center provides, CX platforms includes features such as: 

• Artificial intelligence: AI integration can handle call routing and query management. It can also be used to automatically translate and transcribe messages. 
• CRM support: With customer relationship management support, CX platforms give users a behind the scenes look into interactions, sentiment and experience, allowing them to personalize their service to fit each customer. Some platforms come with CRM software built in, while others integrate with third-party platforms like Salesforce and HubSpot. 
• Collaboration tools: Most CX platforms streamline communication between agents and other members of their organization. Transferring calls and reaching out to other users is easier than ever. 
• Advanced analytics: CX platforms don’t just provide in-depth, end-to-end analytics that dramatically help the customer experience. They can also leverage AI to determine customer sentiment and intent at each stage of their journey.  
• Workforce management: Finally, many CX platforms include features that help keep agents engaged. Workforce management tools help schedule employees, forecast demand, provide easy-to-follow to-do lists, and even add gamification features. 

The Differences, and Why Both is Better 

An omni-channel contact center, or CCaaS solution, provides tremendous benefits for an organization by allowing it to connect users with customers across all channels, but CX platforms go one step further. It empowers customer service teams to provide context aware service across every touchpoint of the customer journey. 

So, which one should your organization choose? It seems the best answer is both. 

A contact center and CX platform can be integrated together to leverage a vast array of features in one ecosystem. This combination of people, processes, and technology will allow your organization to maintain key communication across every channel while also dramatically improving the customer experience. 

The Continuant Solution 

At Continuant, we have our own solution to the contact center and CX platform question. The Continuant Connect Contact Center (or C4) platform includes everything you need from UCaaS, CCaaS, and CX platforms all in one solution. 

C4 may have “contact center” in the name, but it does a lot more than just that. It also includes all the features listed above, including an open API architecture so that you can build an omnichannel CX ecosystem around your preferred tools, simple automation, and basic AI-integration. It also includes powerful telephony integration and agent engagement tools that perfectly fit a hybrid customer service team.

Even if C4 isn’t your first choice, our experts can help you find the exact contact center you need. We have connections with contact center providers across the industry such as Five9 and Genesys. In fact, we were named Genesys Partner of the Year in 2023. Whatever you need, we’re more than willing to provide you with the right solution.

Schedule a call to get started.