A call centre is a customer service solution using inbound and/or outbound voice calling. An inbound call centre takes customer calls through an interactive voice response system (IVR) concerning technical support, complaints, and order questions. In an outbound call centre, the business calls customers—either manually or using an auto dialler—for things like appointment reminders, bill/debt collection, and surveys. A blended call centre uses a combination of inbound and outbound capabilities.
A contact centre adds digital customer service capabilities to a call centre. In addition to voice calls, customers can interact using a variety of channels, including live chat, emails, and social media. Modern contact centres use omnichannel routing to connect customers, meaning they have a single identity regardless of how they interact and can move between channels.