The shiny new Chrome browser has been deservedly praised for its sleek design and its Web 2.0-ness. Technology watchers have pointed out that Google’s Chrome brings browsers ever closer to becoming a universal platform on which web-based applications will rule and computing is done in the cloud. Network or cloud computing is also an ideal environment for virtual contact centers and remote agent workers.
Along with millions of others, I downloaded Google’s Chrome browser and read the cartoon to see what the shouting was about. I was also curious whether the desktop computing model had become an endangered species. My snap judgment? It hasn’t (yet).
The Chrome apps I tried—a bare-bones task manager and Google’s own office software—created a pretty compelling illusion of not being tethered to the Internet, even though some of the computing and all the database processing was taking place remotely.
While they are not as feature-laden as their desktop siblings, these web apps are still very functional and responsive in un-web like ways. Google pulls off this trick by designing Chrome software using Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) principles.
There’s more wizardry involved in enabling certain Chrome apps to work offline, without an Internet connection. This magic was accomplished by pushing some computing responsibilities back to the client side so that the browser app becomes a true desktop creature. Even knowing the secret, it’s still impressive.
While all the details still need to be worked out, it’s not too hard to see where all this is leading. With your browser as a platform, you’ll get instant access to red-meat applications on all sorts of less-than-desktop class devices—and no software needs to be pre-loaded or configured.
More to the point, agents, support staff, and other experts will be able to interact with customers using the same software on their iPhones, smartphones, and notebook gadgets as they have on their desktops and laptops. Cloud computing and a universal software platform puts a lot more teeth into the virtual contact center concept.
Beyond the sizzle of cutting-edge technology, there are bottom-line, operational benefits to having cloud-based applications. One of the recurring headaches for contact center managers is ensuring that remote offices and workers are in synch with the latest software—say, a new campaign script or a this-just-in patch to a CRM application.
No worries, though. It will be dealt with just once in the cloud’s data center and instantly available over the Internet.
