Amazon Connect is a contact center solution we use for our support services. It allows us to better serve our customers.
Amazon Connect
Amazon Web ServicesExternal reviews
68 reviews
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External reviews are not included in the AWS star rating for the product.
Offers, real-time analytics feature, useful for customer support operations,
What is our primary use case?
How has it helped my organization?
It's been really useful for customer support operations. We have used a traditional telephone system before, so this is much better. No complaints.
It was surprisingly easy to integrate Amazon Connect with our existing IT systems. We've connected it with a lot of other AWS solutions.
What is most valuable?
I like the call flow functionality. It lets us easily decide how to route calls, which is extremely helpful.
There's a basic support function when it comes to real-time analytics features. They also recently launched an AI feature that automatically analyzes calls.
So, the analytics functions help with decision-making. It helps us with staffing to know how to best support our customers.
When it comes to the flexibility and customization options in Amazon Connect, I would rate it a ten out of ten.
What needs improvement?
I would like to add more outbound features. Right now, it's really strong with inbound but it could be better with outbound calls.
In future releases, I would like to see features related to outbound dialing. If they could add an automated outbound feature, similar to a predictive dialer, that would be really helpful.
For how long have I used the solution?
We work with different Amazon products. We use CloudWatch for monitoring and rely heavily on the cloud right now. We have other teams working on functions with AWS Lambda.
So, I have been using Amazon Connect for five years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. It is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is easy to scale. I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten.
There are around 300 end users in my company.
How are customer service and support?
No complaints. The customer service and support are good. I am happy with the response time and quality of support.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used other systems before for outbound calls and telephony needs. Amazon Connect is really simple, straightforward, and very flexible. It has a real edge over competitors.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very simple.
What about the implementation team?
We deployed it ourselves.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I would rate the pricing a nine out of ten, with ten being the most affordable.
The pricing is quite reasonable. Connect charges fairly per call.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the product a ten out of ten. I would definitely recommend it to other users. Because Amazon Connect is a robust telephony system, it handles incoming calls perfectly.
However, for enterprises to get maximum use, we often need a dialer system. For example – you have a list of people to call, you load it, and the system automatically dials and connects you without having to manually dial each number. That's the kind of automated outbound dialing feature. So, I'd like to see an automated outbound feature added to Amazon Connect.
Can easily design a flow diagram with this solution
What is our primary use case?
We use Amazon on the backend.
What is most valuable?
I can easily design a flow diagram with Amazon Connect. That is a very useful feature. In addition, Amazon Connect is easy to learn.
What needs improvement?
The scalability needs improvement.
There are always features that need improvement. For example, we have an application where we automatically store all of our records. But currently, it has a three or four step configuration in order to send the data recordings to a specific branch. However, it will first store it in Connect and will only then do the transfer. This is very complex.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Amazon Connect for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is an eight out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. The deployment takes six months.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing of the Amazon is reasonable compared to other cloud providers.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Outbound features are great for our marketing and dealer teams and setup is fairly easy
What is our primary use case?
I've used Amazon Connect for various purposes. It's usually a combination of Amazon Connect, Lex, and other AWS services.
Primarily, we use it for call center operations – both inbound and outbound. Amazon Connect's recently released outbound features are great for our marketing and dealer teams.
For inbound, we use Amazon Lex for conversational voicebots and Amazon Connect for call routing. I've implemented these solutions for fleet management, a banking POC, and customers in areas like capital management, holiday management, and ticketing.
What is most valuable?
What I like most is how well it integrates with other AWS services, the ease of implementation, and the robust partner network that supports it. This has helped Amazon Connect gain over 3000+ customers in just six or seven years.
It's fairly easy for an agent with no prior experience to learn. A short training session is usually sufficient. Here, I'm assuming that the agents, while not tech-savvy, can follow instructions. If someone has experience taking calls for several years, the transition will be smooth.
Some adjustments are needed as most of Amazon Connect functions via a computer interface. Additionally, there's the option to route calls to traditional phones, but that's less common. Agents will need to understand how to navigate the interface, what the different icons represent, how to use the call controls, and how to work with any integrated systems.
