WebRTC: how does it keep contact centers and customers connected in 2022?

Thanks to the rise of the new remote work reality and the severe limitations of more traditional contact center telephony solutions, WebRTC has emerged as the go-to choice for contact centers. Its ease of use has helped improve the quality of the customer journey by letting agents have a better handle on their resources in two ways. First, by reducing training times that are expected with new platforms, and second, enabling distraction-free conversations with the customer.

One of the clearest examples of WebRTC’s ease of use is the omnipresence of Google Meet. Originally a standalone app, it was absorbed into Gmail and its interface. The result was the ability to create chats and group video calls with a single click of a side-menu button, all taking place directly within a browser tab. Indeed, one of Google’s strong suits is facilitating communication for users of all stripes.

The benefits of WebRTC for contact centers

What implications does such an application of WebRTC have for contact centers? Well…

Flexibility

The most convenient aspect of WebRTC is that no special physical infrastructure — aside from a laptop — is required. WebRTC solutions do not take the form of stand-alone apps. They lend contact centers a special flexibility that greatly aids agents who work remotely because WebRTC integrates into already-familiar apps, such as web browsers or CCaaS consoles. Due to a lack of a specialized platform, training times for new WebRTC integrations are dramatically slashed. 

Additionally, regardless of where agents work, WebRTC encrypts communications so sensitive customer data stays secure. In fact, there are three such methods for encryption: Secure Real Time Protocol (SRTP), secure encryption key exchange, and secure signaling. These standards always apply to WebRTC connections, as creating unencrypted connections is deemed illegal by the Internet Engineering Task Force.

Cost reduction

WebRTC is positioning itself to become the prime communications tool for contact centers not only because of the flexibility it offers, but also because of the costs involved in maintaining hardphone-based legacy systems. These systems require numerous pieces of hardware, such as specialized phones and conference speakers. Ensuring security and upkeep can be difficult when remote agents are scattered, not to mention costly. 

Thankfully, WebRTC can help contact centers cut costs owing to its reliance on internet protocols. Contact centers running legacy systems also need to pay telecommunications companies to run calls over the public switch telephony network (PSTN) — the same protocol that supports 56K internet speeds at best. Based on client analysis, CCaaS solutions equipped with WebRTC can help contact centers save approximately 40% on costs, as internet access is not charged per device. 

Better agent experience

Contact center agents can breathe a sigh of relief working with WebRTC. Switching between the agent console and communication apps, such as Zoom, Teams or Skype, can be a hassle during more involved interactions with customers. WebRTC can be natively integrated into a contact center console, eliminating the need for all that switching and providing clarity during key moments in customer interactions.

Additionally, the SaaS nature of a CCaaS solution means it updates automatically. Thanks to the cloud, any new versions of a WebRTC integration will be deployed and integrated without any additional effort. 

Odigo provides WebRTC for contact center agent consoles

If you are looking for a contact center interface that leverages WebRTC, consider Odigo™. Our proprietary CCaaS solution allows you to receive calls via web browser as part of an omnichannel approach to CX. If your contact center needs an open, cloud-based CCaaS solution that deploys internet telephony quickly while cutting costs, contact our experts to discuss your unique needs and receive a demo.