In the early days, contact centers were primarily call centers, handling customer interactions exclusively through telephone calls. The first Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) systems appeared in the 1960s, allowing for the routing of calls to the most appropriate agent. Through the 1980s and 1990s, advancements like interactive voice response (IVR) helped automate simple inquiries, but customer interactions remained strictly voice based.

As the internet and mobile technology became widespread, customer expectations shifted. Organizations recognized the need to support multiple communication channels, leading to the emergence of multi-channel contact centers in the late 1990s and early 2000s. These centers integrated:

• Email (late 1990s) – Customers could now reach support teams via email, reducing call volume
• Live Chat (early 2000s) – Websites introduced chat support, offering a faster alternative to email
• Text Messaging (mid-2000s) – SMS support became a popular way to interact with businesses
• Social media (late 2000s-early 2010s) – Platforms like Facebook and Twitter enabled real-time customer engagement
• Video Support (2010s) – Video conferencing and co-browsing features improved customer interactions

Despite offering multiple channels, these solutions often operated in silos, with limited integration between channels. Contact Centers had to have multiple licensing agreements and agents had to log in to multiple platforms.

By the mid-2010s, customers expected seamless interactions across all channels, leading to the rise of omnichannel contact centers. Unlike multi-channel solutions, omnichannel platforms provided a unified interface where all communication channels were managed within a single system. Key developments included:

• Unified Agent Desktops – Agents could view customer history and interactions across all channels
• AI and Chatbots – Enhanced automation and self-service options
• CRM Integration – Customer data was accessible across interactions for a personalized experience

While omnichannel solutions significantly improved customer experience, they still required customers to restart interactions when switching channels. This is where NGNCloudComm’s Optichannel approach redefines the industry.

The Optichannel approach takes omnichannel to the next level by enabling customers and agents to dynamically switch between communication channels within the same interaction—without disruption. This means any interaction can start with any channel and then add or transition to another channel including voice, video, text, or email without losing context.