So, a 15-30 minute training session should be enough to get agents up and running on the basics of Amazon Connect itself. If there are complex integrations with CRMs or other additional tasks required of the agent, then, the training would need to be more extensive.
What needs improvement?
There are quite a few areas, even though the platform is new and user-friendly. Here's what could be improved:
- Agent Desktop: Amazon Connect should enhance its native agent desktop. Intuitive UI should be present for the agent desktop. Currently, it forces users to rely on third-party CRM integrations. Predominantly, there is no support for full-fledged customization for the native agent desktop. More customization options for the native desktop would be beneficial.
- Channel Support:
The platform was designed primarily for voice and chat. It relies heavily on third-party integrations (not native to AWS) like Lambda or Kinesis for additional functionality. The user ends up using multiple AWS resources, which end up adding costs and a lot of tech that needs to be known for basic usage as well.
And there is no multiple-channel support. When I say the channels, it's only voice and chat, but no WhatsApp or other native channels, like Facebook or Twitter; it needs another integration to integrate with Amazon Connect. Native support for channels like WhatsApp or Facebook would streamline things.
- AI Features: The built-in AI language models are somewhat limited. While some languages are supported, highly customized prompts or AI versions aren't available without extensive feature requests and wait times.
- Outbound Campaigns: Outbound campaign features are still basic. More integrations for data sources, lead management, segmentation, and support across different regions would address regulatory needs and improve functionality.
- Reporting & Conversations: Amazon Connect has recently added conversation analysis and Contact Lens support. However, historically, third-party tools have provided more insights, especially when looking for quick insights or any sort of customization. The native solution doesn't give any predefined templates or reusable pieces, which can actually have a lot of customization potential for reporting. They give very basic stuff with no way to plot or integrate reporting with external data. Ultimately, these things have to be developed separately.
- Global Architecture: There is no global support. One instance usually doesn't talk with another instance; it has to be integrated and use a PSTN pull. There could be a global customer, but an Amazon Connect solution would force everything into one instance, maybe in US East, or maybe in Europe. If you wanted a multi-tenant setup, with calls routed from different locations and agents placed globally, that kind of support is something they don't have yet. Given the capabilities of AWS networking, they should build this out. Native support for multi-tenant global architectures would be helpful for businesses operating across locations.
- SIP Support: The lack of native SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) integration is a major drawback. It forces users to purchase or port numbers to Amazon. Native SIP integration is missing, though there are some beta workarounds. However, it's been years without official support. That's a major drawback, as a lot of use cases are dependent on SIP.
- Generative AI: Amazon Connect's reliance on Amazon Q and Amazon Bedrock for knowledge bases limits options. Any knowledge base that customers want to use has to be integrated through Amazon Q or Amazon Bedrocka. There's no support for OpenAI or other external language models (LMs). If a customer wants to use their own LMs, they have to bring them to Amazon's native LM space first.
These are some of the key areas where I see room for improvement in Amazon Connect.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Amazon Connect for about six and a half years, almost since its launch. I've been exploring its features and implementing it across different geographies.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted customer service and support for deployment and support activities.
In my experience, getting timely responses can be a challenge unless you have an account executive to help. That's because Amazon Connect support is handled by the same team as their other services, and they don't always have dedicated Connect specialists.
An account executive can help you get dedicated assistance, which generally leads to faster responses.
However, response times can still vary. Some issues have taken up to a month or two to resolve.
How was the initial setup?
For a small, straightforward Amazon Connect contact center, setup is easy. However, if you need extensive back-end integrations – like external authentication, pulling data from third-party sources, complex data presentation, or integrating with other systems – the process becomes more complex.
In these cases, you'll need expertise beyond just Amazon Connect engineers. You'll likely require developers familiar with Lambda, other AWS services, and potentially additional programming and scripting languages. So, while a basic setup can be done quickly (even within a day), more complex integrations with Amazon Connect will certainly take longer.
The good news is that it's self-service. You can log in, create an account, and start working right away. You'll find icons in your Amazon settings to get started.
