How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cloud

I have known and worked with many IT managers over the years. When it comes to cloud call center software, the most common theme I’ve heard from IT and tech workers is fear—fear of the unknown, fear of change, fear of tech fads, fear of what cloud will mean to my career. Here’s a story from an IT Manager who has managed on-premise deployments for most of his adult life. Alex has been in the IT trenches for years and has seen many technologies come and go. He’s also seen his peers make costly mistakes when trends died before delivering on their promises. Is Alex cautious? Definitely. Here’s his story….

My name is Alex and I’ve been an IT manager for a long time. I’ve seen a lot of changes—most of them for the better. But lately I’m feeling a little freaked out. After more than a decade managing an on-premise environment with one primary vendor, I’m realizing the move from prem to cloud is inevitable—and to be honest, it scares me. The technology that I’m using is nearing end-of-life, but it’s all I know. Deep down, I realize that it’s time to face the cloud.

Fear of the Cloud Call Center Wanes

Ten years ago, I had a quick answer for vendors offering a cloud option: “No thanks.” There were too many unknowns, it lacked mainstream acceptance, and my company’s on-premise infrastructure was pretty stable. There were simply not enough compelling reasons to switch.

About 7 years ago, my CFO felt there could be financial advantages we were missing. So, I considered cloud. The benefits were impressive, such as less up-front capital expenses and new capabilities. Still, I recommended sticking with the premise option because it’s a platform that my IT staff and I knew well and supported. After all these years, I couldn’t make the move. Doubt may have overridden some obvious rewards, but it wasn’t clear-cut. Would the cloud disrupt business for an uncertain outcome? It wasn’t a risk I was willing to take back then.

Today, I am singing a different tune. Moving to a cloud call center solution has become inevitable—and because an end-of-life cycle is approaching, the day of my decision is coming sooner rather than later. After all, there’s no denying what cloud can do for our business. There’s a ton of work to still be done, but I’m confident that it will be worth it.

Bridge the Silos with a Cloud Solution

The top benefits of a cloud platform speak directly to my challenges, especially the opportunity to bridge siloed systems. Our current environment is a “spaghetti” of systems and it’s a big headache to manage. We also have another acquisition on the horizon, so the management of these systems will become even more complex. In addition, our lack of real-time and historical reporting due to silos has caused a lot of disconnect. Some of our groups don’t have relevant reports or visibility into how well they’re tracking to business goals. Our internal customers are not getting what they need. An all-in-one cloud solution running on a single platform could solve these issues and more.

Fast and Easy Deployments

I’m really concerned about wasting time, and it’s getting worse with more on-premise deployments and upgrades of our critical systems. It drains hours that we could be spending supporting new and innovative programs. I would love to have time for my staff to work more with internal business groups, translating their needs into technical solutions, or creating and customizing apps. With a cloud environment, I can now see how our roles will evolve – but in a good way, with more time available to focus on strategic initiatives.

Forget Rip-and-Replace

In the past, I was really concerned about managing integrations. I thought that moving to the cloud would mean ripping it all out and starting over, but that’s just not the case. I’m finding that it’s really a non-issue with an open cloud platform. There are solutions out there that offer several ways to securely integrate data for a true omnichannel customer experience.

Prepare for the Cloud

I’ve dedicated my career to understanding one vendor’s technology. It’s not easy to visualize a new infrastructure, and when it comes to a cloud call center, there’s uncertainty around how my staff and I will fit in. But I will not let my company or my staff be left behind. We’re starting the process now.

Learn from Others Just Like Alex!

The story of Alex might be slightly fictionalized, but I’ve met many people just like him over the years. Don’t let fear of the cloud keep you from reaping its rewards. If you can relate to Alex or find yourself in a similar situation, it’s very helpful to learn from others who have already walked in those shoes.

Hear from a panel of experts about their experience in moving to the cloud, and which skills and steps were critical to their success at our global webinar, Moving Your Contact Center to the Cloud: Does Your Team Have the Right Stuff? Sign up today!