How your business manages customer conversations makes a big difference in how they feel about your company. Some organizations use a call center to handle every interaction over the phone, while others offer multiple ways for customers to connect via a contact center. Both models serve important roles, but they work differently behind the scenes.
Understanding the difference between call center and contact center operations can help you build the right customer experience – a must, considering 63% of customers say they would switch to a competitor after only one or two negative support experiences.1 Read on for a breakdown of contact centers and call centers, along with tips to help you choose the best fit for your customer support needs.
A contact center brings together multiple ways for customers to engage with your business, including phone calls, email, live chat, SMS, video, and even social media conversations. The goal is to let customers choose the channel that’s most convenient for them while still providing a consistent, connected experience.
Since contact centers are fully integrated platforms, they give agents visibility into each customer’s full interaction history. Whether a customer starts with a chat and moves to a phone call or sends a follow-up email, agents can see everything in one place. This makes it easier to resolve issues and avoid situations where customers have to repeat themselves across channels.
Modern contact centers also typically include:
With a contact center, businesses can handle both high interaction volume and customer needs that cross multiple channels, which could be why the global contact center market is expected to reach $23.6 billion by 2032.2
A call center focuses on voice interactions through either inbound calls (support, service, or help desk inquiries) or outbound calls (sales, lead generation, or surveys). While many call centers now use digital tools to manage calls, they still center around phone-based conversations.
There are two main types of call centers:
Call centers may use automated call distribution and basic reporting tools, but typically operate with standalone voice systems or older PBX setups. But for businesses that primarily need to handle phone calls, this type of model could be sufficient.
The major differences between these models come down to factors like:
The most obvious difference between call center and contact center models is the number of channels they support. Call centers focus solely on voice interactions – all communication starts and ends with a phone call. This approach works for businesses whose customers still prefer to resolve issues or get information over the phone.
Contact centers support a much wider range of communication methods. In addition to voice calls, customers can reach out through live chat, SMS, email, video calls, or even social media. This allows customers to choose the channel that fits their situation best, whether they need a quick answer or want to continue a longer conversation over time.
While 36% of customer support leaders say today’s customers expect greater personalization and speed,3 the customer experience is often more limited in a call center. Each phone call typically addresses a single issue, and there isn’t always an easy way for agents to reference past conversations or switch between channels. If a customer has to call back or follow up, they may need to start from the beginning each time.
Contact centers give agents access to a customer’s full history, regardless of which channel was used previously. When customers move from chat to email to phone, agents can pick up right where the conversation left off for a smoother, more personalized experience that saves time for both the customer and the agent.
Many call centers still rely on traditional telephony systems or legacy PBX hardware. These systems may work well for voice calls, but are often limited when it comes to integrations with other business tools. Information about customers may be spread across different systems, making it harder for agents to get a complete view of the customer’s needs.
Contact centers are usually built on cloud-based platforms that integrate directly with CRM systems, workforce management software, AI-powered tools, and real-time analytics. These integrations help streamline agent workflows, allow for intelligent call routing, and provide detailed reporting that can be used to improve service quality over time.
In a call center, agents are usually trained to handle phone conversations exclusively. They focus on answering incoming calls or making outbound calls throughout their shifts, which works for businesses that primarily operate through voice-based support or sales.
Contact center agents are trained to handle multiple channels and may shift between tasks throughout the day. An agent might start by responding to live chats, handle email inquiries next, and then take scheduled video or phone calls. This variety allows businesses to better balance workloads and helps agents develop a broader skill set that can adapt to changing customer demands.
Expanding a call center often means investing in more hardware, additional phone lines, or physical infrastructure. This means that for businesses with on-premise systems, scaling can involve a lot of time, cost, and resource planning.
Since contact centers operate on cloud platforms, they’re much easier to scale. Businesses can add new agents, open new channels, or support remote teams without large hardware investments.
As customer preferences shift toward digital channels, many businesses are evolving beyond voice-only call centers. Here’s why:
Customers don’t always want to pick up the phone. They might prefer a quick chat on your website, a text message, or a direct message on social media. Contact centers let your team meet customers wherever they are, with the ability to switch channels when needed.
Contact center operations provide detailed metrics on every customer interaction. Supervisors can track resolution times, agent performance, customer satisfaction scores, and more to help drive better decisions and continuous improvement.
A whopping 98% of contact centers are already using AI to power features like chatbots, voice assistants, and predictive analytics.3 These tools handle routine tasks, provide faster responses, and allow agents to focus on more complex issues that require a human touch.
Contact centers are better positioned to adapt as customer needs and technology evolve. Adding new channels, integrating additional tools, or supporting new workflows is often a simple adjustment rather than a complete system overhaul.
Choosing between a call center and a contact center will ultimately depend on your business needs and how you engage with your customers.
A call center may be enough if:
For example, a small insurance agency that handles mostly inbound support calls and renewal questions may find that a call center solution works fine, at least in the short term.
A contact center is likely the right fit if:
A retail brand, for instance, might handle support via phone, live chat, Instagram DMs, and email. A contact center ensures those interactions are consistent and centralized.
Customer needs are changing, and your business needs communication tools that can keep pace. While traditional call centers still serve a purpose, contact centers provide a more complete, flexible way to serve your customers across every interaction.
At UniVoIP, we help businesses move beyond legacy voice systems and into fully integrated cloud contact centers. Our cloud-based contact center solution empowers your agents to deliver seamless, consistent service across every touchpoint – backed by around-the-clock, U.S.-based support.
Contact us today to learn how we can help you level up your communications and exceed customer expectations across every channel.
Sources: