The CX industry is changing, and contact centers need to be ready. Once, it was not uncommon for a contact center to stick with a single CX platform for at least 7 to 9 years. However, that time has changed, and now, we see contact centers switching platforms well within that period. There are several business reasons for the accelerated rate of migration. For example, one of them is that contact centers’ needs constantly evolve. Therefore, it is helpful to migrate to a different platform to meet these needs. Given this shift, it is more important than ever to have an agile cloud migration strategy.
Developing a successful migration strategy will reap long-term benefits for contact centers. A feasible strategy will allow CX centers to make migration as seamless as possible while minimizing disruptions. Let us look at the vital components that make up a successful migration strategy and explore possible solutions to make the strategy a successful one.
What makes a successful agile cloud migration strategy?
How do you know you have created a successful agile cloud migration strategy? While not an exhaustive list, here are some essential qualities that will help you.
Migration is efficient
Cloud migration is not a smooth process. The task of having to shift a complex CX infrastructure to a completely different platform requires extensive planning. As an example, most CX systems have plenty of legacy platforms or data not regularly used. However, they cannot be ignored when migrating to a different platform. Neglecting legacy systems complicates migration, incurring financial penalties, and prolonging the time allocated for migration. Hence, CX engineers need to draw up plans to account for legacy configurations when migrating to a different platform.
An agile cloud migration strategy allows for a smooth, efficient shift from one platform to another, minimizing the time and resources expended on the migration process.
Preparing for future migration efforts
Agile cloud migration is not just a question of one-off migration. It is also a question of preparing for future migration efforts. With CX centers making more frequent migration shifts, having a plan to optimize future migration efforts makes the entire process easier to manage. For example, using a vendor-agnostic interface in their UC platform can ease migration efforts because CX centers are not tied to one platform. This makes migration more efficient and reduces the risks that come with being locked to a single platform.
The transition to the new system is smooth.
A successful agile cloud migration strategy ensures a smooth transition to a new UC platform. Cloud migration is not a question of plugging data and functions into the new platform. CX centers need to consider several factors when moving to the cloud. Outbound caller setups, interaction routing flows, geographical distribution, historical reporting setup, and organizational structures are just some of the variables a contact center needs to worry about when migrating to the cloud. Usually, contact centers try to account for all these factors by dividing their data into different configuration profiles. An agile cloud migration strategy accounts for all these factors to make the shift as smooth as possible.
Minimal disruption to workforce productivity
Before migration takes place, it is important to plan how agents work during the migration process. However, workforce optimization is quite complex because it can change depending on certain variables. For example, if CX centers use an external tool to complete agent scheduling (or a tool from a different platform), it can alter how the optimization process is done. Furthermore, if the tool is changing with the new platform, it will alter the operational configuration, further complicating agent optimization. Planning out workforce hours is important for two reasons. One, historical data will be used to inform forecasting and planning. Two, inaccuracies in agent hours
, shift patterns, and entitlements cause a loss of goodwill and confidence in the new platform.
Creating a successful agile cloud migration strategy
A successful cloud migration strategy allows CX centers to be efficient in the migration process. But how do contact centers create an agile cloud migration strategy? One suggestion is to invest in the right technology. Automation tools and vendor-agnostic APIs can optimize the process significantly and help CX centers analyze their configuration. Automation tools can help CX engineers analyze change data, while a vendor-agnostic API can help CX centers future-proof migration efforts.