What about the implementation team?
In my previous experience deploying Amazon Connect, we typically had a team of three or four engineers depending on the project. These engineers had expertise in cloud technologies, coding, telephony, and Amazon Connect specifically.
If you have a skilled engineer with comprehensive knowledge, one or two people can manage even a thousand-seat call center. The team size depends on factors like use cases, the complexity of integrations, and whether the deployment is global. Support needs generally require fewer people.
What was our ROI?
It is worth the money. Compared to a traditional on-premise call center, which can be costly and resource-intensive, Amazon Connect can offer significant savings. This is especially true if your use cases are straightforward, call volume is manageable, and you have an existing CRM to integrate.
Sometimes, the total Amazon Connect bill could be on par with, or even less than, what you'd pay just for SIP trunks or PSTN lines in a long-term on-premise setup. So, in many situations, moving from on-premise to cloud-based solutions like Amazon Connect can absolutely provide a good ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Amazon Connect has a pay-as-you-go model. But I have a slightly different perspective on it.
When an on-premise setup migrates to Amazon Connect, it's possible for a 2,000-seat call center to have a lower Amazon Connect bill than a 300-seat one. Why? It's not just about the pay-as-you-go model.
Call volume matters, especially outside the US. But most importantly, implementation is crucial. A 300-seat center with heavy integrations across various AWS services, third-party tools, and potentially misconfigured free features can rack up unexpected costs due to a lack of transparency. Bills can be complex to analyze.
On the other hand, a 2,000-seat center with simple use cases (like backend authentication, language selection, and direct agent routing) and a separately purchased CRM integration through the marketplace might have a much lower bill.
Ultimately, it depends heavily on how you plan and which features are essential. Extensive use of Lambdas, customer profiles, and other services will increase the cost.
At a high level, the pay-as-you-go model is attractive— no agent licenses and scalability is simple. But actual costs are tied to your specific use cases. The more integrations you have, the higher the potential Amazon bill. The various services used, not just those within the 'Connect' category, factor into the cost. Even things like exceeding queue limits add up.
My advice is to thoroughly calculate the cost before introducing any feature. If cost is a major concern, consider alternatives.
What other advice do I have?
When Amazon Connect was initially released, it was quite limited. Now, it's grown with better features and documentation. For me, setting up a basic system is straightforward. For instance, I configured a small 15-seat call center in just 20 minutes. Naturally, complexity increases along with features and requirements.
My suggestion for anyone considering Amazon Connect is to start with a strong understanding of basic telephony and contact center terminology. This will make it much easier to grasp the concepts.
Amazon provides a lot of documentation. I recommend reviewing that thoroughly before diving into the system itself. Understanding the 'why' behind Amazon Connect will make the hands-on experience much smoother.
Overall, I would rate the solution a seven out of ten. In my experience, there's still a lot of room for development and expansion to support even more use cases.
Everything is pay-as-you-go, the speed of setup is impressive and out-of-the-box capabilities are easy to set up and use
What is our primary use case?
Initially, there are multiple scenarios. To start, when the product was launched, we had an on-premise office and PBX system. Sometimes, we would have outages with AT&T.
We wanted to use Amazon Connect as a backup for when our systems are down. If we receive calls, they're routed to Amazon Connect, and we can accept messages while our systems are offline. So we built it as a kind of backup system for our internal telephony.
What is most valuable?
There are a lot of features with Amazon Connect. One is the pay-as-you-go model. I don't have to buy any infrastructure or servers, licenses, or contracts. From a financial point of view, there's no upfront capital expenditure (capex) cost. Everything is pay-as-you-go.
And then, in terms of features, the speed of setup is impressive. If someone goes through the basic documentation and tutorials on YouTube or the Amazon website, they could have a basic system running in two hours. So, the learning curve is very low to get this product up and running.
What needs improvement?
If you compare it to pre-packaged contact center solutions from companies like Genesys or Avaya, those have a more robust UI out of the box.
