Preparing your contact center for new technology: The path of least resistance

September marks the end of summer, the beginning of a new school year, and, for many, a renewed focus on business initiatives. A time for fresh starts and new beginnings might be the perfect moment to update your processes or technology. Whether you’re looking to implement a new platform, refine or combine your existing systems, this renewed vigor around work can be the catalyst for making changes.

Contact centers are evolving at a rapid pace given advances with technology. New platforms, ever-improving omnichannel capabilities, and advanced AI technologies are transforming the landscape of the contact center as a service (CCaaS) world. But having the latest tools is only one part of the equation. Equally important is the ability to set up a solid support model for your platforms and processes so you can manage and troubleshoot any changes effectively.

In this month's newsletter, I'm addressing a critical (but often overlooked) issue that comes up repeatedly with our clients: How do you support your new technology once it’s in place?

The complexity of modern contact centers

Imagine this: You’ve upgraded your contact center with a sleek new platform that includes IVR menus, self-service options and integration with Salesforce. Everything seems perfect—until something goes wrong. Suddenly, it’s not just a matter of getting everything working in the implementation - it’s dealing with why XYZ isn’t going right. You start asking, is it the internet? The last change we made? The network? The platform itself? Or maybe it’s the integration with the platform? For companies just learning to manage CCaaS platforms or voice quality, this can come as a big shock. For companies with decentralized centers or older technology, these questions become even more challenging.

That’s just the beginning. As contact centers continue to evolve, expectations from both customers and internal teams grow more demanding. Introducing new features and capabilities adds potential points of failure. You’ll need to address these proactively. For example, adding chat or SMS channels might seem straightforward, yet it actually adds a lot of complexity to the system and requires careful management for how transactions are routed to agents. When something doesn’t work right, who will take responsibility? Is it a network issue, a platform problem, or something wrong with the integration? Identifying these potential failures and clearly assigning ownership is key to maintaining smooth operations.

The demand for specialized knowledge within your team will continue to grow in relation to the growth of your tech stack so having a basic understanding of the platform won't be enough anymore. Your team members need to be well-versed in the intricacies of each component and how they interact. This expertise is what will keep your contact center running smoothly, from troubleshooting to optimizing performance. Without it, you risk falling into endless cycles of finger-pointing, which is not only frustrating to customers and agents, but also delays resolution. At Blue Orbit Consulting LLC, we’ve seen this scenario play out time and again. The more sophisticated your technology, the more sophisticated your support needs to be. It’s not just about having a great new system—it’s about creating a plan that keeps everything running smoothly and prepares you for when things don’t go as planned.

The importance of a dedicated support model

One of the most common challenges we encounter is that organizations overlook the need for a robust and well-thought-out support model. That's because implementing new technology is only the start; maintaining and troubleshooting it is where the real work begins.

We recently worked with a company whose contact center platform was over 30 years old and so delicate that no one dared to touch it for fear of breaking it. When they finally upgraded, they realized that their new platform required a different level of support. Finding an administrator who understood the way the new system worked became a top priority. As they started integrating new capabilities, their need for specialized support became even clearer. This doesn’t necessarily mean a lot of people; it does mean finding the right fit of skills and culture to deliver what you need.

Operators must think about these support needs upfront. Planning ahead will mean you have the right people and processes in place for when technological mistakes happen. And they do happen - even in the best run, most experienced organizations. While it can seem overwhelming, doing the work ahead of time will save you from doing it under the pressure of a real problem at hand. Planning for issues before they happen rather than during the fire drill is, actually, the path of least resistance.

The four levels of support

When rolling out a new platform, especially one as comprehensive as an omni-channel CCaaS platform with integrations and chatbots, support needs to be structured around four key areas:

Routine and simple requests: Adding or deleting agents, changes in skill assignments, or queue adjustments fall into this category. A clear process for handling these requests must be established. Will these go to an administrator or through a ticketing system? Effective communication means that everyone knows where to send requests and how they will be managed.

Complex requests: These might involve setting up a new voice number, integrating with new marketing channels or tagging new data points for reporting. Handling these requests typically requires a team approach involving analytics, IT and data security experts. It’s not just about making the requests, but making sure the right people are involved to execute and test them properly.

Major projects:  Implementing a new BPO (outsourced call center), establishing a new communication channel or launching support for a new product are significant undertakings that qualify as major projects. These projects can involve connectivity, knowledge bases and platform integration. A project manager who can coordinate all the moving parts is vital. Having business owners, IT and platforms owners on board from the start guarantees everything operates correctly and that everyone understands the changes coming (and most importantly, why).

Support and break-fix:  This area is often overlooked, yet it’s one of the most critical. When something breaks, who takes responsibility for fixing it? In our experience, the two most common issues in a new implementation are: the agent can’t hear the customer or the customer can’t hear the agent. Problems like these can stem from various sources—everything from an improperly configured headset to network issues or platform failures. Successful organizations quickly identify and address these issues, often by assigning someone in IT to oversee voice-related troubleshooting and to coordinate with network and platform providers.

Practical steps to success

So, what does this mean for your organization?

Understand the impact on customer experience:  If customers are abandoning calls and interactions due to technical issues, you need a plan to address this immediately. Monitoring systems and assigning responsibility for quick resolution is extremely important.

Realistic operational planning:  Every organization should think practically about how to operate their new platform. You need a plan for day-to-day administration such as managing new hires, handling departures and making sure everyone knows how to use the technology effectively.

Invest in expertise:  A lack of knowledge is often the root cause of trouble. You need someone on your team who knows everything about your platform and its implementation. This person will play a big role in troubleshooting and making sure your technology supports your intended customer journey. No vendor will fully understand your unique needs, so this expertise must come from within your team.

Build a strong support team:  Finding the right people to manage and support your technology is also nonnegotiable. Look for individuals with the skills and experience to handle complex systems, troubleshoot issues and keep your contact center running smoothly.

Planning for the path of least resistance

While implementing new technology is exciting, it does come with challenges. The most successful organizations plan for these challenges and build a strong support model from the outset. Think through who will be responsible for troubleshooting, maintaining and optimizing your technology. That way, you can be sure of a smooth transition and avoid the headaches that come with unexpected issues.

At Blue Orbit Consulting, we specialize in helping organizations navigate these complexities. Whether you’re rolling out a new platform, integrating new capabilities, or just trying to keep your existing technology running smoothly, we’re here to help. Let’s work together to create a support model that keeps your contact center operating at peak performance.

If any of this resonates with you or your organization, take a moment to share this newsletter with your colleagues who may be struggling with similar challenges. Blue Orbit Consulting guides you through methods that will transform your contact center’s operations into a world-class customer experience.

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I founded Blue Orbit Consulting in 2014 after running staff organizations in contact centers and building consulting practices in customer service, process improvement, complex program management, and channel operations. My approach – and my firm’s approach – is fundamentally pragmatic, and our clients often achieve benefits in excess of 10x their investment. We develop and deliver world-class customer interactions for our clients, whether it is troubleshooting and optimizing what they already have in place or creating strategic transformations to deliver outstanding customer interactions every time.