The words “call center” first developed meaning in the 1980s. When consumers had a customer service issue, their only option was to pick up the phone. In response to this, companies implemented call centers, where anywhere from two to 20,000 people sat in a room, answered the phone, and dealt with customer service issues.

With the arrival of the Internet, call centers then evolved into “contact centers,” as customers now had email as an option to air their requests and complaints. In more recent years, social channels, like Twitter and Facebook, have become another option for customers to use to get support, as well as online communities.

So what does this evolution mean for small businesses? Typically, they don’t have the luxury of 20,000 dedicated support reps and often have as little as two people who answer customer service requests over all possible channels.

Still, small businesses should view customer service as a key competitive advantage for a company their size. In addition, they should in no way feel that they are at a disadvantage when it comes to offering great service if they don’t have a call center in place.

Here are several reasons why:

• Small businesses are typically not locked into expensive and outdated legacy systems.

• Small businesses are typically more focused on delivering exceptional service. 

• Small businesses can be agile in implementing a customer service experience strategy.

The good news is, with the help of technology, there are now many ways for them to handle these requests, outside of the traditional call or contact center.

Download this e-book to learn more about the following topics:

• Understanding the modern customer
• Thinking outside the call center
• Defining customer service without a call center
• Providing service without a call center

Your business can exist without a call center. But it can’t exist without a smooth customer experience.