With Amazon Connect, it's an open platform. You can integrate it with whatever you want. So, the features might seem limited initially, but the capabilities are vast due to the open platform, APIs, etc.
For a company with technical resources, it's a great tool. But for someone who wants a pre-packaged solution where everything is ready to use with some customization, it's a little more challenging. Getting information about the system might require multiple steps for agent supervisors.
For how long have I used the solution?
We first started using the product in 2019.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This application is deployed across multiple Availability Zones, and an Availability Zone is a group of data centers. So, the likelihood of it going down completely is low.
I've been using it for five years, and we've had two outages – not necessarily specific to the contact center itself, but related service outages.
After that, Amazon implemented a global resiliency feature. If you're an organization that needs a critical contact center without any possible downtime, you can set up your contact center across two regions for very high availability.
Compared to other services I've seen, where customers have issues and feature updates take a long time, Amazon Connect is a much superior product in terms of stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is great. For example, one customer had bought a few licenses to share between 10 and 15 users. They did this to save money, as they were working in shifts.
The problem was that they couldn't get good metrics or analytics. It was hard to see who was missing calls or how many calls each user made. Lots of manual effort was needed to reconcile the data.
With Amazon Connect, everyone has a named user, so they get those metrics without additional cost.
Also, if a company has seasonal work – like running campaigns or those TV infomercials where they give a number – you can easily add staff during holidays.
Take those calls, and then scale back down after the campaign ends. Nothing technical is needed on your end; Amazon Connect handles the extra call volume and then scales back down.
Our internal use is small, about ten users. But we deploy it for customers, too. One customer has about 100 agents using it. We deployed it for another with 50 agents and have one more project with about 20 agents.
The point is that it scales easily from a few users up to thousands. You let Amazon know your expected scale, and you don't have to worry about licensing for huge user counts. And you don't pay per user, only per usage.
How are customer service and support?
I have connected with customer service and support multiple times for two reasons.
- One, sometimes the documentation explains that you can do something in multiple ways within Amazon Connect. I might contact support to see if there's a better or preferred way since they built the product. And they support well.
- Other times, if a feature isn't available, I'll reach out, and they will add it to their product feature list for future releases. That way, you're giving feedback directly to Amazon saying, "Hey, this feature isn't available."
Normally, when you call a contact center, you have an automated message like "Thank you for calling. Please press one for English, two for Spanish, o presione dos para Español".
You can set the voice for this message with different options – male or female voice, different tones. You can create flows with variations. But if I set up a voice configured for English to pronounce a Spanish message, it still has an English tone mixed in. There's no way to combine a strictly Spanish tone with an English tone for a single message.
Amazon offered an alternative of recording and playing a message, which works, but it's not ideal. They don't have that feature built-in. Does it work? Yes.
But for a very picky customer, the Spanish sounds like a native English speaker, not a true Spanish speaker. Amazon said I could record, download both voices, combine them, and upload the result as a workaround. They also acknowledged that this is a common scenario and they'll consider adding it as a future feature in Connect.
With Amazon, it's recommended to have Business Support, especially if you're running production workloads.
The basic support plan offers chat and email support, which has an SLA [Service Level Agreement] of 24 hours. But with Business Support, which is either $100 per month or 10% of your monthly bill, you can talk to someone on the phone, chat, or email.
If you use chat, it takes a few minutes to get an agent. They'll try to find someone with the right skills and get you answers immediately. For complex issues, they'll reach out to the internal team and get back to you. It's much faster than traditional contact centers, where you might be on hold for a long time and get passed through multiple tiers of support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We were already AWS [Amazon Web Services] users and an AWS partner. Cloud is the future, and cloud-based contact centers offer much more flexibility than traditional systems.
We used to have our on-premise PBX [Private Branch Exchange] system. Setting it up, including services, licenses, configuration, and VPN or MPLS [Multiprotocol Label Switching] setup between offices, cost us something like $70,000 - $80,000.
There was a lot of effort involved, but a cloud-based solution just makes more sense.
How was the initial setup?
If you just take the out-of-the-box setup and do it, it's easy. Also, when we started deploying this internally for our customers three or four years ago, some features weren't available.
