Taking your customer service to the next level: which option best suits your business?

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We often get asked about the best ways to improve and integrate customer interaction systems. While a one-size-fits-all solution might work for some companies, we see greater potential in tailored solutions for others. Let’s break down the different options and weigh the pros and cons to help you make an informed choice.

In this blog, we discuss three ways to take your customer service to the next level: in-house development and integration of existing systems, moving to large suites like Salesforce, and a flexible solution like Seamly.

Develop internally: full control, high cost

The first option is to use internal resources to enhance your customer service. This approach allows you to optimize existing systems and tailor processes to your organization’s specific needs. While this gives you full control, it comes with a significant downside.

Developing, maintaining, and optimizing customer interaction systems in-house requires expanding your IT team. You'll need to hire new specialists, which increases costs. Moreover, the responsibility for system maintenance—such as updates, security, and resolving technical issues—rests entirely on you. This leads to continuous investment in IT, which can divert focus from your core business.

Of course, in-house development has its benefits. You have complete control over the systems and can customize them as you wish, without being limited by external vendors. This flexibility is valuable but comes at a considerable price.

Using large platforms such as Salesforce: broad deployment, limited flexibility

Many companies choose a large omnichannel platform such as Salesforce to manage their customer service. These platforms offer a wide range of features, including chatbots, live chat and CRM, as well as solutions for marketing and sales. The advantage of such a platform is that you have one vendor for almost all your processes.

However, while these platforms offer numerous features, they may not provide a perfect fit for every organization. The software is designed to cater to a wide variety of needs, but it might not offer the specific combination of tools you require. Often, you’ll find yourself adapting your business processes to the platform, rather than the other way around.

The lack of flexibility can pose a challenge, especially if you need custom solutions tailored to your business. Additionally, you’re limited to the platform’s existing features, with little room for personalization to meet your unique challenges.

Flexible solutions: fast, scalable and easy to integrate

Lastly, there are flexible alternatives that offer both scalability and seamless integration. Instead of overhauling your entire system, platforms like Seamly work with your existing infrastructure. This means you can enhance your current CRM or customer contact systems with AI-driven chatbots, voicebots, and CRM integrations without disrupting your operations.

One potential drawback is that you rely on an external provider for ongoing development and maintenance. Updates and changes are not directly in your control. However, this also has an upside: a platform like Seamly takes care of technical updates, security, and further development, reducing your workload and IT costs.

Additionally, Seamly is quick to implement, and you only pay for the functionality you need, keeping costs manageable. By layering onto your existing systems, Seamly improves the customer experience and boosts efficiency without lengthy implementation times or major investments.

Which option is right for you?

Choosing the best solution depends on your business needs and available resources. If you want full control and are prepared to make a significant IT investment, in-house development might be the way to go. For a comprehensive, widely deployable platform, Salesforce offers an all-in-one solution, though with limited flexibility. If you're seeking a fast, scalable, and customizable solution, Seamly is an ideal choice.

We’d be happy to discuss how our platform can meet your needs. Feel free to reach out for more information or to schedule a demo.