Application-centric businesses are offering great potential. A new service is Communications Platforms as a Service (CPaaS) which is a cloud-based delivery model to make it easier for companies to add real-time communication capabilities to business applications by implementing APIs. This type of platform is expected to dominate the market across all types of communication, with an estimated 27.6% compound annual growth rate over the next five years.
Companies that manage to be at the forefront of this market will achieve growth through different tools, always looking for multi-channel leadership with high reliability. Because of this, a search for the CPaaS domain has been initiated, which has a cloud platform architecture and supports high scalability, microservices and an expansion platform to develop data unification, analytics and data enablement.
What is CPaaS?
Typically and until now, real-time communications (RTC) took place through applications created for such functions, i.e. a user can use a native mobile application to manage his bank, but he can never chat with a manager from the app.
CPaaS therefore emerged to provide a framework for developing and creating real-time communication functions without each company having to create its own. Software tools, standards-based APIs, sample code and pre-built applications are now included. CPaaS is thus defined as a cloud-based platform that allows developers to add real-time communications functions to their own applications without the need to build interfaces and backend infrastructure.
With CPaaS, the different forms of communication for each company can be customised, rather than having to buy complete solutions with predefined functions. The basic components that are used once CPaaS is implemented in the communication setup are:
- Outbound voice calls: The voice API can be used to integrate outbound calls into the communications stack. It is ideal for escalating in any order, ascending or descending, and obtaining new numbers and call features on the fly.
- Incoming call routing: serves to facilitate call processing. It works through webhooks. When a call comes in, this tool is activated and the system is guided by instructions on what to do with the call.
- WebRTC-based calls: WebRTC is a free and open web framework that enables real-time communication (RTC) in web browsers and mobile applications via APIs. With this, voice and video communications can be integrated.
- Text messaging (SMS): SMS can be integrated to send notifications or alerts from the business number. Two-way messaging can also be incorporated into the configuration, making it easier for customers to respond.
- On-demand SIP trunking: generates connectivity to the IP-based communications infrastructure. If call capacity changes the SIP trunking is flexible and makes it easy to increase or decrease capacity as needs change.
- Multimedia and video messaging: The SMS API also supports sending and receiving images, videos and many other media and file formats.
- Social media messaging such as WhatsApp: These applications are ideal for customer engagement. WhatsApp is the example of an application that can unite many CPaaS functions. For example, it can be used to send and receive messages and multimedia files, share locations and observe whether messages were delivered and read.
- Number masking: masking phone numbers makes it easier to connect agents to customers without revealing their phone numbers. This protects customer identity, confidential information and ensures data privacy and security – only the CPaaS platform has access to the phone numbers of call participants.
Advantages
CPaaS represents a combination of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS), combining the customisation of IaaS with the ease and speed of SaaS, offering a fully built system while maintaining a developer’s ability to create scalable software and applications.
Providers can use cloud technology to offer companies to develop and integrate communication functions. This saves human resources, infrastructure and time to market. In addition, using CPaaS involves affordable pricing, as developers can pay only for the services they need. Another benefit of using this tool is that it facilitates the ability for multiple customers to use the service at the same time, each within a secure and independent environment.
CPaaS features tutorials, guides and online libraries, providing live technical support 24 hours a day, and allows developers to focus on building their applications rather than underlying IT infrastructures.
Use cases
CPaaS enables companies to adopt an omni-channel approach to their communication network. This way companies can communicate internally in a simple and efficient way, creating an optimal customer experience. Some of the use cases that take place after implementing the core CPaaS functions are:
- Appointment confirmations and delivery tracking updates:
Implementing this type of messaging brings with it a number of benefits, reducing missed appointments, improving communication and customer satisfaction. It completely eliminates the need for manual reminders and updates.
The result is that contact centre employees can focus on making new sales instead of dealing with customer service calls. This feature is well suited for healthcare services, food delivery or e-commerce, and in general for any business that has a subscription and recurring payment model.
With this tool, an additional layer of security can be added by sending text messages to customers containing one-time passwords to verify the user’s identity, two-factor authentication codes or secure mobile payment information.
This is ideal for any company where customers have accounts with their personal data or make online payments. E-commerce and digital banking are just a few examples of companies that can make use of this tool.
- Private and confidential messages:
CPaaS allows companies to share confidential messages and communicate privately with their customers. Many companies require confidential customer communication, such as credit card issuance or policy renewals. This tool can provide peace of mind to customers.
For security purposes CPaaS is ideal for healthcare, banking and insurance or asset management companies, companies that generally handle confidential information on a regular basis.
- Scalable voice calls and messaging:
Customer-facing applications can now be found with voice calls and messaging using CPaaS. This makes it easy for the user to contact the company at any point in their buying process.
Companies in travel, financial services and other industries where customers require immediate assistance can benefit greatly by making use of CPaaS for voice calls and scalable messaging.
- Automated customer interactions:
The service offered by CPaaS includes the enhancement of chatbots and other automated user interactions. Thus, instant responses in the form of self-service are achieved.
When these automated customer interactions are brought into the communication platform, the sales and customer service team can obtain key information. That way, the company will be prepared for any customer interaction even though the operation is automated. This application is Sidonia for any company that deals with Customer Care and where it can give recurring answers to customers by automating chatbots, WhatsApp and other messaging services.
Conclusions
In conclusion, CPaaS is a cloud-based middleware on which organisations can build, run and distribute communication software. This platform is an API system that makes it easy to integrate communication modules with applications. It is a tool that is integrated throughout the organisation and encompasses multiple products.
With CPaaS, SMS, voice and two-factor authorisation can be implemented for basic workflows such as notifications and customer reminders, while more complex business workflows such as email, payments, video and WhatsApp functions can be implemented.
Traditional communications service providers are looking to maintain control of their media and trying to lower the barriers to RTC application development through CPaaS services.
CPaaS is an opportunity to create customised applications and business processes at low cost for customers. This tool offers flexibility and scalability to companies looking to differentiate their offerings from other competitors. In turn, this benefits the customer by improving customer service and generating convenient communications that will become the norm in any enterprise.