We had to build custom integrations and applications to enhance the capabilities. But over the last four years, Amazon has launched many new features that are available out of the box. This helps customers adopt these features more easily.
There's still a lot more you can do, but the out-of-the-box capabilities are easy to set up and use if you want to use them as they are.
We were supporting a customer, and they asked for our help. Even though we're implementing a large contact center with about a hundred users, it took the team and me only a few days – less than a week – to learn the basic fundamentals.
We were able to set it up within a week. Amazon releases new features frequently, every week or two, so you need to keep up if you want to use those advancements. But that's true with any technology – you have to stay current to avoid becoming obsolete.
What other advice do I have?
There's no one-size-fits-all answer. The first question is, what are you trying to do? What are your current pain points? Are you trying to solve a specific problem, or are you looking to upgrade an existing system?
We can assess your needs and see how Amazon Connect might address them. Think of it as going to a doctor – you wouldn't just say, "Prescribe me something."
If you're looking to set up a BPO [Business Process Outsourcing] offering or provide call center services to customers or your internal team, this could be a great product. You can get started quickly, make changes easily, and adapt to new features or business changes as needed.
Businesses are always evolving, and your technology needs to support that rapid change.
Overall, I would rate Amazon Connect an eight out of ten. There's a bit of history here – Amazon needed a product to support their own business operations. They wanted to "drink their own Kool-Aid," as they say. They explored other market options, but nothing met their needs. So, they started building a solution from the ground up, completely cloud-based.
Traditional systems from Avaya, Cisco, or Genesys took their on-premise systems and moved them to the cloud. Amazon built theirs on the cloud from the start, giving them much more robustness and flexibility. But starting from scratch means adding features takes time compared to a product with 25 years of development.
On the other hand, Amazon Connect is an open platform, so you can add features yourself if you have the programming skills to integrate with other systems. If you want to use it out-of-the-box, it didn't have the same feature set as competitors a few years ago – but they've added a lot since then. So, it's a work in progress.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
A cloud-based solution that helps to build contact centers
What is our primary use case?
We use the tool to build contact centers for the client.
What is most valuable?
The product is cloud-based and easy to operate. We have a broad integration capability, allowing for a multitude of integrations. This gives our customers a good understanding of our product, even if they aren't actively utilizing it. They can easily access and utilize all the features that Amazon's cloud services offer, making integrating with other cloud platforms simpler. It's not a standalone solution, which is advantageous for our customers.
What needs improvement?
There are two perspectives to consider: one from the development side and the other from the customer's side. From a development standpoint, there are various aspects that Amazon needs to address, such as providing tools or direct development scenarios in Amazon Connect for building contact flows. Some essential reporting features in Genesys are currently lacking in the product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The product is stable. Over the past three years, I've experienced no availability hiccups with it. It has consistently been operational 24/7 without any issues. Any challenges that arise are typically due to customer errors, vendor mistakes, or Amazon issues.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We've built numerous cards for clients, though I can't provide an exact count offhand. There's a significant shift towards transitioning from on-premise contact centers to cloud-based solutions, with Amazon Connect leading the charge in this direction.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's support is very good at helping.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The tool's deployment is easy. It is the solution's best part.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I can't speak for the pricing of other contact center solutions, but in terms of Amazon Connect, compared to other AWS products, it's one of the more expensive options. However, the cost can be low if you have a smaller team of agents or receive fewer calls. Pricing is typically based on a per-user basis.
What other advice do I have?
If you're using Amazon Connect for the first time, it's important to note that it's designed for companies rather than individual use. It provides a robust communication network connecting clients, agents, and employees. With Amazon Connect, there's no need for desk phones, no worries about managing physical phones, or no need to carry additional devices. All you need is a laptop.
Amazon Connect is easy to use if you're a customer looking to make calls and view reports. However, it can be more complex if you're a developer aiming to develop additional features or customize the platform.
