Cloud computing is everywhere, and organizations are realizing that a hosted environment is simply the best option from financial, operational and managerial standpoints. This applies to nearly all areas of business, including call center management solutions.

Of course, not all cloud solutions are created equal, especially when it comes to call center software and call recording. Business strategists must be discerning in their decision-making to ensure they bring the best services to their organizations.

To help them make the best cloud software choice, here are four critical benchmarks that all call center leaders should follow as they select hosted call recording solutions:

1. Quick and Thorough Deployment.

When implementing software in a traditional, on-premise setting, it may be months before a call center can fully leverage its investment, diminishing the immediate impact of the service. According to Datamation, an EMA survey found that 47 percent of organizations take too long to deploy key services.

A hosted solution, on the other hand, is ready within a matter of days, shortening the cycle of investment, deployment and utilization. Managers should seek a complete hosted solution – one that includes all necessary call center management features in the cloud.

2. Stellar Solutions and Reliability.

On-premise systems are often subject to downtime and outages as a result of uncertain internal management. Organizations that choose a cloud call center solution won’t have to worry about losing productivity, as hosted services are maintained for ultimate reliability.

“Above all, hosted solutions offer peace of mind.”

Furthermore, a solution should provide premium service and troubleshooting for any technical and strategic adjustment that call center managers may require. This puts call center leaders in the driver’s seat, even when their solutions are hosted in a third-party environment.

3. Streamlined Financial Management.

From a financial standpoint, hosted solutions provide the most straightforward billing process of any software service. All transactions are based on operational expense, providing short-term simplicity and long-term stability for the call center. No longer will managers have to purchase hardware assets to support their operations.

Financial transparency is also a huge advantage of a hosted software setup. With the best hosted systems, there are no hidden costs or fees that will surprise financial strategists. This allows call center managers to allocate capital resources in a more intelligent and informed manner, since monthly software costs are predictable and calculable.

4. Strong Protection and Encryption.

Security is essential in the modern call center, especially with so many regulatory standards weighing on managers and organizations. As CallCentreHelper pointed out, call recording software must be PCI compliant, especially in an operation conducting transactions as a regular task.

Therefore, the optimal hosted solution for call recording and call accounting is fully encrypted and protected in a private data center, promoting compliance with all key regulations.

The best service providers also maintain and adjust data governance and transfer practices with updates to call center regulations, ensuring that every organization adheres to these evolving standards. With these factors handled, managers can focus on pure performance.

The Definitive Hosted Solution.

Call center leaders have a lot of components to consider when it comes to their key software solutions. Ideally, they should never have to worry about the technical support of these services. This ultimate peace of mind is the true value of a hosted call center solution and call recording.