A room full of call center employees. Soundproofing between desks, partitions decorated with important papers and family photos.

Call statistics on a large central screen.

We all have a certain image of a call center—or is it a contact center?

In this article, we answer the question of what the difference is between a call center and a contact center.

The difference lies in the type of customer contact that is handled.

A call center is a department or external organization that deals with incoming and outgoing phone calls.

A contact center is more than a call center: in addition to incoming and outgoing calls, a contact center handles emails and chat conversations.

Other Differences

The difference in the types of customer contact also brings different requirements. For example, employees need separate training for each communication channel, such as answering emails or conducting chat conversations.

Large organizations often assign employees to one type of interaction, while other companies offer their employees variety with a mix of emails and phone calls.

Not all call center software can process emails or chats, so expanding from a call center to a contact center may involve additional licensing costs.

Why Are There Different Terms?

In recent years, the number of interactions via email, phone, and chat has grown significantly.

Companies that handle all forms of customer contact distinguish themselves with the term contact center.

There are also people who find the term call center to have a negative connotation. They associate a call center with intrusive phone calls.