I would rate Amazon around a nine out of ten if we're specifically considering contact center solutions. It falls somewhere between eight to nine out of ten because it's user-friendly, manageable, and relatively easier to develop than other contact center platforms. Additionally, being cloud-based provides significant advantages over alternatives like Cisco, Genesys, or Avaya.
A simple and easy-to-use solution with drag-and-drop features
What is our primary use case?
We use the product to create an IVR call flow.
What is most valuable?
The tool's most valuable feature is its simplicity and ease of use. Unlike other cloud contact centers, Amazon Connect allows easy drag-and-drop actions. Additionally, it integrates with other AWS services like Lambda.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement in certain areas of Amazon Connect. For example, regarding holiday scheduling, the platform lacks a specific feature to declare holidays for companies on fixed dates. While basic hours and weekly schedules can be set, there's no option for declaring specific dates like national holidays. Basic scheduling options exist, but users must rely on Lambda functions for more complex rules and logic.
There isn't a direct option for the voicemail feature in Amazon Connect. This could be an area for improvement. Unlike other contact centers where voicemail is easily accessible, this requires some workaround. Users need coding skills and additional configurations.
I prefer to maintain a basic IVR flow so I can easily contact anyone, especially with five family members. With Amazon Connect, I should be able to simplify this process. For instance, if I can't respond to their calls, I can create an instance or contact flow to inform them of the reason for my unavailability.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for two years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
My company has around 50-60 users.
How are customer service and support?
I haven't contacted the support team yet.
How was the initial setup?
The tool's installation and setup are easy to do. You can simply create an instance for your AWS account and begin using it.
What other advice do I have?
Whether or not you should use the tool for the first time depends on your specific needs. If your requirements are basic, the solution is easy to use compared to other contact centers, and you can go ahead with it. However, if your needs are more complex, it might be worth researching other options to find the one that best suits your requirements.
Using the solution for the first time is easy for basic tasks. However, not all features are available, and users may need to research and explore online resources to gain a proper understanding. Based on my experience, I would rate Amazon Connect as a nine out of ten.
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Affordable, enables customization, and reduces the overall cost of migration
What is our primary use case?
We work on contact center migrations. Currently, we are using Amazon Connect to migrate legacy contact centers like Cisco or Avaya to host them in the cloud.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution reduces the overall cost of migration by approximately 50%.
What is most valuable?
Amazon allows us to use other AWS services. If Amazon Connect cannot do something, we can use other services provided by AWS. It is a big advantage.
What needs improvement?
The product does not have any reporting dashboards. The vendor has released a dashboard feature in the latest release, but it is not a full-fledged dashboard. Since we migrated contact centers, we have had many phone calls with customers. We need some dashboards to manage and analyze the data. It will help agents or supervisors to track everything.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s stability eight out of ten. There were some initial issues. There were some features which were not present.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability eight out of ten. We faced some scalability issues. We have a team of 20 people working on multiple projects. We have around 75 users.
How are customer service and support?
If we need support, we can raise a ticket. The team provides support right away.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not difficult. It is mostly UI-based. There are not many backend processes. The solution is deployed on the private cloud. We have some customers in the banking sector who have deployed the tool in public clouds. There is a custom control panel. We can customize things according to our requirements. AWS provides many APIs. We can also customize the front end.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The tool is cheaper than on-premise contact centers.
What other advice do I have?
We use software embedded in Amazon Connect with a custom control panel to manage customer interactions. Amazon Connect has been a topic of discussion only for the past four to five years. When I started working with the tool, there were limited resources. We often requested that AWS raise the limits. Now, Amazon has extended the basic limit to facilitate all businesses.
I will recommend the product to someone with an on-premise contact center. It has many advantages. If we work on the cloud, we can run the business 24/7, even if there are any natural calamities or disasters in other parts of the world. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Easy to use and allows for easy implementation of credential changes within the platform
What is our primary use case?
We use Amazon Connect as a contact center solution to facilitate communication between consumers and companies. For example, if a consumer encounters an issue with a product, they can contact the company's toll-free number, which connects them to agents trained to handle product-related issues.
What is most valuable?
