5 min
Delivering better customer experiences (CX) is a hot topic that has become increasingly critical for forward-thinking call centers in recent years. Call center leaders have realized that the time has come to deliver real measurable value to the business and move on.
To deliver value, managers need to select a CX strategy that can immediately show ROI (Return on Investment). This must be directly related to a KPI that is linked to revenue or costly inefficiency within the organization.
For instance, initiatives related to customer satisfaction / retention that demonstrate a clear impact on retention rates, with self-service driving a reduction in operating costs, or with customer engagement / journey that correlate with an increase in sales.
However, in addition to short-term ROI, improving a contact center’s customer experience strategy also requires careful long-term consideration. To achieve both short-term and long-term benefits, three essential elements must be aligned: business objectives, infrastructure and technologies.
Once aligned, call center leaders must prioritize and make smart decisions to show short-term ROI, while building solid foundations toward greater long-term impact, as key technologies mature.
1) Align Business Objectives With Call Center Performance
Over the past five years, a number of key business trends have emerged and have been steadily gaining ground. Contact center leaders can study these trends and find within each one a CX strategy that delivers proven ROI to the business.
a) Personalized Experiences
Consumer expectations have changed dramatically over the last decade. They are no longer satisfied with mass delivery of content, but instead expect to receive personalized messages that meet their individual interests. What’s more, they are willing to give up their privacy by sharing their data in exchange for these personalized experiences.
b) Omnichannel Experience
Many of today’s companies recognize that users want to contact a company from anywhere, at any time and from any device and platform (web, voice, live chat, messaging, social networks, video and email) and, therefore, they support multiple channels to achieve customer engagement.
c) Self-service
Self-service is emerging as the holy grail of the modern CX. At best, it is preferred by consumers and profitable for the business. While there is still a long way to go to deliver automated human-like interactive experiences, with recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR) and computer vision, self-service can now more easily understand the customer’s problem and determine its resolution, allowing users to address the issue on their own without delay.
2) Infrastructure: Accelerated Digital Transformation
Call center leaders have embraced the need for integrated cloud-based platforms that adequately connect consumers, the business, and their representatives. As part of the journey towards complete digital transformation, these platforms store, share and process the data transmission stream. This effort is focused in two main directions:
a) Data Integration And Administration Flow
Collect and analyze massive amounts of business and customer data. It provides call center leaders with user information and a foundation for future automation. Viewing a 360º image of a customer drives better decision making, personalized CX, and ultimately more satisfied users.
b) Digital Customer Journey
A robust cloud-based infrastructure is required to provide a seamless journey from first contact with a business to final resolution (customer service), ensuring that the user has continuous access to the organization.
Failing to meet consumers’ digital travel expectations when they need support and assistance can lead them directly to your competitors.
3) Technologies: Data Analysis, Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality
As contact centers move beyond standard ticketing, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) systems, three major fields of technology have emerged at the forefront of proven, results-driven innovation.
a) Data Analysis
Data-driven tools exist to ensure contact center operations are running at peak performance. They analyze large amounts of data related to user interaction, workforce management, and operations.
To find the solution that offers value to your organization, first you have to analyze the pain points. Once connected to digital data, the right analytics solution will provide clear information on the changes and fixes that need to be implemented to improve and drive ROI.
b) Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning
AI is typically defined as the ability of a machine to perform the cognitive functions associated with the human mind. It builds on the data collected and the information provided during the analysis, and puts it to work. As technology continues to improve, some AI-based solutions are showing clear benefits.
For example, while an AI-powered chatbot may not yet be able to independently solve a customer’s problem from A to Z, it can deliver clear value, such as collecting customer data and assigning the case to the more appropriate agent.
Another example is Artificial Intelligence that helps agents recommend the best actions based on the information sent by users. Furthermore, AI can also help with general operations, such as call center traffic management.
c) Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is an interactive technology that superimposes a computer-generated image onto the user’s view of the real world. In today’s rapidly becoming hyper-visual digital world, AR is emerging as a crucial communication method, offering greater engagement and efficiency. It also allows users to experiment and “try” products before purchasing.
These applications have been shown to have a positive impact on both sales and service. For example, “try before you buy” has increased sales in the cosmetics industry, and RA-driven customer support has reduced technician shipments and product returns without encountering errors.
In conclusion, when taking a holistic view of CX going forward, there must be three drivers to ensure that your company’s call center customer experience strategy is poised to deliver real value. Business goals, personalization, omnichannel experiences, and self-service tools must be aligned with the CX strategy. Your infrastructure must be strengthened to support digital transformation, including data integration and the digital customer journey.
Investments in next-generation technologies, such as data analytics, Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, and augmented reality, must be a priority to capitalize on customer data. With these three elements, companies will be well equipped to meet the demands for CX excellence driven by users and organizations.
Subscribe
Ask for a demo