CPaaS – Communication Platform as a Service is a group of backend services that run on a centralized cloud-based communication platform. It allows your IT staff and developers to include specialized communication functions-  like phone, video, chats, and SMS—into applications.

CPaaS providers offer a back-end communications platform with connectable application programming interfaces (communication APIs). Developers thus invest less time creating features in real-time, particularly taking into account that CPaaS suppliers provide tools to add APIs easily to modern business applications.

CPaaS use different channels for communication. This includes:

•       Voice: This works as a normal call. In this virtual numbers are generated from the device on which the app is installed.
•       Push notification: Push notifications do not depend on the app.
•       SMS: CPaaS providers send text messages to application users.
•       Fax: This works as conventional faxing, mobile app users send online faxes by scanning items.
•       Web Chat: This is similar to text message but this is done through the browser.
•       Social media chat: CPaaS applications can also communicate with users via text messaging on their preferred social media platform.
•       Email: Email notifications can be delivered to users when an application’s email API is added.
•       Artificial Intelligence (AI): When included in an application with the help of a CPaaS provider, AI speaks with the user directly. Text or speech both are used for this.
•       Chatbots: Users can navigate using pre-programmed options provided by chatbots.
•       Voice: Video in CPaaS makes up close and personal experience for clients that are communicating with a business. This is a type of web conferencing.

There are a few minor distinctions between unified communications as a service (UCaaS) and communications platform as a service (CPaaS), despite the fact that both are cloud-based solutions for managing how customers engage with agents and enhancing internal communications.

A whole unified communications solution is offered by UCaaS on a single, standalone, ready-to-use platform. Companies may handle audio, SMS texting, phone, video, and more modes of communication with the use of UCaaS solutions.

In contrast, CPaaS offers a little more flexibility when creating a communications solution.

Rather than getting an all-in-one communications platform, CPaaS users can select the characteristics and channels they need to add to the existing infrastructure, app, or service. In this situation, it’s possible that the app currently has one or more channels for communication, but it wants to add additional to enhance the overall user experience.

The top benefits of CPaaS are:

• One API for omnichannel communication
• Cloud-based communication provides solutions at any place.
• The capability of adding new features and updates as needed, would save time and keep expenses under control.
• User authentication to guarantee the assurance and security of client’s data across all channels.
• Users can set preferences which means they communicate through different desired channels.
• Automated answers allow agents to focus on major problems.
• Giving businesses a practical means to expand their worldwide presence.

• Pay-As-You-Go: This is the most adaptable pricing model as it enables clients to pay just for the services they use.
• Free: Freemium service providers offer free services up to a certain level. This is helpful for smaller companies whose applications don’t require extensive communication APIs. It’s a wise decision for companies hoping to test a particular service without any commitment.
• Risk-rewards: Risk rewards rely on the completion of particular pre-determined KPIs. Companies utilizing a supplier with this kind of pricing structure will need to establish performance goals that are decided upon prior to the launch of a campaign.
• Volume-based: This is based on the volume of usage, the more you use the less you pay.
• Committed Use: This is similar to the volume-based model. If businesses use a certain volume of services the providers provide a significant discount. The difference is that businesses have to commit the level of usage prior to taking the service.
• Per-User: A provider charging per user or per seat includes charges between $15 and $25 for unified communication applications.

Here are some features which you should consider when looking for a CPaaS provider:

• Modules and wrapper incorporation: Modules are those components that are installed and quickly increase the platform’s communication capacity. Features include sentiment analysis and authentication. Without having to dig too far into the code, wrappers allow configuration options to be added to the program.
• Visual builders: Visual builders are designed for teams that may lack highly skilled staff. Rather than being completely code-based, a visual builder provides a graphical tool that non-technical users can use to add communication features.
• WebRTC SDKs: WebRTC software development kits (SDKs) make it easier to modify your application’s API. Since CPaaS providers employ cloud-based architecture, modifications made by your developers via browsers are automatically stored across all involved instances.
• Templates: Because development staff builds from a pre-existing design, templates are a tool that drastically reduces development time. Although there are third-party templates out there, it’s usually preferable for the provider to make their own and make them available to clients so that developers don’t have to keep up with them.
• SMS and Voice Routing:  Service providers determine the long-lasting subscriber information for clients using data from Home Location Register (HLR). This is crucial for companies who operate many call centers and want to direct their clients to the center that is situated closest to them.
• Analysis: This is valuable for customers because the provider offers data on consumption, busy times, and call results. Some suppliers offer fraud detection services that enable the creation of a database that clearly identifies bogus numbers and users.

• Worldwide Reach: Every vendor has different characteristics around the world.
• Local Number Provisioning: Most CPaaS sellers give virtual telephone numbers that the application utilizes while reaching clients. . These offer a voice channel that PSTN lines can access and are independent of smartphone numbers. These numbers can be toll-free, local, international, or have vanity configurations.
• Existence: For providers offering UCaaS functionality, this is very crucial. Users can instantly modify their availability status using the application with the help of presence information. There are two presence statuses to look for: “away” and “do not disturb (DND)”.
• Self-Service: Some suppliers have informational repositories specifically designed for use by development staff. . When there is online documentation to assist with problem-solving, this makes troubleshooting and implementing changes easier.
• Enterprise-Grade Security: Data received through the API needs to be encrypted to have VoIP security for enterprise clients. This implies that every piece of information supplied will require an encryption key from the development team. Additionally, encryption and security measures through transport layer security (TLS) will need to be in place for data both at rest and while in transit.
• Compliance: Understanding what each vendor is delivering is crucial because not all providers in industries like financial services and healthcare are compliant. For HIPAA compliance, the service, for instance, must sign a business partner agreement with you before it is permitted to share or receive patient information.

Let’s figure out whether CPaaS is good for your business or not by its usage in different industries

Banking

Users can complete loan applications on their banking app, make credit card payments, check account statements, and meet with bankers via video chat to discuss financing alternatives.

Most crucially, CPaaS enables banks to notify customers in real-time when their bank accounts have low balances or unusual activities. Users may immediately verify that they are the ones using the card and, if not, interact with an agent to make sure the card is canceled and reordered.

Real Estate

Real estate agents can quickly boost interaction with listings by installing a click-to-call link on profiles using CPaaS and enabling customers to book an online or physical open house via an app.

They can ask questions about the home, let agents know when they’ll be late for an appointment, or even request a private tour of the property via video calling.

Legal Professionals

Attorneys and other legal professionals rely on CPaaS to gather client information, schedule consultations, and offer simple answers to frequent client queries in addition to appointment reminders.

Send warnings about potential fines for missed dates, keep clients informed about court dates and venue changes, and even follow up with invoices.

Healthcare

With the advent of COVID-19, even test results are sent to patients via CPaaS in the healthcare industry as reminders and confirmations of appointments.

The patients can decide whether they want to receive these automatic reminders by text, call, or another channel.

The CPaaS industry will be worth around $17.7 billion by 2024, up from $4.2 billion in 2019, according to a recent study.

Due to the significant shift towards a remote workforce that the COVID-19 pandemic will cause in 2020, businesses of all sizes must now mimic conventional workplace business communications methods outside of the office.

In an increasingly remote business environment, AI’s position in CPaaS is more crucial than ever. In 2021, technologies including conversational AI, interactive voice response (IVR), and natural language processing (NLP) will increase task automation and offer a higher level of client self-service.

Since there are more and more CPaaS suppliers joining the market, you should be able to locate a vendor who can give your company the features it requires. You’ll need an agile development team to integrate the required communications channels into your custom apps because this technology seamlessly combines application development with business communications.