The best thing about Amazon Connect is that it has everything we need in one place. With other products, we might have to get different tools for different jobs, like recording calls. However, with the tool, it's all there together. Plus, it's cheaper than other options.
The tool is easy to use and allows for easy implementation of credential changes within the platform. AWS offers multiple services currently. For example, while AWS provides S3 buckets for storage, other tools may require setting up a separate database.
What needs improvement?
There may be room for security improvement, especially since data is stored in the cloud. While cloud security measures are robust, there may be concerns about data safety compared to traditional server setups.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for one and a half years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In my experience of working with Amazon Connect for about one and a half years, I haven't encountered any significant bugs or stability issues. Being part of AWS, a reputable company, they have a proficient admin team ensuring reliability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have multiple projects running on it and it has around 1000 users.
How are customer service and support?
If we encounter any issues or need help implementing something, we can raise a case with the AWS support team. They have a support team who can diagnose the issue and guide us on how to proceed. I am happy with them since they are quick.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Our company chose the tool because it offers all the features we need in one place. Also, using a cloud-based solution helps us save money by needing fewer resources.
How was the initial setup?
The tool's initial installation and setup were easy. The documentation provided on the Amazon website outlines the integration, deployment, and configuration processes.
What was our ROI?
For Amazon Connect, the more you use, the more we will gain. It is worth the money.
What other advice do I have?
First, you need to check if Amazon Connect is available in your area and if they provide support. Then, create instances, but note that they may not be available everywhere. Consider network connectivity and potential setup issues if instances aren't available in your location. Finally, billing details must be verified to understand the costs involved. To reduce your bill, consider the services you'll use with the product, such as EC2 for computing.
It's possible for a beginner to learn to use Amazon Connect for the first time. You can start working with around one month of practice, even without prior experience. I rate the product an eight out of ten.
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Offers good reliability, works well for hybrid environment, totally managed by Amazon but needs to integrate third-party CRM tools like Salesforce
What is our primary use case?
Amazon Connect is a totally cloud-based contact center technology.
Amazon Connect is similar, but it's a totally cloud-based contact center solution like Cisco, Avaya, or Genesys.
I primarily use it for high-level contact center services like DynamoDB, Kinesis, Lambda functions, and Amazon Connect. But Amazon Connect continuously introduces new features. In 2023 alone, they released over 200 new features for Connect.
What is most valuable?
There's no maintenance cost. It's totally managed by Amazon. We only have to pay for the services we actually use.
Also, scalability and reliability are the best features of this tool.
It's a reliable and scalable tool. No maintenance and pay-as-you-go are the most important features.
Moreover, it is easy for a beginner to learn to use Amazon Connect for the first time.
With proper training, an agent can learn the basics in one or two days, maximum one week.
What needs improvement?
Earlier, we had to integrate Salesforce with Amazon Connect for any contact center to support customer case details and other information. We needed to integrate Salesforce as the CRM tool.
But Amazon recently released a new feature called 'Customer Profiles.' It's intended to be similar to Salesforce. However, feature-wise, it isn't equivalent to Salesforce yet. Amazon is continuously improving Customer Profiles and similar features.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using it for six to seven years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable and reliable. In the last eight or ten years, there were only two or three breakdowns. One lasted for four or five minutes and another for ten to fifteen minutes.
It has been a very reliable solution for us.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable product. We have multiple contact centers across the company. Globally, we support Europe, the UK, the US, and Asia-Pacific regions like Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Australia, and India.
So, the number of agents we have using Amazon Connect is more than 5,000. We're an enterprise customer of Amazon.
How are customer service and support?
The quality of customer service and support depends on the specific case.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We also have Genesys.
How was the initial setup?
The initial installation and setup were easy.
You need to set up your infrastructure first - your network connections, security, etc. If you're using an internal network, consider an EDI VPN. Otherwise, you can create an Amazon Connect instance and start using it directly.
What was our ROI?
It will be worth the investment. I'd recommend it, especially if your employees are located globally or use a hybrid work model. It's very easy to use. Agents can log in and connect with customers from anywhere.
