The first call center was founded in 1957, operating under the name Life Circulation Co. and owned by Time Inc. Established to increase LIFE magazine subscriptions, it was the forerunner to today’s modern call centers, and business communications have advanced significantly since then.
Before computers, communication was possible via giant switchboards called Private Manual Branch Exchanges (PMBXs). Receptionists were needed to manually connect calls, and PMBXs were often used by businesses to save money rather than outsource telecom services. Later, the invention of computer telephony integration made the switch from manual to automatic.
It wasn’t long before automation took over call centers completely. From Automatic Call Distribution systems in the 70’s to Interactive Voice Response in the 80’s to today’s Internet and cloud technology, call centers have continued to expand and are now an integral part of operations for a variety of businesses.
Take a look at our call center history infographic below for some fun facts about how call centers have evolved over time.
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<img title=”Call Center History Infographic” alt=”Call Center History Infographic” src=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/wp-content/uploads/the-history-of-the-call-center-infographic/Call-Center-History.jpg” width=”710″ />
<pre><em>Image originally posted on <a href=”https://www.specialtyansweringservice.net/the-history-of-the-call-center-infographic/”>The SAS Blog</a></em>
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