Today’s customers are all about convenience and efficiency. They want their needs met in the easiest and fastest way possible. Today’s customers are also demanding. They want things done on their terms and, when this does not happen, they will go elsewhere. Tailoring operations to match the modern customer profile is crucial to success and it is for this reason that more and more telcos are turning to CPaaS.
There has been a noticeable increase in CPaaS adoption worldwide recently and this growth is set to continue throughout this year and the next. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global CPaaS market is projected to grow from USD 11.03 billion in 2022 to USD 62.54 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 28.1%. The report also revealed that in 2021, the IT and Telecom sector held the dominant share of the CPaaS market at 22.6%, with this proportion expected to keep rising throughout the forecast period.
This high demand for CPaaS is driven by the technology’s ability to make communication faster, smoother and easier. By giving access to real-time communication software like cloud-based APIs and pre-built tools, CPaaS connects telcos with their customers. Partnering with a CPaaS enabler gives telcos a host of benefits that is bound to boost business. Three of the primary advantages a telco will gain from a CPaaS enabler are: enhanced customer experience, increased efficiency and cost savings.
Enhanced customer experience
For the longest time, businesses have been using text messages to reach their customers. The continued popularity of this mode bears testimony to its effectiveness. That said, with the explosion in the use of social media in recent years, customers are now opting to contact businesses through these platforms. Chatbots are fast becoming the first point of contact on company websites and the accelerated advancement of AI has increased their capacity and functions.
What all this means is that customers have multiple ways to interact with an organization. Which mode customers choose depends on their preference, circumstances and needs. In a context of multiple contact points, telcos can no longer afford to restrict themselves to just one or two communication channels. In order to provide quality service, it is imperative for a telco to offer all possible options to its customers. CPaaS enablers open up multiple communication avenues like SMS, voice and video messaging, chatbots, and social media messaging, enhancing customer experience by giving customers the freedom and flexibility to choose whichever channel they please.
Increased efficiency
When customers reach out to their telco operator, they expect an instant response. Manually dealing with each customer message can get extremely chaotic, with an increased risk of oversight and delay. Ignoring customers or taking too long to get back to them is very bad for business. CPaaS enablers streamline communication processes, ensuring that customer queries are dealt with as promptly as possible.
With the self-service options available on CPaaS customers can obtain a host of information themselves. This removes the need for telco employees to answer mundane questions, drastically reducing their workload and freeing them up to attend to more complex inquiries. Clients can directly access APIs and pre-built tools available on CPaaS and there is no need for a telco member of staff to manually set it up. Automation allows a telco to send reminders and other messages at pre-set times and at a predetermined frequency. CPaaS enablers erase the need for constant human intervention, making customer communication super efficient.
Cost savings
When telcos partner with a CPaas enabler, they will not need to build their own hardware and infrastructure – the CPaaS enabler takes care of all that. Therefore, there is no hefty set-up cost or capital expenditure. Telcos do not have to maintain any equipment either, the CPaaS enabler looks after that too. All that needs to be paid for is the platform, keeping spending to a minimum.
Most CPaaS enablers allow telcos to select which features they need and like. So, unlike in an all-in-one package, the charges are only for what is being used and there is no money wasted on facets that are redundant or irrelevant. Because telcos do not have to worry about expanding infrastructure, scaling becomes so much easier and a lot more affordable. All in all, telcos save themselves a lot of money with a CPaaS enabler.
Things to consider when implementing CPaaS
There are no two words about it: CPaaS is hugely advantageous for telcos. Yet, enjoying the full gamut of benefits rests upon selecting a good CPaaS enabler. Just like any other service provider, it is important to conduct due diligence before choosing a vendor. Reliability and success rate are key, and customer testimonials, referrals and success stories are good indicators of these. Customer support, especially in integrating CPaaS with existing systems and workflows, is vital. A customer support team that is available round-the-clock will ensure the smooth set-up and running of CPaaS. Proper security, regular upgrades and scalability are the other factors that must be given careful consideration when implementing a CPaaS enabler.
Above all, the CPaaS enabler must be affordable. A customizable set-up with a fee scale tied to the features chosen would be ideal. This kind of technology should be economical paving the way for increased revenue. Subscriptions and commissions often cut into profits. Therefore, a CPaaS enabler that functions on a revenue-share model, where telcos can keep earning a consistent income from their clients, would be the proverbial icing on the cake.