It provides a good overall experience.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are costs involved, like $0.18 per minute for incoming calls.
The licensing is a pay-as-you-go model.
What other advice do I have?
My recommendation depends on your exact requirements. It involves the following aspects:
- What's the size of your operation?
- What specific purposes do you have in mind?
- Could you elaborate on how you intend to use it?
For example, if I have a call center with 30 people, and I primarily want to use it for call center operations. I wouldn't recommend Avaya or Cisco. I'd suggest considering either Amazon Connect or Salesforce Service Cloud (voice services).
For Amazon Connect, I'd rate it a seven out of ten. There are a few features they still need to improve, particularly with Customer Profiles and case management. If these features become as robust as Salesforce, then Amazon Connect could be a complete contact center solution without the need to integrate third-party CRM tools like Salesforce.
A contact center can be set up in just a few minutes with a few clicks
What is our primary use case?
Amazon Connect is used as a contact center solution. In previous generations of contact centers, we relied on on-premises devices, which meant building everything from the ground up and purchasing physical hardware. This was a tedious task.
However, it is the first solution on the market to enable contact centers to operate in the cloud, making it much easier. This allows administrators and developers to concentrate and focus more on building call flows rather than dealing with hardware issues.
What is most valuable?
In my experience, one of the tool's most valuable features is its ease of use. Setting up a contact center can be done in just a few minutes with a few clicks. This contrasts with the hours or days it might take using other solutions.
Amazon Connect is rated as easy to learn, particularly for individuals with varying technical skills. It is considered very easy for those familiar with modern technology, such as the Facebook generation or millennials. However, for individuals more accustomed to traditional desk phones, the learning curve might be slightly steeper, perhaps around a six or seven out of ten in terms of difficulty.
What needs improvement?
Amazon Connect could enhance its service by revising its pricing structure. It operates on a pay-for-call basis. This means that organizations whose call volumes fluctuate, or are heavy at specific times of the day or year, aren't burdened with fixed costs such as hardware liabilities and licenses.
At the same time, you can enjoy the broad infrastructure, albeit at a slightly higher price. However, compared to solutions like Cisco and Avaya, which entail a one-time hardware cost, Amazon Connect's ongoing operational costs may be higher.
Unlike other solutions, the solution charges per call, which typically does not charge in this manner. If your call volume is high, with thousands of calls daily, it may not be the most suitable solution for your needs.
Currently, Amazon Connect offers built-in features, but integrating it with other systems like CRM solutions may require developer skills, which can be complex. Simplifying the integration process, perhaps through user-friendly development tools, would greatly benefit users.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for the product for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Amazon Connect appears to be quite stable. Even if there are any issues, they are typically not bugs within the product itself but rather issues related to the servers or infrastructure in the background.
In traditional ones, you would end up doing a lot of troubleshooting. You can reboot the product since it is on the AWS server. It's very easy. You don't run into many issues. I didn't run into any buggy behavior or buggy issues. It works flawlessly.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool's usage in our company isn't extensive compared to our traditional flow. However, there's a growing adaptation to it. It's particularly beneficial for those who are new to the market.
In terms of users, I would estimate that at least 400 agents use it for one customer or company. Considering that each customer might have applied the solution in their environment, the user base would be 400. So, overall, it's not just a few individuals using it; the user count would likely be in the thousands.
How are customer service and support?
The tool's support is good and helpful.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Our company chose the product primarily because it fit our specific requirements well. We provided customers with multiple solutions, and Amazon Connect served as a good starter option. It aligned well with our need for something new while being cost-effective, especially since our call volume was relatively low.
Additionally, Amazon Connect offers the latest features, such as chatbots and seamless integration capabilities, which further contributed to our decision.
How was the initial setup?
The tool's deployment is easy compared to the traditional setup.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend understanding your requirements to assess if Amazon Connect suits your needs. Additionally, taking advantage of the trial period offered by Amazon Connect, typically around 30 days, would allow you to familiarize yourself with the product before fully implementing it in your environment.
I rate the product a seven out of ten. It is not practical if your call volumes are high.
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
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