Last updated: February 2026
Contact Center vs Call Center
A call center handles voice communications only—inbound and outbound phone calls. A contact center handles multiple communication channels including voice, email, chat, SMS, social media, and video. Modern contact centers have evolved from call centers to meet customer expectations for channel choice.
What is a Call Center?
A call center is a centralized operation focused exclusively on telephone communications. Key characteristics:
- Voice only - Handles inbound and/or outbound phone calls
- ACD system - Routes calls to available agents
- IVR - Automated phone menus for self-service
- Call recording - Captures conversations for quality review
- Phone-centric metrics - ASA, abandonment rate, talk time
Call centers emerged in the 1960s-70s with the advent of toll-free numbers and automatic call distribution technology.
What is a Contact Center?
A contact center expands beyond voice to handle all customer communication channels:
- Voice - Traditional phone with ACD/IVR
- Email - Queued and routed like calls
- Chat - Real-time web-based messaging
- SMS/Text - Two-way mobile messaging
- Social media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
- Video - Face-to-face remote support
Contact centers evolved from call centers as digital channels became primary customer touchpoints.
Key Differences
| Aspect | Call Center | Contact Center |
|---|---|---|
| Channels | Voice only | Voice + digital channels |
| Customer choice | Phone or nothing | Multiple options |
| Agent skills | Phone handling | Multi-channel proficiency |
| Technology | PBX/ACD focused | Unified platform |
| Customer journey | Phone interactions | Cross-channel visibility |
| Self-service | IVR only | IVR + chatbots + knowledge base |
| Workforce flexibility | Phone queues only | Blended channel handling |
When to Use a Call Center
Voice-only call centers still make sense for:
- Phone-dominant demographics - Older populations who prefer calling
- Simple transactions - Quick calls that don't need written follow-up
- Outbound operations - Sales or collections focused on dialing
- Legacy systems - When migration isn't feasible yet
When to Use a Contact Center
Contact centers are the better choice when:
- Customers expect channel choice - Most do today
- Complex interactions - Issues that span multiple touchpoints
- Documentation needed - Email/chat creates written records
- Younger demographics - Digital-first customers
- Self-service goals - Deflect simple queries to automation
- Remote workforce - Digital channels enable distributed teams
The Industry Shift
The terminology has shifted significantly:
- 1970s-1990s - "Call center" was universal
- 2000s - "Contact center" emerged as email and chat grew
- 2010s - "Contact center" became standard for multi-channel
- Today - Most "call centers" are actually contact centers
Many organizations use "call center" colloquially even when they handle multiple channels. The distinction matters mainly for technology and capability discussions.
Real-World Example: DMV Modernization
A state DMV operated a voice-only call center handling 15,000 daily calls with 35% abandonment. After migrating to Platform28's contact center platform, they added web chat for simple inquiries (appointment scheduling, document questions) and SMS for appointment reminders. Voice volume dropped 40%, abandonment fell to 8%, and constituent satisfaction increased 52%.
Contact Centers for Government Transformation
Government agencies are ideal candidates for call center to contact center modernization:
- Citizen expectations - Constituents expect the same channel options they get from private sector
- Volume reduction - Chat and self-service deflect simple inquiries from phone queues
- Written documentation - Email and chat create audit trails for compliance
- Accessibility - Multiple channels serve citizens with different needs and preferences
- Cost efficiency - Digital channels cost less per interaction than voice
Platform28 has helped government agencies transition from legacy call centers to modern contact centers while maintaining service continuity.
Platform28: Modern Contact Center
Platform28's contact center platform supports all communication channels from a single unified workspace:
- True omnichannel - Voice, email, chat, SMS, social in one platform
- Unified routing - Same routing engine for all channels
- Blended agents - Handle multiple channels simultaneously
- Cross-channel reporting - Complete customer journey visibility
Whether you're upgrading from a call center or building new, Platform28 provides enterprise contact center capabilities with transparent pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a call center and a contact center?
A call center handles phone calls only. A contact center handles multiple channels: phone, email, chat, SMS, social media, and more. Contact centers evolved from call centers as customers began expecting channel choice.
Should I use a call center or contact center?
If your customers primarily contact you by phone and you have no plans to add channels, a call center may suffice. If customers expect to reach you via email, chat, or text—or you want that flexibility—choose a contact center.
Is a contact center more expensive than a call center?
Not necessarily. Modern CCaaS platforms include multichannel capabilities at similar price points to voice-only solutions. The operational efficiency gains often offset any cost difference.
Are government agencies still using call centers?
Many government agencies are modernizing from voice-only call centers to multi-channel contact centers. Citizens expect to reach agencies via web chat, email, and SMS—not just phone. The transition typically improves constituent satisfaction while reducing costs.
Can I keep my existing phone system and add digital channels?
Some organizations do this, but it creates the fragmented multichannel experience customers dislike. A unified contact center platform provides better customer experience and operational efficiency than bolting digital channels onto an existing phone system.
How long does it take to upgrade from a call center to a contact center?
With a cloud platform, the technical migration takes 2-4 weeks. The larger effort is training agents on new channels, establishing service standards, and building out channel-specific workflows. Plan 6-8 weeks for a complete transition.
Ready to go beyond voice?
See how Platform28's contact center platform handles all your customer channels.