What Are The Call Center Priorities In The Digital Era?

Digital channels and automation technology are modifying the way in which organizations relate to users. Therefore, it is also time to change the way in which the performance of call centers is managed.

To build a successful contact center in terms of digitization and automation, it is necessary to consider a series of questions that involve both users and agents:

• What is the true objective of the call center in the digital age?
• What efficiency metrics are the most important for agents?

After the completion of these questions it is convenient to have a new vision that includes strategic initiatives, investments in technology and training tactics that will impact the users and agents of today, among other aspects.

According to a study by CCW Digital, the goal of call centers has changed from “supporting users” to “connecting with users”. This connection, which is given by digitization and automation, implies the inclusion of new metrics such as the degree of satisfaction and user loyalty.

What Are The Call Center Priorities In The Digital Era?

The “vision” of organizations for the future of call centers implies, among other aspects, providing easy access to live agents, using artificial intelligence to complement instead of replacing agents, aligning all contact channels and Participation functions, take advantage of self-service for transactional issues and agents for complexes, and enhance rapid interactions.

The main executive priorities include the increase of the digital capacities, the improvement of the knowledge base, the use of the planning and the organization of the ‘user journey’ and a better automation of the processes of memory. Together, the vision and priorities provide a clear performance framework for the contact functions with today’s users.

In the simplest sense, a query about the performance of the contact center is a question about whether an organization is achieving its goals and objectives of contact with the user. Through its strategies, investments, initiatives, policies, processes and interactions a successful call center helps the company to realize its definitive vision.

What Are The Key Objectives Of “Digital” Call Centers?

1) Improve Digital And Self-service Performance

With a stronger digital engagement framework, an organization can respect channel preferences, offer faster service, improve agent productivity, eliminate experiential break points, and gather more actionable intelligence about user confidence and behavior. The strongest artificial intelligence (AI) and self-service tools increase user comfort and increase agent productivity.

2) Reduce The Effort And Pain Points

Organizations recognize the importance of reducing friction, both for users and agents. Travel mapping will help identify the weak points of users, while strategic planning (and the more robust digital channels) will offer a solution. Automate memory tasks and improve the knowledge base will facilitate the daily life of the agents.

3) Train Agents To “Connect” With Users

By freeing them from transactional tasks, improving training and taking advantage of the tools to acquire more practical intelligence, organizations will allow agents to interact more meaningfully with users. They will not simply answer the questions or provide a simple support, they will be able to “connect” with the user and resolve their query or problem.