CPaaS vendors are transforming how companies approach customer experience in the modern world. These innovative companies produce flexible technology to help organizations deliver seamless, omnichannel experiences with minimal cost and complexity.
Currently, the market for Communication Platform as a Service solution is expected to reach a massive $130.8 billion in 2032, driven by increasing demand for simple, cloud-based CX technology. However, while many vendors offer CPaaS technologies today, they aren’t all created equally. Finding the right CPaaS vendors requires a strategic approach.
Here’s your step-by-step guide to finding the right CPaaS solution for your business in 2024 and beyond.
Step 1: Assess Your Business Goals
CPaaS vendors offer companies straightforward platforms with SDKs, APIs, and tools that embed new technology into existing workflows. With the right vendor, companies can bring real-time communication capabilities into their apps and tools. Plus, business leaders can take advantage of innovative tools for marketing, sales, and even enhanced security.
The right CPaaS vendor will be the one that offers all of the APIs and toolkits you need to address your business goals. This means you’ll need to think about:
- Which communication channels do you need? Do you want to embed voice, video, SMS, messaging, email, or other solutions into your existing technologies? Assess your customer journey map to find out which channels you need.
- Existing tools and resources: Do your CPaaS solutions need to integrate easily with specific platforms, such as your contact center, UCaaS tools, and CRM systems?
- Additional APIs: Alongside communication tools, what other API solutions might you need to access? Options range from tools for creating chatbots to multi-factor authentication options.
Step 2: Consider Ease of Implementation
One of the reasons CPaaS is such a compelling option for companies investing in contact center transformation is its simplicity. CPaaS vendors give businesses all of the tools they need to implement new technologies into their ecosystem without the need to pay for developers. However, the platforms available today can vary in complexity.
Some offer an entirely no-code experience, ideal for those with limited IT and technology teams, while others require a little coding knowledge. Make sure you know what kind of languages the company uses for APIs, such as PHP or Java. Check out much support you can expect to get from the team when implementing these tools into your workflows.
Some companies will even offer bespoke step-by-step onboarding services, access to a success manager, or support from a vast developer community.
Step 3: Look at the CPaaS Vendors’ Infrastructure
CPaaS vendors don’t just give you the tools you need to implement new forms of communication and new technology into your CX stack. They’re also often responsible for offering the infrastructure that ensures you can deliver a reliable and consistent service.
When assessing possible vendors, check whether they share any uptime guarantees on their website. An uptime guarantee of around 99.99% is standard for most communication leaders. You may also want to check if they have any failover mechanisms in place to help improve reliability.
Depending on your business, it may also be crucial to check your vendor has a wide geographic presence. This means checking to see whether they have data centers and teams available in all regions you might serve.
Step 4: Look for Innovative Options
While CPaaS vendors are often embraced by companies searching for ways to embed real-time communication channels into their tools and workflows, they can offer a broader range of APIs. Some solution providers provide access to innovative 5G connectivity options for companies embracing the new age of mobility. Others provide access to AI bots and similar tools.
The best CPaaS vendors will allow you to embrace robust new solutions for enhanced customer service and employee productivity. They’ll assist you with leveraging new and exciting channels and tools as they emerge in the CX market.
Some solution providers can even offer dedicated technologies for companies in specific industries, such as healthcare or education.
Step 5: Check the CPaaS Vendors’ Security and Privacy
CPaaS solutions rely on transferring data throughout numerous systems designed to connect your workforce and unlock new opportunities. However, in the CX world, any environment that leverages data has risks to consider. This is particularly true as compliance regulations become stricter.
The best CPaaS vendors will help you to counteract security issues. They may offer dedicated bespoke solutions for digital identity management and access controls. They could also implement end-to-end encryption into all their tools to help minimize the risk of leaks.
Leading providers generally have certifications that help demonstrate their expertise in preserving data security. They can also usually work with you to ensure your data landscape remains secure.
Step 6: Examine Licensing and Costs
For many companies, implementing CPaaS solutions into their existing technology is a more cost-effective way to embrace CX transformation. With CPaaS technology, there are no extra expenses for bespoke development and technology maintenance. You can also combine your existing legacy technology with innovative solutions to minimize operational costs.
However, CPaaS vendors can vary in the pricing of their solutions. Most will charge companies based on the number of API calls they make or the type of technology they use. Others may charge additional fees for specific services, like custom API development or configuration.
It’s worth considering the pricing of each solution carefully in the context of the value you can get out of the ecosystem. You may also want to check you can update or change your package whenever you choose so your solution can scale with you.
Comparing CPaaS Vendors in 2024
As demand for flexible, innovative communication options expands in the CX world, the number of CPaaS vendors will likely grow. While there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for choosing the right vendor, the steps above can help you make a more informed decision.
